Christine Heim

Prof. Christine Heim currently holds the position of Head of the Center for Human and Health Sciences at the German University Hospital Charité, Berlin. Her main research fields include the developmental programming of health and disease, the neurobiology of depression and anxiety disorders and neural correlates of stress and emotion. Her research employs a multi-methodological approach to integrate clinical and developmental psychology with methods from functional and structural neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology, immunology, and genetics to elucidate the role of developmental factors in contributing to the psychobiological basis of complex psychiatric and somatic disorders. Results from this research will ultimately lead to improved diagnosis of cases at risk versus resilience, as well as targeted prevention and treatment, through an integrated consideration of early developmental and biological processes. Prof. Heim completed her tenureship as an Associate Professor at the Emroy University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA. She won several awards, including the Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression.