Academic Office:
LSUHSC School of Medicine
533 Bolivar Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 568-3244
Dr. Klempin is currently accepting Graduate Students.
Bio
Dr. Klempin earned a PhD in neurobiology from Humboldt University of Berlin in 2008. She completed postdoctoral training at Chicago Medical School and the UW in Seattle. In 2014, she became a Principal Investigator at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin, working with Dr. M. Bader. She was a Rahel Hirsch Program fellow at Charité University and completed her habilitation in 2020. Dr. Klempin is a member of SfN and APS, has lectured at IKBFU in Kaliningrad, and was a visiting professor at Unifesp in São Paulo. Her research focuses on serotonin and the intersection of brain and periphery. Outside of research, she enjoys dancing and photography.
Education
2020 – Habilitation. Experimental Psychiatry
Charité University Medicine Berlin, Germany
2008 – Ph.D. Neurobiology
Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
2003 – M.Sc. Biology
Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
Publications
Research
My research explores the intersection of brain and periphery through “system-level neuroscience,” focusing on local mediators such as serotonin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), as well as non-local cues like physical exercise. I study how these signaling factors influence neuroplasticity, particularly in the hippocampus. I discovered that serotonin mediates exercise-induced neurogenesis and that circulatory factors, specifically ACE2, influence serotonin metabolism, linking physical activity to brain circuitry formation. These findings highlight how changes in activity at the system level regulate both vascular and neurogenic homeostasis.
I also investigate how microglia and inflammation affect neuroplasticity and contribute to disease progression. Chronic inflammation, linked to heart failure, can promote neurodegeneration and impair metabolic processes, further impacting brain function. Using genetic tools, optogenetics, and behavioral models, I aim to uncover pathways that regulate neuroplasticity, offering potential targets for treating mood disorders and improving brain health.
Lab Members
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Sara Moghimi, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow |
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Kathryn Reaux PhD Student |
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Cannon Dahlhauser Undergraduate Student
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Lab Pictures
Klempin Lab Summer Picnic 2026
Klempin Lab Summer 2026
Organized, Chaired, and Presented at the ‘Microglia at the Crossroads’ Session at APS Summit 2026