Bettina Schmid

Dr. Bettina Schmid serves as Group Leader of the Fish Unit at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Munich, where she directs pioneering research on neurodegenerative disorders using zebrafish models.

Her work focuses on deciphering molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) through CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in zebrafish. The Fish Unit leverages the transparency of zebrafish embryos for non-invasive in vivo imaging and functional analysis of disease genes, with particular emphasis on RNA-binding proteins in ALS pathogenesis. As one of the first groups to apply CRISPR/Cas9 in zebrafish (Hruscha et al., Development 2015), they maintain state-of-the-art facilities that serve as a technology platform for DZNE collaborators.

The research program integrates high-throughput genetic modeling with therapeutic development, utilizing the zebrafish's rapid breeding cycle (hundreds of eggs weekly per female) to accelerate discovery. Her team's work bridges molecular genetics and disease pathology to identify novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative conditions.