The Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology investigates the interaction of biological and psychological processes in the development, symptomatology and therapy of mental illnesses. Our focus is on post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, but also borderline personality disorder. The lifetime perspective is our central paradigm. The confrontation with critical life events as well as traumatic and chronic stress leads to a constantly increasing risk for a broad spectrum of mental disorders and the premature occurrence of age-degenerative diseases. Multiple traumatization and chronic stress in critical phases of life, such as abuse and neglect in childhood and adolescence, play a special role. The increasing risk of disease is mediated by a multitude of psychological and biological changes. The aim of the working group is to use innovative, transdisciplinary methods to investigate the (epi-)genetic, molecular, cellular, immunological, endocrine, cognitive, emotional, behavioural, but also family, social and nutritional processes of disorder development and to link them in the sense of an improved understanding of prevention and therapy. To this end, we carry out scientific studies in a wide range of different samples, including survivors of the genocide in Rwanda, people with depression or Alzheimer’s dementia, traumatised mothers after the birth of their children, rescue workers, complex traumatised persons with trauma disorders.

Our research areas:   
•    Molecular psychotraumatology
•    General mental health unter extreme stress and trauma
•    Lifestyle and neurocognitive health
•    Disorders of consciousness

The work group is part of the German Center for Mental Health (DZP) - ZIHub and also part of the German Center for Child & Adolescent Health site Ulm ( Ulm Child Health).