Gerald Obermair

Gerald Obermair is a Professor at Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences since March 2019, leading the Department of Physiology within the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Microbiology. He directs the Mental Health and Neuroscience PhD Program launching in 2023, leveraging his experience from establishing a neurophysiology doctoral program in Innsbruck.

• Biology degree, followed by neurobiology/biochemistry studies in Ohio (USA)
• PhD in Innsbruck, Austria, where he maintains a part-time research group
• Current focus on calcium channel subunits (α2δ/β4) in brain disorders

Research Interests:
Gerald investigates voltage-gated calcium channels in neuronal signaling and their role in neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative diseases. His work connects α2δ subunit mutations to

• Autism
• Epilepsy
• Depression
• Neuropathic pain
• Synucleinopathies

He explores how calcium channel subunits like β4 modulate both channel functions and non-channel nuclear processes.

Publication Trends:
His recent articles focus on CACNA2D/CACNB4 gene variants, α2δ subunit roles in synaptic imbalance, and calcium channel regulation in retinal and auditory systems. Studies employ

• Knockout mouse models
• Electrophysiology
• Genetic sequencing
• CRISPR/Cas9
• Presynaptic protein interactions
• Synucleinopathy research

Lab & Collaborations:
He leads research groups in both Innsbruck (part-time) and Krems, collaborating on projects like CavX (calcium channels in excitable cells) and Neonatal Seizures (completed). His work bridges basic science with clinical applications in

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Ophthalmology
• Psychiatry