Carina Heller

Biography

Carina Heller received her B.S. in Psychology from University Koblenz-Landau (Germany), her M.S. and PhD in Psychology from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany). She has received training at the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory (PNL), Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and as a visiting Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of Oxford (UK). Her research focuses on investigating the impact of sex steroids on the brain, particularly across the menstrual cycle and under hormonal suppression through oral contraceptives intake in both adolescents and adults. She employs dense-sampling and big data methods to capture hormonal fluctuations and their effects on brain structure and function. Carina’s commitment to advancing women’s brain and mental health research is further reflected in her role as co-chair of the ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology Working Group, launched in September 2023. This initiative aims to bridge the gap in neuroscience and psychiatry, where studies examining the influence of sex and gender currently represent only about 5% of the field. Outside of work, Carina enjoys live music, fine arts, and going for bike rides.