Marcus Conrad

Professor Marcus Conrad serves as Director of the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at Helmholtz Munich and holds the Chair of Translational Redox Biology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 2024. His research bridges basic science and translation through the identification and pharmacological targeting of key nodes in cell death and necro-inflammatory processes.

Conrad earned his PhD from Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich with highest honors (summa cum laude), focusing on selenoproteins in transgenic mice. His academic journey includes research positions at Karolinska Institute, Yamagata University, and leadership roles at Helmholtz Zentrum München before his current directorship.

Conrad's research primarily focuses on ferroptosis, a regulated cell death pathway dependent on iron and lipid peroxidation. His work explores how understanding these molecular mechanisms can prevent neurodegenerative diseases and combat cancer. He has made significant contributions to understanding the role of GPX4, FSP1, and other key regulators in ferroptosis, with implications for drug discovery and therapeutic interventions.

His publication record shows a strong focus on ferroptosis mechanisms, with recent work exploring novel ferroptosis suppressors, metabolic connections to cell death pathways, and implications for diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and kidney disease. His research demonstrates the growing recognition of ferroptosis as a critical pathway with therapeutic potential across multiple disease areas.

• Galenus-von-Pergamon-Price (2024)
• European Cell Death Organisation (ECDO) Honorary Award 2024
• Multiple ISI Highly Cited Awards (2020-2024)
• ERC Advanced Grant "IRONDEATH" (2020)
• m4 Awards for Personalized Medicine (2012, 2017)

Conrad has secured significant research funding including an ERC Advanced Grant and coordinates the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Priority Programme on Ferroptosis (2021-2026) involving 25 centers. He co-founded ROSCUE THERAPEUTICS GmbH in 2020, translating his research into potential therapeutics. Conrad actively mentors researchers through his institute and has organized multiple international conferences on ferroptosis, including EMBO workshops and Cold Spring Harbor Asia conferences.

His institute at Helmholtz Munich serves as a hub for ferroptosis research, bringing together experts in redox biology, cell death mechanisms, and translational medicine. Conrad's leadership has positioned his team at the forefront of understanding how regulated cell death pathways can be targeted for therapeutic benefit in multiple disease contexts.