Faculty member

Research Interests

My research centers on the intersection of brain, behavior, and hormones, exploring how neuroendocrine systems dynamically shape cognition and mental health. Hormones work in synergy, not isolation—and our work reflects this principle. Using advanced multimodal neuroimaging (7T MRI, neuroreceptor PET) and large-scale biobank analyses, we investigate how hormonal transitions across the lifespan—from the menstrual cycle to postpartum and perimenopause—influence memory, emotion regulation, stress response, and well-being. We integrate perspectives from neuroscience, endocrinology, and psychology to advance sex- and hormone-informed neuroscience, addressing critical gaps in brain research where women’s health has historically been underrepresented. By combining dense-sampling and high-resolution imaging with inclusive, transparent AI approaches, we aim to capture the fine-grained biological variability that drives individual resilience and vulnerability. Our discoveries have highlighted how natural hormonal fluctuations reshape brain networks, neurochemistry, and even heart–brain coupling, with implications for mood, stress regulation, and long-term health. Through this work, we aim to bridge fundamental gaps in women’s brain health research, generating insights that inform prevention and treatment across the lifespan. Collaboration is at the heart of our work, enabling integrative, team-based approaches to complex questions in brain health.

Available PhD projects

We offer a PhD project within the PeriLIFE study, an extension of our previous work 1) Ruehr et al., 2025, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39733923/ , 2) Zsido et al., 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31225892/ , 3) Stanikova et al., 2019 , https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31175272/ , which applies a deep phenotyping approach to establish a longitudinal perimenopausal cohort. This project investigates how endogenous estradiol fluctuations influence metabolic, cognitive, and brain health, integrating annual assessments of endocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, psychosocial, cognitive, and advanced neuroimaging measures (3T/7T MRI, PET). We aim to identify early biomarkers of vulnerability, characterize individual health trajectories, and generate insights for precision prevention and intervention strategies in women’s health. Supported by the LeiCeM Cluster of Excellence https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en/research/excellence-in-research/leipzig-center-of-metabolism and nested within our research group environment https://www.cbs.mpg.de/departments/neurology/cognitive-neuroendocrinology, this PhD project provides a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and translational research environment.