doi.bio/charlotta_pi_sch%C3%A4rfe

Charlotta PI Schärfe

Professional Biography

Charlotta PI Schärfe is a prominent researcher in the field of metabolism and cell death. She currently serves as the Director of the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at the Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich, Germany. Schärfe's work focuses on the metabolic control of cell death signaling and its pharmacological modulation, contributing to our understanding of disease mechanisms and drug development.

Education and Early Career

Schärfe received her Master of Science in Biology from the University of Konstanz, Germany. Her master's thesis was titled "Thymidylat-Synthase als Modellenzym für molekulare Adaptation an hochosmolare Umwelt." During her studies, she also conducted research at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. Her PhD thesis focused on the generation of transgenic mice deficient in specific selenoproteins and the characterization of a sperm nuclei-specific form of PHGPx, a protein involved in protecting cells from oxidative damage.

Notable Positions and Contributions

Senior Researcher, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (2005-2006): During her time at the Karolinska Institute, Schärfe worked in the Department of Oncology-Pathology, exploring the role of lipid hydroperoxides in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.
Head of Transgenic Core Unit, German Research Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany: In this role, Schärfe led a team focused on transgenic research, contributing to global drug discovery efforts.
Research Group Leader, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany: Schärfe developed a chemical genetics drug discovery program, aiming to identify new therapeutic targets and design innovative treatments.
Laboratory Head, Bayer-Schering Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany: Schärfe's work at Bayer-Schering Pharma AG involved transgenic and specialized in vivo pharmacology, targeting identification, and biomarker research in oncology.
Project Leader, Department of Comparative Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany: In this position, Schärfe oversaw projects that translated basic research into practical applications, bridging the gap between laboratory studies and clinical practice.

Awards and Recognition

Schärfe has received multiple "ISI Highly Cited Awards" in biology, biochemistry, and cross-field categories. She is also a member of the "Hinterzarten Circle on Cancer Research" of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and has been awarded the "m4 Award (BioM – Munich)" on two occasions. Her work has resulted in several patent filings, including the use of spiropyrazine and spiroquinoxaline derivatives as inhibitors of non-apoptotic regulated cell death.

Charlotta PI Schärfe

Overview

Charlotta Schärfe is a principal data scientist at F. Hoffmann-La Roche in Switzerland. Her research interests include computational biology, bioinformatics, and biophysics. Schärfe has received multiple awards for her work, including the "ISI Highly Cited Award" in biology and biochemistry, as well as in cross-field categories.

Education

Schärfe obtained her Master of Science in Biology from the University of Konstanz, Germany. Her master's thesis was titled "Thymidylat-Synthase als Modellenzym für molekulare Adaptation an hochosmolare Umwelt". She subsequently pursued her PhD at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. Her PhD thesis focused on the generation of transgenic mice deficient in specific selenoproteins and the characterization of a sperm nuclei-specific form of PHGPx.

Professional Experience

Director, Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany: Schärfe directed research on metabolic control of cell death signaling and its pharmacological modulation.
Research Group Leader, Drug Discovery Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany: She led the development of a chemical genetics drug discovery program.
Head of Transgenic Core Unit, German Research Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany: Schärfe oversaw transgenic research in neurodegenerative diseases.
Laboratory Head, Bayer-Schering Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany: Her role involved global drug discovery, transgenic, and specialized in vivo pharmacology in target identification and biomarker research in oncology.
Research Group Leader, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany: Schärfe dissected the mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced cell death signaling using conditional knockout mouse and cell models.
Guest Researcher, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Japan: Schärfe conducted research at Yamagata University for a brief period in 2007.
Senior Researcher, Karolinska Institute, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Stockholm, Sweden: From 2005 to 2006, Schärfe researched lipid hydroperoxides as novel regulators of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.
Project Leader, Department of Comparative Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany: She led projects focusing on comparative medicine and translational research.
Post-Doc, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany: Schärfe continued her research in molecular biology and tumor genetics.

Awards and Recognition

ISI Highly Cited Award in Biology and Biochemistry
ISI Highly Cited Award Cross-Field (received twice)
m4 Award (BioM – Munich) (received twice)
Member of the “Hinterzarten Circle on Cancer Research” of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
Advisory Board Member of Molecular Cell
ERC Advanced Grant
European Molecular Biology Laboratory recognition
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science recognition

Publications

WO 2016075137 A1: Spiropyrazine derivatives as inhibitors of non-apoptotic regulated cell-death
WO 2015007730 A1: Spiroquinoxaline derivatives as inhibitors of non-apoptotic regulated cell-death
WO 2002072626 A2: Novel form of the PHGPx protein as a diagnostic marker for male infertility