Our group investigates the mechanism conveying resilience to ageing, we conduct a longitudinal cohort studies, which include comprehensive neural phenotype information. We have currently added the “body dimension” by comprehensively phenotyping the (epi)genomic, proteomic, cellular-immunologic and cardiovascular phenotypic levels. Based on this, we investigate the potential molecular and cellular network mechanisms of resilient ageing in regards to cellularimmunologic (Bopp Lab, FZI/UMC) and epigenetic (Wild/Niehrs Lab, UMC/IMB), as well as cellular senescence mechanisms (Baumann Lab, JGU/IMB). Hence, we connect multimodal human neuroimaging (incl. molecular imaging see Pfeifer et al. 2021) and behavioral data (both our expertise) with Omics data (genetic, epigenetic, proteome, microbiome, etc.) in cooperation with the Gerber and Endres Groups. On a national level, the Leibniz Research Alliance (LRA) Resilient Ageing (led by O. Tüscher) combines the expertise of 15 Leibniz partner institutes across three Leibniz Association sections to develop and implement a strong interdisciplinary and cooperative research agenda on mechanisms of resilience and functionally adaptive vs. maladaptive responses during ageing.

Positions held 

Since 2022   
Clinician Adjunct (PI), Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmBH

Since 2020   
Research Group Leader and Head of Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany

Since 2016   
W2-Professor at the Dept. of Psychiatry and the German Resilience Center (DRZ), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

Since 2015   
Vice-chair, Dept. of Psychiatry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

2010 - 2013   
Residency, Dept. of Psychiatry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

2009 - 2010   
Residency, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Freiburg, Germany

2006 - 2010   
Head, Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control Imaging Group (ERIC) at the Freiburg Brain Imaging, University of Freiburg, Germany

2006 - 2009   
Residency, Dept. of Neurology, University of Freiburg, Germany

2003 - 2006   
Postdoc and supervised consultant service, Div. of Neuropsychiatry, Dept. of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College Cornell University, New York, USA

2001 - 2003   
Residency, Dept. of Neurology, UKE, University of Hamburg, Germany

Education

2011   
Habilitation for Neurology, University of Freiburg, Germany

2002   
MD/PhD studies within the DFG-Graduate program in Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

1995 - 2000   
Medical School, University of Heidelberg, Germany

1992 - 1995   
Medical School, University of Bochum, Germany