We are delighted to announce that Dr. Sophia Kriegeskorte successfully defended her medical doctoral thesis at the Institute of Neurophysiology on October 2, 2025, earning the highest distinction, summa cum laude. Her thesis is entitled:
“Cold and warmth intensify pain-linked sodium channel gating effects and persistent currents.”
In her research, Dr. Kriegeskorte demonstrated that warmth facilitates the opening of sodium channels, while cold slows their closing—effects that can further enhance the impact of pain-associated mutations. These findings provide valuable new insights into the temperature-dependent modulation of pain mechanisms.
The thesis was supervised by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Angelika Lampert and Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ralf Hausmann.
Key results of the thesis were published in the renowned academic journal Journal of General Physiology: Cold and warmth intensify pain-linked sodium channel gating effects and persistent currents | Journal of General Physiology | Rockefeller University Press.
We warmly congratulate Dr. Sophia Kriegeskorte on this outstanding achievement and wish her continued success in her future career!
