Mathias V. Schmidt

PD Dr. Mathias V. Schmidt, PhD, is a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry and a Lecturer at Ludwig Maximilians University. His work focuses on the neurobiology of stress resilience, investigating how genetic and environmental factors influence vulnerability to stress-related disorders.

• Education: University of Bayreuth, University of Delaware, University of Leiden.

Dr. Schmidt's research combines behavioral neuroscience, molecular neurobiology, and glucocorticoid signaling to explore stress-induced conditions like depression, anxiety, obesity, and diabetes. His group employs transgenic models, pharmacology, and optogenetics to identify interventions for enhancing resilience.

Recent publications highlight his work on sex-specific stress responses, FKBP51 antagonists for metabolic disorders, and machine learning applications in behavioral phenotyping. The group’s studies often bridge neurobiology, genetics, and metabolism.

• Scientific Awards: OptiMD consortium grant, BioM award, Kids2Health, GUTMOM, SinoDFG, VIP+, FKBP5 project grant.

Dr. Schmidt’s lab also contributes to translational projects, including collaborations with the Technical University Darmstadt and clinical trials for diabetes treatments targeting stress proteins.