Jan-Erik Siemens, PhD

Jan Siemens, PhD, is a neuroscientist specializing in thermoregulation and sensory neuroscience. A professor at Heidelberg University in Germany and group leader at the Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (EMBL), he previously held research positions at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin and UCSF, where he worked with Nobel Laureate David Julius. His early research contributed to identifying the tip link in auditory hair cells, essential for sound perception. He later shifted focus to thermal sensation, studying TRP ion channels and their role in temperature detection and pain modulation. His work on hypothalamic thermoregulation has provided new insights into how internal thermal sensors regulate body temperature. More recently, his research identified a neuronal plasticity mechanism that helps mice develop heat tolerance over time, shedding light on how organisms adapt to long-term thermal challenges. His studies continue to advance our understanding of the nervous system’s response to environmental changes.