Dr. Daria Jensen (she/her, sie/ihr)

Postdoc (in cooperation with Leipzig University)

Main Focus

My research focuses on the detection of brain connectivity pathways across the lifespan, which are influenced by diet and the microbiome. I am particularly interested in subcortical brain connectivity changes associated with diet and the microbiome, which might be used to explain important pathways related to dementia and/or obesity.

Currently, I am involved in analysing data of the Gut-Brain-Study and the LIFE cohort.

Curriculum Vitae

Professional experience

05/2023 - ongoing

Postdoctoral Researcher at University Hospital Leipzig and Max Plank Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

Working in PD Dr. Veronica Witte working group ‘Omega Lab’.

10/2022 -04/2023

Postdoctoral Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience at University of Oxford, UK

Working in Assoc Prof Miriam Klein-Flügge working group on large resting-state MRI datasets to investigate relationships between subcortical connectivity and markers of mental health and metabolism.

09 -10/2022

Research Assistant in the Heart Brain Group, University of Oxford, UK

Worked in Assoc Prof Sana Suri working group on longitudinal data on the association between dietary and metabolic health, structural connectivity, and cognitive measures.

08/2016 – 07/2018

Research Assistant at University of Oxford, UK

Worked in Prof Matthew Rushworth group on connectivity of human and monkey fMRI data under supervision of Assoc Prof Miriam Klein- Flügge and Assoc Prof Lennart Verhagen.

Education

10/2018 – 11/2022

DPhil in Psychiatry at the University of Oxford

Title: “The influence of diet and metabolism on hippocampus and hypothalamus connectivity across the lifespan”; supervised by Prof Klaus Ebmeier, Assoc Prof Sana Suri, and Assoc Prof Miriam Klein-Flügge.

10/2013 – 05/2016

MSc in Cognitive Science at the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen

Master thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development “Diffusion tensor imaging analysis of game-based inhibition training in elderly adults” (thesis graded 1.0, equivalent to first-class honours).

10/2010 – 10/2013

BSc in Biology at Freie Universität Berlin

Bachelor thesis at the neurobiology institute “Characterization of the kinetics of long-term memory formation for learned expectations in the honeybee” (thesis graded 1.1, equiv. to first-class honours).

Research visits

06 – 08/2016

Internship at the University of Oxford, UK

Worked on the Human Connectome Project fMRI data for connectivity analysis of the amygdala under supervision of Prof Miriam Klein-Flügge (internship funded by the Erasmus plus).

03/2015

Project-internship at the Lund University, Sweden

Worked as an intern at the Dept. of Psychology under supervision of Assoc Prof Johan Mårtensson. Project report: “Preprocessing of Diffusion Tensor Imaging data”.

09/2014

Project-internship at the University Clinical Centre Tübingen

Worked as an intern at the Dept. of Cognitive Neurology in the group of Prof Karnath. Project report: “Comparison of grey and white matter disturbance in three human brain atlases as predictor for spatial neglect in 140 right hemisphere stroke patients”.

02 - 04/2013

Internship at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin

Worked as an intern in Prof Simone Kühns group, project “Structural Plasticity”.

 

Teaching

08-09/2023

Teaching of seminar course titled: gut-brain axis‘, elective course for medical student (University Hospital Leipzig)

11/2021

MSc Seminar facilitator, Title: Neurodegenerative Diseases in the Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience course.

04/2019 – 05/2023

Oxford Science Studies revision tutorials, Tutor of students (ages of 14-19) studying for their A Level in Psychology, thought estimated 10 classes with of around 60 students.

Supervising and Mentoring activities

06/2023-ongoing

Co-supervision of PhD/MD students

09/2021-03/2022

Mentoring within UNIQ+, graduate access programme

07 – 08/2019

Supervision for research project student (V. Leoni) for Systematic Review titledAssociations of dietary markers with brain volume and connectivity: A systematic review of MRI studies

08/2018

In2ScienceUK, Oxford, Mentoring program for student from disadvantaged backgrounds.

11/2017-02/2018

MCR Mentoring, St Hugh’s College

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