Dr. Anna-Lena Wießler, Postdoctoral Researcher in Project 3 of the Clinical Research Unit KFO5001, has been awarded a Trainee Professional Development Award (TPDA) by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN). The recognizes outstanding early-career scientists, including graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, who demonstrate scientific merit and research excellence.
Recipients of the TPDA receive financial support to offset costs of attending the SfN annual meeting, and the opportunity to present their research in a dedicated TPDA poster session. They also gain access to professional development workshops during the meeting and continued engagement in a cohort-based online development program after the meeting.
Attending Neuroscience in San Diego
Dr. Wießler will travel to San Diego in November to attend Neuroscience 2025 (SfN annual meeting), present two posters on autoantibody-mediated mechanisms, and take part in professional development events.
Wießler's research focus: Autoantibodies against Caspr2
Her work is rooted in Project NP3 “Anti-Caspr2 Autoantibody Effects”. In NP3, the team investigates how autoantibodies against Caspr2, a protein associated with voltage-gated potassium channel complexes, contribute to neuropathic pain. Although many individuals carry anti-Caspr2 autoantibodies, only a subset develop chronic pain, and outcomes vary. The project explores mechanisms such as immune complex interactions with nociceptive neurons and transcriptomic changes in dorsal root ganglion neurons, aiming to uncover molecular pathways that drive neuronal hyperexcitability and identify therapeutic targets.
