Sonja Entringer

Sonja Entringer is a Professor at the Institute of Medical Psychology at Charité – University Medicine Berlin and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine. She serves as Deputy Institute Director at the Institute of Medical Psychology and heads the Research Group Psychobiological Methods. Her work bridges multiple institutions including the German Center for Mental Health and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences in Berlin.

Dr. Entringer's primary research interest lies in the field of 'Early Programming of Disease and Health,' investigating how developmental conditions in early life influence physiology and shape disease risk later in life. Her research spans maternal psychological stress, nutritional behavior during pregnancy, and societal determinants like migration and social inequality. She employs interdisciplinary approaches combining gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, psychiatry, sociology, biology, and psychology, with methodologies including molecular biology and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA).

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on telomere biology, maternal stress physiology, and the biological embedding of early life experiences. Her work demonstrates significant contributions to understanding how prenatal and early life stress impacts cellular aging, metabolic function, and neurodevelopment. She has secured substantial funding from prestigious sources including the European Research Council, NIH, and German Ministry of Education and Research.

• 2017: Elected Member, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research (ABMR)
• 2015: Curt Richter Award of the International Society for Psychoneuroendocrinology (ISPNE) for 'distinguished early to mid career scientific contributions at the interface of health-related biological and psychological processes'

As Principal Investigator on multiple large-scale projects, Dr. Entringer leads research on prenatal stress and telomere biology, depression in pregnancy, early-life stress impacts on disease risk, and refugee children's trauma. Her work has important implications for prevention strategies targeting early developmental stages before diseases manifest, potentially reducing societal disease burden and healthcare costs.