Susann Schweiger

Many functions of the healthy brain are controlled by local protein synthesis. So-called synaptic plasticity, which is the cellular basis of learning and memory, is dependent on well-functioning and finely regulated protein synthesis in dendrites and axons, especially in the postsynaptic compartment. Dysregulated local protein synthesis leads to diseases such as fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome and Rett syndrome. However, faulty local protein synthesis in neurons also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Huntington's disease.

Our research focuses on understanding the pathogenetic basis of these and other genetic diseases of the central nervous system. We also seek to develop effective therapies for these diseases in collaboration with one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. 

Research website

Positions held

• Since 2020: Group Leader, Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz
• Since 2012: Director, Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center (UMC), Mainz
• 2010 - 2012: Vice Chair, Wellcome Trust Center for Molecular Medicine, Dundee
• 2007 - 2012: Professor for Molecular Medicine, Dundee Medical School
• 2005 - 2010: Lichtenberg Professor, Charité-Berlin
• 2001 - 2005: Group Leader, MPI for Molecular Medicine, Berlin

Education

• 2006: Board Certificate in Human Genetics, Charité-Berlin
• 2005: Lichtenberg Professorship, Charité-Berlin
• 1993: MD in Biochemistry, University Freiburg 
• 1989 - 1993: Medical School, University of Freiburg
• 1989 - 1992: MD in Biochemistry, University of Freiburg 
• 1987 - 1989: Medical, University Innsbruck 

Selected publications by Susann Schweiger

Wendelmuth M, Willam M, Todorov H, Radyushkin K, Gerber S and Schweiger S (2020) Dynamic longitudinal behavior in animals exposed to chronic social defeat. PLoS ONE, 15:e0235268 Link

Cooper A, Butto T, Hammer N, Jagannath S, Fend-Guella DL, Akhtar J, Radyushkin K, Lesage F, Winter J, Strand S, Roeper J, Zechner U and Schweiger S (2020) Inhibition of histone deacetylation rescues phenotype in a mouse model of Birk-Barel intellectual disability syndrome. Nat Comm, 11:480 Link

Arnoux I*, Willam M*, Griesche N*, Krummeich J, Watari H, Offermann N, Weber S, Narayan Dey P, Chen C, Monteiro O, Buettner S, Meyer K, Bano D, Radyushkin K, Langston R, Lambert JJ, Wanker E, Methner A, Krauss S^#, Schweiger S^# and Stroh A^# (2018) Metformin reverses early cortical network dysfunction and behavior changes in Huntington's disease. Elife, 7:e38744 (*indicates joint contribution, ^#indicates joint correspondence) Link

Monteiro O, Chen C, Bingham R, Argyrou A, Buxton R, Pancevac Jönsson C, Jones E, Bridges A, Gatfield K, Krauß S, Lambert J, Langston R, Schweiger S and Uings I (2018) Pharmacological disruption of the MID1/α4 interaction reduces mutant Huntingtin levels in primary neuronal cultures. Neurosci Lett, 673:44–50 Link

Schweiger S, Matthes F, Posey K, Kickstein E, Weber S, Hettich MM, Pfurtscheller S, Ehninger D, Schneider R and Krauß S (2017) Resveratrol induces de-phosphorylation of tau by interfering with the MID1-PP2A complex. Sci Rep, 7:13753 Link