Associate Professor – Group Leader
Throughout my career, I have nurtured an interdisciplinary approach to research which promoted me to out of the box thinking and being open towards new approaches and theories. While my academic background spans diverse biological fields, encompassing microbiology, ecology, anthropology, and genetics, my dedicated focus on neuroscience commenced during my PhD studies. In this academic phase, I cultivated the synergy between physics and biology to devise a technique for the precise determination of absolute astrocytic [Cl–]i concentrations within astrocytes in situ. Notably, my contributions included the pioneering publication of the first-ever directly measured absolute astrocytic [Cl–]i at the single-cell level. As I moved on to do a post doc in CTN, I harnessed the obtained knowledge to pioneer various in vivo imaging methodologies, enabling the measurement of absolute [Cl–]i and dynamic [Cl–]i alterations in astrocytes. These efforts culminated in the publication of groundbreaking findings, unveiling brain state-dependent fluctuations in astrocytic [Cl–]i. Furthermore, I demonstrated the direct impact of astrocytic [Cl–]i on neuronal activity. These findings opened a new chapter in studies of glial ionic signalling with a special focus on Cl– homeostasis and dynamical regulation in and by astrocytes, which hitherto has not been investigated.
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Information
Email: Verena@sund.ku.dk
ORCID: 0000-0002-1888-6378
Address: Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N
Professional Expertise
Since 01/2025 Associate professor, Center for Translational Neuromedicine – Division of Astrocyte Driven Ionostasis, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
11/2022-12/2024 Assistant professor, Center for Translational Neuromedicine – Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
01/2018-10/2022 Postdoctoral fellow, Center for Translational Neuromedicine – Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
01/2016-12/2017 Postdoctoral fellow, Institute of Complex Systems, Cellular Biophysics, Research Center Jülich, Germany.
01/2013-12/2015 PhD student, Institute of Complex Systems, Cellular Biophysics, Research Center Jülich, Germany.
Education
02.12.2016 Dr. rer. nat. (summa cum laude) Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
04.10.2012 Master of Science Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
22.07.2010 Bachelor of Science Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
Funding
2025-2030 Hallas Møller Emerging Investigator Grant, Novo Nordisk Foundation DKK 10.000.000
2023-2026 Independent Research Fund Denmark, project 1 (co-applicant with Maiken Nedergaard), DKK 2.000.000
2019-2022 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Lundbeck Foundation, DKK 2.100.000