I am a biologist by training who majored in neurobiology. During my PhD studies at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science in Leipzig (Germany), I started exploring the effects of hormonal transition periods on human brain health through neuroimaging. I focused on the linkages between sex hormones, neuroplasticity and mood disorders, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, by using the menstrual cycle as a natural model. In my current role as a postdoctoral fellow in the Imaging Psychosis Research Group at the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, I work in the Ungdoms-TOP study, which investigates the pathophysiological basis of early onset psychosis (EOP) during adolescence, and serve as Co-Chair of the ENIGMA-EOP working group to foster global research collaborations. My postdoctoral portfolio also includes a range of projects particularly related to women’s health, such as exploring the impact of pregnancy and menopause on brain aging trajectories and depressive phenotypes. My academic interests are driven by the aim to understand how naturally occurring brain dynamics across hormonal transition periods contribute to disease, as this knowledge provides the potential to improve therapeutic approaches and promote mental health.
Plain language summary of my work here: https://www.med.uio.no/norment/english/research/this-months-researcher/claudia-barth-english.html
Commission of Trust (since 2020):
PhD in Neuroscience, 2017
University of Leipzig & Max Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Germany
Master of Science Biology, Major Neurobiology & Behavior, 2012
University of Leipzig, Germany
Bachelor of Science Biology, 2010
Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
In no particular order
Certified software carpentries instructor
trained in planning, coordinating and running multimodal research projects including MRI and PET
Structural, especially diffusion MRI (FSL,Freesurfer) & Task-based MRI (SPM)
PCR, RT-PCR, q-PCR, primer design, DNA and RNA isolation/analysis, single-cell PatchClamp
beloved hobby
beloved hobby
Study populations
Data sets
International collaborations
*both authors contributed equally