Neuroscience at Nottingham
 

Dorothee Auer

Professor of Neuroimaging, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

Contact

Biography

After undergraduate studies at Duesseldorf, Belfast and Munich I obtained my medical degree (distinction) in 1985 from the Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich. I trained as diagnostic radiologist subspecialising in diagnostic neuroradiology in Freiburg followed by an interventional fellowship in Tuebingen. In 1994 I became NMR research group leader at the MPI Psychiatry Munich and clinical neuroradiology lead for the affiliated hospital. Since 2004, I am Professor of Neuroimaging at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Consultant Neuroradiologist at the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.

In 1990 I completed a medical dissertation ('MD', magna cum laude, University of Freiburg, 1990) in clinical applications of MRI of CSF spaces, and obtained the venia legendi in neuroradiology in 2002 with a habilitation on Proton MR spectroscopy of brain disorders (Dr. med. habil. PhD equiv, Uni of Marburg).

Expertise Summary

I have a strong track record in the development and evaluation of prognostic, predictive and dynamic biomarkers using advanced MRI techniques, mainly in brain health with a focus on neurodegenerative, stroke and mental health disorders including chronic pain. My main experimental approach is based on multimodal brain MRI and MR spectroscopy in an experimental medicine and clinical setting or back translation for mechanistic studies. Recent interests include imaging to understand mechanisms underlying chronic multimorbidity and treatment effects.

Highlights of my research contribution to the scientific field are the characterisation of MR detectable carotid plaque haemorrhage as a most powerful risk marker of stroke in carotid artery disease, which is ready to change clinical practice. In Parkinson's, I co-discovered the ultrahigh-field features of the nigrosome and its abnormalities in Parkinson's and successfully translated this to clinical field strength and demonstrating its diagnostic utility to replacing costly and radioactive dopamine imaging. I have made pioneering contributions through the discovery of abnormal glutamate metabolism in major depression, the characterisation of altered patterns of neural processing during sleep stages, MRI features of trans-diagnostic disconnections syndromes in multiple sclerosis, and of trans-diagnostic maladaptive brain network features in pain, distress and low mood.

My current research builds on this foundational work to refine and evaluate innovative imaging-guided neuromodulation therapies and develop integrated mechanistically informed precision diagnostics.

Research Summary

My current research interest is to develop imaging biomarkers in the field of Clinical Neurosciences by using advanced MRI techniques. The aims are (1) to understand the pathophysiology of diseases… read more

Selected Publications

Current Research

My current research interest is to develop imaging biomarkers in the field of Clinical Neurosciences by using advanced MRI techniques. The aims are (1) to understand the pathophysiology of diseases or complex symptoms across diseases, (2) to improve diagnostic accuracy, and (3) to predict and assess therapeutic interventions. Methods used are MR proton spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, perfusion, relaxometry, high resolution carotid imaging and combined electrophysiological/functional MRI with special interest in brain connectivity analysis. The clinical applications are for monitoring neurodegeneration, classification and response prediction in adult brain cancer, and understanding the neural basis of pain and depression treatment.

More recently I am interested in population brain and whole body imaging to understand the mechanisms of brain-body interaction, multi-morbidity and to develop imaging-guided neuromodulation using non-invasive brain stimulation.

Past Research

My past research includes preclinical characterisation of disease mechanisms, characterisation of dysconnectivity syndromes across diseases (MS, stroke), development of a powerful predictor of stroke risk and multimodal characterisation of paediatric brain tumours.

Future Research

Emerging research interests include the exploitation of ultrahigh-field MRI including the upcoming 11.7T scanner to transform the understanding and detection of brain diseases. Particular areas of interest are imaging markers of key mechanisms underlying microenvironmental tissue changes such as metabolic reprogramming, neuroinflammation, extracellulalr matrics and G-lymphatics.

Neuroscience at Nottingham

The University of Nottingham
Address line two
Nottingham, postcode


telephone: +44 (0) 115 XXX XXXX
email: research-group-email@nottingham.ac.uk