Sandra Siegert
Co-founder and Scientific Advisor
Vienna
Sandra is a Scientist studying how microglia influence brain function. Her research led to the spin-out of Syntropic.
“My fascination with the nervous system began when I realized how it expertly translates complex environmental signals into precise behaviors – in each person individually.“
This compelling connection sparked Sandra Siegert’s passion for neurobiology, leading her to pursue a PhD on the molecular logic of retinal cell types in Botond Roska’s lab at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) in Basel, Switzerland, where she focused on identifying genetic signatures in distinct cell types in the retina.
“What amazed me about the retina is how beautifully and functionally organized the individual cell types are,” she recalls. One surprising discovery during her PhD was that certain genes linked to blindness and intuitively would be associated with the photoreceptors actually were expressed in unexpected cell types such as the inhibitory amacrine cell types.
The retina is one of the best-characterized brain regions. However, Sandra sought to broaden her research focus beyond the retina to explore brain regions involved in learning and memory. This led her to join Li-Huei Tsai’s lab for her postdoctoral work at MIT, Cambridge/MA, USA, which implements interdisciplinary approaches across neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
“It seems unlikely that a single gene causes a complex disease like schizophrenia. Furthermore, several environmental factors like viral infections or drug abuse induce the onset of the disease,” Sandra explains. “Therefore, it has been fascinating for me to see how the epigenetic regulator microRNA-137 identified in a huge schizophrenia genome-wide-association-study affects multiple genes simultaneously at the hippocampus synapse”.
This research project was funded with prestigious fellowships from HFSP and SNSF, and resulted in new insights into the microRNA regulation at the presynapse leading to learning and memory impairment, one of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
During her time in the USA, Sandra became immersed in the emerging research on microglia and their interaction with neuronal function. In 2015, she returned to Europe and joined ISTA as a Professor. Here, she set the fundamentals for her research on the role of microglia with an ERC Starting Grant. This work earned her several prestigious awards and international funding, ultimately leading to a breakthrough discovery that paved the way for the founding of Syntropic Medical.
“There’s more to the brain than just neurons. Microglia and astrocytes aren’t just passive bystanders—they play active roles in how we think and feel”.
Sandra has always been driven by her desire to understand the root causes of diseases rather than focusing on merely treating symptoms. This is essential but can disconnect clinical practice and the underlying biological science. Bridging this gap is critical.
“Treating a single symptom can often lead to new issues, potentially worsening the condition over time. That’s why it’s so important to focus on the underlying causes”.
This becomes particularly relevant in mental health disorders, where the physiological mechanisms are still not fully understood.
For many years, people with mental illness have often been stigmatized, dismissed as “crazy,” and ignored. With time, research has shown that these are legitimate diseases with underlying physiopathology. Yet, the current hypothesis for the underlying causes of the disease based on imbalanced neurotransmitter releases might oversimplify the challenge and would also explain the moderate effect of antidepressants.
Furthermore, research must also prioritize sexual diversity. Most studies have focused on males, neglecting the impact of factors like hormonal changes, which can significantly influence conditions like depression. “The excuse that it’s ‘too complicated’ to study these factors is unacceptable. Women deserve more attention, and it’s time we push for research that addresses these critical differences”.
This is also Syntropic’s commitment: to address gender disparities in mental health diseases, such as depression, that predominantly affect women while ensuring effective treatments reach underserved communities.
“To study the basics in neuroscience and then have the potential to translate findings into a medical treatment, is truly an exciting possibility!”
Want to connect with Sandra? Reach out to info@syntropicmedical.com