Stephanie Kullmann

Prof. Stephanie Kullmann serves as Group Leader and Deputy Head of the Division "Metabolic Neuroimaging" at the Institute for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of Helmholtz Zentrum München, affiliated with the University of Tübingen. She is an active member of the Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience at the International Max Planck Research School.

Her academic credentials include:

• Master's in Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University of Tübingen (2009)
• PhD in Neuroscience, University of Tübingen (2013, summa cum laude)
• Habilitation, Medical Faculty of University of Tübingen (2019)

Kullmann's research pioneers the critical link between brain insulin sensitivity and metabolic health, demonstrating that neural pathways regulate peripheral metabolism and eating behavior in type 2 diabetes. Her innovative work combines functional MRI and brain stimulation to show that exercise and pharmacological interventions can normalize brain insulin resistance, improving whole-body metabolism. Key focus areas include hypothalamic-prefrontal networks in prediabetes and transcranial modulation of appetite circuits.

Her 2024-2025 publications in Nature Metabolism, Brain Stimulation, and Trends in Endocrinology reveal converging themes: brain insulin action as a therapeutic target, sex-specific neural responses to food cues, and developmental impacts of metabolic disorders. These studies consistently highlight neural mechanisms as central to diabetes pathophysiology and treatment.

Major recognitions include:

• Ferdinand-Bertram-Preis of the Deutschen Diabetes Gesellschaft (2022)
• DZD NEXT Young Talent Program (2020)
• Ernst-and-Berta-Scharrer Award (German Society of Endocrinology) (2018)

As Deputy Head of Metabolic Neuroimaging, Kullmann mentors graduate students through the International Max Planck Research School while leading externally funded projects on brain-centered diabetes interventions. Her team's work on transcranial stimulation for appetite control and metabolic memory effects demonstrates significant translational potential. Current grants focus on improving brain insulin sensitivity through lifestyle and pharmacological approaches to prevent diabetes progression.

Her laboratory operates within the Helmholtz Diabetes Center's collaborative ecosystem, integrating neuroscience, endocrinology, and imaging expertise to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for metabolic disorders.