Susann Schweiger

Prof. Dr. Susann Schweiger serves as Research Group Leader at the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) and German Resilience Center (DRZ) Mainz, while holding the position of Professor for Human Genetics and Director of the Institute for Human Genetics at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2012. Her academic journey includes professorial positions at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland and Charité University Medicine Berlin.

• Current Position: Research Group Leader LIR & Professor/Director Institute for Human Genetics
• Academic Leadership: Director of Institute for Human Genetics since 2012
• Research Affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research since 2020

Dr. Schweiger's research focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying resilient behavior, particularly examining two core areas: the blood-brain barrier and neurovascular niche in stress response, and sex differences in brain resilience. Her work has demonstrated that mTOR kinase inhibition significantly increases resilience in mouse models after chronic social stress, with ongoing human trials in collaboration with other research groups. She has pioneered research on X-chromosomal reactivation as a mechanism for female brain resilience during development, utilizing human cerebral organoids derived from female induced stem cells.

Her publication record shows consistent high-impact research in resilience mechanisms, with recent work spanning from 2025 back to 2020 across journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, and Trends in Neuroscience. The publications demonstrate expertise in genetic disorders, stress response mechanisms, neurovascular function, and sex-specific differences in brain development and resilience.

• Lichtenberg professorship of the Volkswagenstiftung (2005-2010)
• Research grant of the Max Planck Society (1995-1997)
• Member of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (1987-1993)

Dr. Schweiger currently leads a research team including PhD students Mahdi Moradi and Aneesa Riaz, postdoctoral researcher Marlon Wendelmuth, and Senior Scientist Jennifer Winter. Her group receives funding from DFG and EraNet for projects including 'Vererbbarkeit von resilientem Verhalten', 'Die Blut-Hirn-Schranke als Steuerorgan von mentaler Resilienz', and 'PHASR-PP: PHArmacological Augmentation of Stress Resilience'. She maintains extensive collaborations with researchers across Germany and internationally, including King's College London.