Margit Burmeister

Margit Burmeister
Academic background
EducationFree University of Berlin
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Michigan

Margit Burmeister is an associate Chair and professor of computational medicine and Bioinformatics at the University of Michigan Medical School.[1]

Burmeister's work has focused primarily on the genetics of a neurological disorder, ataxia, and on the genetic and biological basis of psychiatric disorders and related personality traits, using large-scale genomics, rigorous statistical methods, and integrative approaches spanning molecular neuroscience, animal models, and human behavior. She is a recipient of the 1995 Klingenstein Fellowship Award[2] as well as the recipient of the 1999 Humboldt Research Fellowship.[3]

Education

Burmeister completed her undergraduate studies at the Free University of Berlin in 1983. In 1987, she completed a graduate program at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and received her graduate degree from Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg.[1]

Career

Burmeister began her academic career in 1991 as an assistant research scientist and assistant professor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1997, she was appointed senior associate researcher and associate professor of Psychiatry and Human Genetics. Since 2005, she has worked as a research professor at the Michigan Neuroscience Institute and as a professor of Psychiatry and Human Genetics at the University of Michigan. Additionally, since 2008, she has directed the Bioinformatics graduate program and, since 2010, has been working as an associate chair, both in the Gilbert Omenn Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics.[1]

Burmeister also holds professional appointments outside academia. Since 2022, she has been on the scientific advisory board of Nucleus Genomics,[4] and since 2025, she has been a founding member, angel investor, and genetics expert at Forum The Phoenix.[1]

Research

Burmeister's research has explored genetic factors that contribute to psychiatric disorders[5] and has focused on understanding how these genetic influences interact with environmental factors.[6] She has used a range of genomic methods,[7] including linkage analysis,[8] next-generation sequencing,[9] and computational bioinformatics,[10] and has contributed towards discovering genes involved in conditions such as ataxia,[11] seizures,[12] addiction,[13] and mood disorders.[14]

A significant focus of Burmeister's research has been on how genetic variation modulates individual responses to environmental stressors,[14] particularly in the context of depression[15] and addiction.[16] She has contributed to studies on gene-environment interactions, exploring how specific genetic variants influence the risk of developing mental health conditions when coupled with stressful life experiences.[17] Her work has highlighted that genetic predispositions do not act in isolation but may alter susceptibility to psychiatric outcomes in interaction with environmental contexts.[18]

In addition to behavioral and psychiatric genetics, Burmeister's work has also focused on complex disease genetics[19] and neurogenetics.[20] Her work has emphasized the importance of integrating genetic data with environmental[21] and developmental factors to better understand and potentially mitigate the risk for complex brain disorders.[22]

Burmeister has also researched on the genetic basis of hereditary ataxias, focusing on the identification of disease-causing genes and mutations.[23] Using human genetic and genomic approaches, her work on ataxia has contributed to the classification of ataxia subtypes and the diagnostic evaluation of affected families.[11]

Awards and honors

Selected articles

  • Cox, D. R., Burmeister, M., Price, E. R., Kim, S., & Myers, R. M. (1990). Radiation hybrid mapping: a somatic cell genetic method for constructing high-resolution maps of mammalian chromosomes. Science, 250(4978), 245-250.
  • Bomar, J. M., Benke, P. J., Slattery, E. L., Puttagunta, R., Taylor, L. P., Seong, E., ... & Burmeister, M. (2003). Mutations in a novel gene encoding a CRAL-TRIO domain cause human Cayman ataxia and ataxia/dystonia in the jittery mouse. Nature genetics, 35(3), 264-269.
  • Sen, S., Burmeister, M., & Ghosh, D. (2004). Meta‐analysis of the association between a serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5‐HTTLPR) and anxiety‐related personality traits. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 127(1), 85-89.
  • Karg, K., Burmeister, M., Shedden, K., & Sen, S. (2011). The serotonin transporter promoter variant (5-HTTLPR), stress, and depression meta-analysis revisited: evidence of genetic moderation. Archives of general psychiatry, 68(5), 444-454.
  • Seong, E., Insolera, R., Dulovic, M., Kamsteeg, E. J., Trinh, J., Brüggemann, N., ... & Burmeister, M. (2018). Mutations in VPS13D lead to a new recessive ataxia with spasticity and mitochondrial defects. Annals of neurology, 83(6), 1075-1088.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Margit Burmeister - University of Michigan".
  2. 1 2 "All Fellowship Awards".
  3. 1 2 3 "Margit Burmeister - Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung".
  4. ↑ "Meet the scientists and doctors behind Origin".
  5. ↑ Fletcher, Paul C.; Frith, Chris D. (January 2009). "Perceiving is believing: a Bayesian approach to explaining the positive symptoms of schizophrenia". Nature Reviews. Neuroscience. 10 (1): 50. doi:10.1038/nrn2536. ISSN 1471-0048. PMID 19050712.
  6. ↑ Trucco, Elisa M. (September 2020). "A review of psychosocial factors linked to adolescent substance use". Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 196 172969. doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172969. ISSN 1873-5177. PMC 7415605. PMID 32565241.
  7. ↑ Katze, Michael G.; Fornek, Jamie L.; Palermo, Robert E.; Walters, Kathie-Anne; Korth, Marcus J. (August 2008). "Innate immune modulation by RNA viruses: emerging insights from functional genomics". Nature Reviews. Immunology. 8 (8): 652. doi:10.1038/nri2377. ISSN 1474-1741. PMC 7097543. PMID 18654572.
  8. ↑ Ponder, C. A.; Kliethermes, C. L.; Drew, M. R.; Muller, J.; Das, K.; Risbrough, V. B.; Crabbe, J. C.; Gilliam, T. Conrad; Palmer, A. A. (November 2007). "Selection for contextual fear conditioning affects anxiety-like behaviors and gene expression". Genes, Brain, and Behavior. 6 (8): 747. doi:10.1111/j.1601-183X.2007.00306.x. ISSN 1601-1848. PMID 17309658.
  9. ↑ Bayat, Allan; Iqbal, Sumaiya; Borredy, Kim; Amiel, Jeanne; Zweier, Christiane; Barcia, Guilia; Kraus, Cornelia; Weyhreter, Heike; Bassuk, Alexander G.; Chopra, Maya; Rubboli, Guido; Møller, Rikke S. (August 2021). "PRICKLE2 revisited-further evidence implicating PRICKLE2 in neurodevelopmental disorders". European Journal of Human Genetics. 29 (8): 1236. doi:10.1038/s41431-021-00912-y. ISSN 1476-5438. PMC 8385026. PMID 34092786.
  10. ↑ Zeitlberger, Anna; Ging, Heather; Nethisinghe, Suran; Giunti, Paola (4 March 2018). "Advances in the understanding of hereditary ataxia – implications for future patients". Expert Opinion on Orphan Drugs. 6 (3): 14. doi:10.1080/21678707.2018.1444477.
  11. 1 2 Albaradie, Raidah; Alharbi, Alanoud; Alsaffar, Gada; Alhamad, Bayader; Bashir, Shahid (December 2022). "Ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 1 associated with mutation in the APTX gene: A case study and literature review". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 24 (6): 709. doi:10.3892/etm.2022.11645. ISSN 1792-1015. PMC 9638520. PMID 36382100.
  12. ↑ Bayat, Allan; Iqbal, Sumaiya; Borredy, Kim; Amiel, Jeanne; Zweier, Christiane; Barcia, Guilia; Kraus, Cornelia; Weyhreter, Heike; Bassuk, Alexander G.; Chopra, Maya; Rubboli, Guido; Møller, Rikke S. (August 2021). "PRICKLE2 revisited-further evidence implicating PRICKLE2 in neurodevelopmental disorders". European Journal of Human Genetics. 29 (8): 1236. doi:10.1038/s41431-021-00912-y. ISSN 1476-5438. PMC 8385026. PMID 34092786.
  13. ↑ Dick, Danielle M.; Barr, Peter B.; Cho, Seung Bin; Cooke, Megan E.; Kuo, Sally I.-Chun; Lewis, Tenesha J.; Neale, Zoe; Salvatore, Jessica E.; Savage, Jeanne; Su, Jinni (March 2018). "Post-GWAS in Psychiatric Genetics: A Developmental Perspective on the "Other" Next Steps". Genes, Brain, and Behavior. 17 (3) e12447. doi:10.1111/gbb.12447. ISSN 1601-183X. PMC 5876087. PMID 29227573.
  14. 1 2 Southwick, Steven M.; Charney, Dennis S. (5 October 2012). "The Science of Resilience: Implications for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression". Science. 338 (6103): 80. Bibcode:2012Sci...338...79S. doi:10.1126/science.1222942. PMID 23042887.
  15. ↑ Swearer, Susan M.; Hymel, Shelley (2015). "Understanding the psychology of bullying: Moving toward a social-ecological diathesis-stress model". The American Psychologist. 70 (4): 348. doi:10.1037/a0038929. ISSN 1935-990X. PMID 25961315.
  16. ↑ Culverhouse, R. C.; Saccone, N. L.; Horton, A. C.; Ma, Y.; Anstey, K. J.; Banaschewski, T.; Burmeister, M.; Cohen-Woods, S.; Etain, B.; Fisher, H. L.; Goldman, N.; Guillaume, S.; Horwood, J.; Juhasz, G.; Lester, K. J.; Mandelli, L.; Middeldorp, C. M.; Olié, E.; Villafuerte, S.; Air, T. M.; Araya, R.; Bowes, L.; Burns, R.; Byrne, E. M.; Coffey, C.; Coventry, W. L.; Gawronski, K. a. B.; Glei, D.; Hatzimanolis, A.; Hottenga, J.-J.; Jaussent, I.; Jawahar, C.; Jennen-Steinmetz, C.; Kramer, J. R.; Lajnef, M.; Little, K.; Zu Schwabedissen, H. M.; Nauck, M.; Nederhof, E.; Petschner, P.; Peyrot, W. J.; Schwahn, C.; Sinnamon, G.; Stacey, D.; Tian, Y.; Toben, C.; Van der Auwera, S.; Wainwright, N.; Wang, J.-C.; Willemsen, G.; Anderson, I. M.; Arolt, V.; Åslund, C.; Bagdy, G.; Baune, B. T.; Bellivier, F.; Boomsma, D. I.; Courtet, P.; Dannlowski, U.; de Geus, E. J. C.; Deakin, J. F. W.; Easteal, S.; Eley, T.; Fergusson, D. M.; Goate, A. M.; Gonda, X.; Grabe, H. J.; Holzman, C.; Johnson, E. O.; Kennedy, M.; Laucht, M.; Martin, N. G.; Munafò, M. R.; Nilsson, K. W.; Oldehinkel, A. J.; Olsson, C. A.; Ormel, J.; Otte, C.; Patton, G. C.; Penninx, B. W. J. H.; Ritchie, K.; Sarchiapone, M.; Scheid, J. M.; Serretti, A.; Smit, J. H.; Stefanis, N. C.; Surtees, P. G.; Völzke, H.; Weinstein, M.; Whooley, M.; Nurnberger, J. I.; Breslau, N.; Bierut, L. J. (January 2018). "Collaborative meta-analysis finds no evidence of a strong interaction between stress and 5-HTTLPR genotype contributing to the development of depression". Molecular Psychiatry. 23 (1): 133–142. doi:10.1038/mp.2017.44. hdl:1959.4/unsworks_49731. ISSN 1476-5578. PMC 5628077. PMID 28373689.
  17. ↑ Gupta, Akash; Mithaiwala, Arwa; Godad, Angel (2025). "Taurine and Bupropion Co-Administration in Depression: A CUMS-Based Preclinical Study". doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-7950834/v1.
  18. ↑ Trucco, Elisa M. (September 2020). "A review of psychosocial factors linked to adolescent substance use". Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 196 172969. doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172969. ISSN 1873-5177. PMC 7415605. PMID 32565241.
  19. ↑ Faa, Gavino; Manchia, Mirko; Pintus, Roberta; Gerosa, Clara; Marcialis, Maria Antonietta; Fanos, Vassilios (September 2016). "Fetal programming of neuropsychiatric disorders". Birth Defects Research. Part C, Embryo Today: Reviews. 108 (3): 209. doi:10.1002/bdrc.21139. ISSN 1542-9768. PMID 27774781.
  20. ↑ Voon, Valerie; Grodin, Erica; Mandali, Alekhya; Morris, Laurel; Doñamayor, Nuria; Weidacker, Kathrin; Kwako, Laura; Goldman, David; Koob, George F.; Momenan, Reza (June 2020). "Addictions NeuroImaging Assessment (ANIA): Towards an integrative framework for alcohol use disorder". Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 113: 502. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.004. PMID 32298710.
  21. ↑ Cicchetti, Dante (April 2013). "Annual Research Review: Resilient functioning in maltreated children--past, present, and future perspectives". Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. 54 (4): 414. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02608.x. ISSN 1469-7610. PMC 3514621. PMID 22928717.
  22. ↑ Villafuerte, Sandra; Trucco, Elisa M.; Heitzeg, Mary M.; Burmeister, Margit; Zucker, Robert A. (2014). "Genetic variation in GABRA2 moderates peer influence on externalizing behavior in adolescents". Brain and Behavior. 4 (6): 834. doi:10.1002/brb3.291. ISSN 2162-3279. PMC 4212110. PMID 25365806.
  23. ↑ Bregant, Elisa; Betto, Elena; Dal Secco, Chiara; Zucco, Jessica; Baldan, Federica; Allegri, Lorenzo; Lonigro, Incoronata Renata; Faletra, Flavio; Verriello, Lorenzo; Damante, Giuseppe; Mio, Catia (May 2025). "The molecular landscape of hereditary ataxia: a single-center study". Human Genetics. 144 (5): 553. doi:10.1007/s00439-025-02744-y. PMC 12033174. PMID 40208338.
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