Martin Dichgans

Professor Martin Dichgans serves as the Founding Director of the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) and Chair of the Department of Translational Stroke and Dementia Research at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich's Medical Center. He has held these positions since 2010 and has been a Professor of Neurology at LMU since 2006. Additionally, he serves as President of the European Stroke Organisation (since 2020) and President of the German Stroke Society (since 2016).

Dr. Dichgans' research focuses on the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of stroke and cerebrovascular disease, with particular emphasis on cerebral small vessel disease and large artery atherosclerotic stroke. His laboratory employs genetic approaches to identify novel risk genes and explores their functional roles using genome-editing, proteomics, and imaging technology. His team has established genetic mouse models for cerebral small vessel disease derived from genetic discoveries (e.g., HtrA1, Col4A1, Foxf2) to identify key molecular pathways relevant to disease pathogenesis.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on genetic determinants of stroke and vascular disease, with increasing attention to inflammatory pathways in atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. His work spans basic molecular mechanisms, translational research, and large-scale genetic studies across diverse populations. Recent publications demonstrate growing interest in the intersection of vascular disease and neurodegeneration, particularly in vascular cognitive impairment and dementia.

Professor Dichgans leads a substantial research team including postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and technical staff, and has successfully secured numerous competitive grants including the Fondation Leducq Trans-Atlantic Network of Excellence on Brain Endothelium and the Horizon-EIC-2022-Pathfinder Challenges project. His laboratory is part of the Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), reflecting its integration into a broader neuroscience research ecosystem.