Arthur Konnerth - Biography#

Professor Konnerth’s research explores the basic processes underlying brain function. By means of electrophysiology, imaging and cell biological approaches, he focuses on synaptic interactions in neuronal circuits in order to achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory. A further goal is the elucidation of the neuronal defects associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Konnerth studied medicine at LMU Munich, obtained his PhD degree from MPI of Psychiatry Munich (1983) and acquired his postdoctoral teaching qualification (habilitation) from TUM (1987). After completing postdoctoral research at universities in the USA and at MPI for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, he was a full professor and director of the Institute of Physiology at the University of Saarland and later held similar positions at TUM and LMU. Since 2005 he has held the Friedrich-Schiedel Professorship and been director of the Institute of Neuroscience at TUM. He is a member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Academia Europaea and Bavarian Academy of Sciences, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Medical University Timisoara/Ro and is a Carl-von-Linde Senior Fellow of TUM-IAS.