Professor Dr. Christine Heim elected as a New Member of the Leopoldina
The National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina unites researchers with exceptional expertise in their respective fields. With her admission to the Leopoldina, ECN Member Christine Heim is being honored for her outstanding scientific achievements, receiving one of the highest scientific accolades awarded by a German institution.
Since 2011, she has served as Professor and Director of the Institute of Medical Psychology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Christine Heim studies the effects of traumatic childhood experiences on neurobiological systems and their role in the development of mental and physical illnesses. Her groundbreaking research has introduced an innovative neurodevelopmental psychological perspective to psychiatry and medicine. This work significantly contributes to a deeper understanding of the sociobiological foundations of mental disorders, particularly depression, as well as somatic illnesses. The ultimate goal is to develop early, targeted interventions that address underlying mechanisms, reverse or prevent pathogenic processes, and establish diagnostic biomarkers to identify at-risk individuals and predict therapy responsiveness.
Academic Career
Her academic journey began with studying psychology and completing her doctorate in Trier. Following her research work at the Research Center for Psychobiology and Psychosomatics at the University of Trier and a postdoctoral position at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta (USA), she worked at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine from 2001 to 2011, first as an Assistant Professor and from 2008 as an Associate Professor. Since 2011, she has been Professor and Director of the Institute of Medical Psychology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. From 2014 to 2023, she also held a professorship at the Department of Biobehavioral Health and Human Development at Pennsylvania State University. Additionally, she is a Principal Investigator in the NeuroCure Excellence Cluster and the German Center for Mental Health, a Fellow at the Max Planck School of Cognition, and a Faculty Member of the Berlin School of Mind and Brain at Humboldt University in Berlin.
About the Leopoldina Academy
Founded in 1652, the Leopoldina is one of the oldest scientific academies in the world. It represents German science in international forums, issues public statements on current topics, and promotes scientific discussion. Admission to the academy follows a multi-stage selection process after nomination by its members.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christine Heim
Institut für Medizinische Psychologie
ECN Member
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Charitéplatz 1
10117 Berlin
christine.heim@charite.de