معرفی
Gerhard Gründer serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Molecular Neuroimaging at the Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI Mannheim), part of Heidelberg University's Medical Faculty Mannheim and the Mannheim Comprehensive Neuroscience Campus (MCNC). Established in 2018, his department pioneers neurobiological research on mental disorders using integrated PET/fMRI imaging on a Siemens Biograph mMR scanner, alongside translational psychopharmacology and therapeutic drug monitoring initiatives.
His research spans neuroimaging of mental disorders, psychopharmacology of antipsychotics in schizophrenia, and translational neuroscience of dopamine/opioid systems in addiction. Key methodologies include simultaneous PET-MR imaging, early-phase clinical trials with a dedicated six-bed research unit, and pharmacogenetic approaches to personalize treatment. The department functions as a central hub for neurochemical studies across the ZI Mannheim research ecosystem.
Analysis of his publication record reveals consistent focus on schizophrenia therapeutics, antipsychotic mechanisms, and neurobiological substrates of reward processing. Recent work (2019-2023) emphasizes cognitive effects of antipsychotics, dopamine adaptations in alcoholism, and social reward neurocircuitry, demonstrating strong integration of clinical trials with advanced neuroimaging biomarkers.
The department operates cutting-edge infrastructure including the Siemens Biograph mMR PET/MR scanner (operational since 2019) at the Center for Innovative Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Research (ZIPP), alongside a six-bed unit for experimental psychopharmacology. It maintains active collaborations with international research centers and pharmaceutical industry partners for multi-center trials of novel therapeutics.
