Birgit Karner-Höger

Dr. Birgit Karner-Höger is a University Assistant at the Institute of Pharmacology within the Faculty of Medicine at Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. She leads research in the Molecular Pharmacology group under the supervision of Professor Susanna Zierler. Her work focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of ion channels, particularly TRPM7, in immune homeostasis and disease.

Dr. Karner-Höger received her PhD in Biology from EMBL European Molecular Biology Laboratory and University of Heidelberg, Germany in 2016, and her MSc in Biochemistry from Graz University of Technology in 2012. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Scientist at Baxalta Innovations GmbH (Takeda Pharmaceutical) and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, CeMM Research Center, and St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute in Vienna.

Her research interests span molecular pharmacology of ion channels, particularly focusing on TRPM7's dual role as a signaling protein and magnesium ion-conducting channel in immune cells. She investigates TRPM7's role in immune homeostasis, human leukemias, and cellular metabolism using molecular biology, immunology techniques, patch clamp electrophysiology, and Seahorse metabolic flux analysis. Her work aims to identify pharmacological modulators of TRPM7 to understand disease mechanisms and develop potential therapies.

Dr. Karner-Höger's publications demonstrate a strong focus on the intersection of ion channel biology and immunology. Her recent work examines TRPM7's kinase domain in human CML cells, its role in macrophage phagosome maturation, and its significance in immune cell function. Her research contributes significantly to understanding how ion channels regulate immune responses and how their dysfunction can lead to disease.

She has received several prestigious awards including the Expert Intern Careers Fellowship from the Ludwig Boltzmann Society (2020), Hertha Firnberg Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Austrian Research Fund (2017-2020), DOC Doctoral Fellowship from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (2013-2015), and the KUWI Research Scholarship from Graz University of Technology (2011).

Dr. Karner-Höger is an active member of several professional organizations including the Austrian Pharmacological Society (since 2022), Society of General Physiologists (2021), Austrian Society for Allergology and Immunology (since 2023), and the Austrian Biophysical Society (since 2023). Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, with potential implications for treating immune disorders and cancers.