In memoriam: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jeanette Erdmann

Prof. Dr. Jeanette Erdmann, a distinguished cardiovascular geneticist who served as Professor at the Institute of Cardiogenetics at the University of Lübeck and at the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), passed away suddenly at her residence in Lübeck at the age of 57 on July 9, 2023. She had also served as the deputy editor of IUBMB Life.

Jeanette was born on November 21, 1965 in a small village in Emsland, Germany. She embarked on her academic journey at the University of Cologne, where she studied from 1985 to 1991, earning both a bachelor's degree and a diploma in biology. In 1992, she began her journey towards Ph.D. in human genetics under the guidance of Prof. Markus M. Nöthen at the University of Bonn. Her Ph.D. thesis dealt with genetic variability in human serotonin receptor genes.

Jeanette started working as a postdoctoral fellow at the German Heart Research Center in Berlin with Prof. Vera Regitz-Zagrosek in 1997. In 2000, she moved to Regensburg to join the working group of Prof. Heribert Schunkert and there she started leading the group for the Molecular Genetic Lab at “Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin II der Universitätsklinik Regensburg.” Shortly after this, Jeanette habilitated and, from assistant professor, she progressed to an associate professor, initiating her individual group leadership alongside Prof. Heribert Schunkert at the University of Lübeck.¹ In 2011, Jeanette earned the title of full professorship in Cardiovascular Molecular Genetics at the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (Deutsche Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung [DZHK]). Two years later, in 2013, she became the director of the Institute for Integrative and Experimental Genomics (IIEG), now known as the Institute of Cardiogenetics (ICG). She led a team of over 25 people. Jeanette was the first female in North Germany to achieve a DZHK full professorship in cardiovascular genetics, setting an example for other women in the field.

Jeanette was the second of three children. Genetically born with a muscular dystrophy, her parents were concerned about their daughter's delayed development as there was nothing previously in the family background indicating any health anomalies.¹ The parents tried to approach many doctors but due to limited technology and insufficient knowledge, the doctors convinced them to just wait for their daughter's progress. When Jeanette turned seven, the doctors informed the parents that their daughter was suffering from a muscle disease. Jeanette's life drastically changed with the passage of time when she had difficulty in breathing during night, severe headaches and fatigue. Years later, during her Ph.D., she consulted a specialist named Prof. Bernd Schönhofer who prescribed a noninvasive ventilating device to be used at night for her weakened and progressively deteriorating chest muscles. Jeanette recovered with the use of this ventilator and adapted to this new device, accepting it as a friend for the rest of her life.¹

Despite many diagnostic tests and examinations, the main cause of her suffering was still unclear. At the age of 45, driven by a profound sense of curiosity, Jeanette took it upon herself to research her medical condition. She self-diagnosed her muscular dystrophy and proceeded to delve deeper by subjecting her genome to exome sequencing, ultimately confirming the presence of a rare pathogenic mutation in the collagen 6A2 gene. This gene was associated with Bethlem myopathy and Ulrich muscular dystrophy. Jeanette was one of the few cases around the world identified with this rare condition.

Jeanette's rare genetic condition, which remained undiagnosed for many years, drove her to develop treatment strategies for collagen 6-related dystrophies in her lab by mutation-specific knockdown using siRNA or CRISPR targeting. She was excited to work towards personalized therapy for her rare condition. Lately, she received significant recognition on social media and mainstream platforms. People suffering from the same dystrophy from various corners of the globe had been reaching out to her with a glimmer of hope.

Among Jeanette's many scientific contributions, noteworthy are, the identification of the 9p21 locus² with the first Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) of coronary artery disease (CAD), together with Prof. Sir Nilesh Samani and Prof. Heribert Schunkert. This was followed by the identification of MRAS at the 3q22.3,³ and contribution to the identification of MIA3 at the 1q41² loci. She was one of the first female global scientists who conducted population studies of genetic risk for cardiovascular diseases.⁴

Jeanette was a highly cited researcher (45,260 citations; h-index of 87) according to the Web of Science in category cross-field (2023). She was also the member of the executive board of the Nordic Center for Cardiovascular Research (NCCR) of the DZHK and chairwoman of the board of the regional association of the German Society for Muscular Disorders. Jeanette was elected as a member of the German National Academy of Natural Sciences Leopoldina in 2021. Jeanette was involved in large-scale consortia, such as the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D, which she co-chaired with Prof. Sir Nilesh Samani.

In addition to being an exceptional scientist, Jeanette was a dedicated and supportive mentor who supervised more than 30 Ph.D. and MD students. Her work ethic and honest approach towards the pursuit of science was inspirational. She held everyone together, a true supporting pillar of the Institute of Cardiogenetics, Lübeck. Despite her physical challenges, she was always optimistic, lively and believed in the power of dreams.

She had a passion for exploring genetic disparities in cardiovascular diseases between sexes. Jeanette was committed to raising awareness about this issue and improving the diagnosis and treatment of women. Each year, she organized a special day for female high school students to visit the lab and learn more about cardiovascular genetics. She was an active member of the European Research Area Network on Cardiovascular Diseases (ERA-CVD) ENDLESS Consortium and served as coordinator from 2018 to 2021, among other groups.

As current and former trainees of Jeanette, we want to pay tribute to her legacy as an inspiring role model. Her invaluable contributions to supporting mentees at the Institute of Cardiogenetics will continue to shape the future of research and serve as a guiding light for generations to come. We unanimously agree that Jeanette was a compassionate scientist and mentor who instilled in us the significance of curiosity, perseverance and excellence. Her commitment to mentorship has enriched our scientific journeys.

Pashmina Wiqar Shah—My first interaction with Jeanette was on Skype when I applied for a Ph.D. position at her institute. She was very excited to provide me with an acceptance letter as she thought it was very supportive of my family in Pakistan to send their daughter 8000 miles away to pursue higher education. Jeanette was a person who stood for women's empowerment and considered it very important that every girl should be given an opportunity for higher education, specifically those girls coming from cultures where basic education was lacking for females. To her, gender discrimination was unacceptable. To me personally, Jeanette was more than just a mentor, she was always there for me no matter what. She left suddenly with a deep void in my heart which can never be filled.

Satwat Hashmi—Jeanette was my mentor from the “faculty mentorship program” of our Biological and Biomedical Sciences department at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. I visited ICG as a guest scientist on Jeanette's invitation in May 2023. I have never come across anyone like Jeanette before. Frail and petite, she moved swiftly on her wheelchair from office to lab, communicating, connecting and infusing positivity wherever she went. She interacted with everyone on a personal level. Apart from my academic and research assignments, I had the privilege of spending quality time with her walking around Schule Garten (school garden), having coffee, attending classical music concerts and talking about life in general. I miss her dearly.

Tobias Reinberger—I met Jeanette when I was still a student doing my bachelor's degree. She taught us something about Manhattan plots and genetics. But to be honest, I did not realize at the time how important these findings were, that genetics is a major contributor to complex diseases like coronary heart disease. Our paths met again after 5 years in 2017 when I joined the Institute of Cardiogenetics as a postdoctoral fellow. Jeanette had always been inspiring to me during this time! I was always impressed by her international collaborations, even when she was no longer flying. Especially during the Corona crisis, she held the whole team together and demonstrated that you can run your lab even from your own kitchen. She was always on the cutting edge of science, brought in new ideas and encouraged us to break new grounds. She will always be in our hearts and her scientific contributions will shape the work of the next generations of scientists!

Luis Eichelmann—Jeanette, my mentor and doctoral supervisor—or, as aptly said in German, my ‘Doktormutter’—indelibly shaped my personal and professional journey. I first crossed paths with Jeanette in 2021 as a third-year medical student. She was a beacon of values—generosity, fairness, equality and trust—and this very ethos shaped how I view science. To Jeanette, science transcended academia; it bore a profound societal responsibility, a principle she upheld with grace and dedication. She allowed me the freedom to explore and develop my own thoughts and ideas, yet I always knew she was there, steadfast in her support. Co-authoring my first paper was a significant milestone in my journey⁵ filled with excitement and learning. Poignantly, the accomplishment was bittersweet as it was also Jeanette's final publication during her lifetime. As I walk this path without her guiding presence, there are countless moments I wish I could share and discuss with Jeanette. I find myself reminiscing about her benevolent, mischievous smile or that signature eye roll in response to my occasional quirky ideas. Her absence is deeply felt, but her influence, her legacy remain to inspire.

Nadine Odenthal—I met Jeanette in 2019 when I applied for a master's thesis in her highly regarded research lab. I deliberately chose this institution for two compelling reasons. First, it was because Jeanette is one of the most distinguished scientists in her field. Second, her reputation for personally advocating for students was truly commendable. During our initial conversation, she shared her background, including her disease and her initial attempts to research, understand and develop a therapy for COL6A2-related congenital muscular dystrophy. Throughout the course of my master's thesis, her support and enthusiasm were unprecedented and were instrumental in my decision to continue my research during my doctoral studies. Jeanette was always an exemplary role model, providing unwavering support for our projects and ideas while being a compassionate listener who understood our needs. My aspiration is to continue her research in her spirit and with the same commitment that she embodied.

Daria Kosenko—Jeanette was a very compassionate and generous person. When I first found myself in Germany because of the Russian-Ukrainian war, she helped me adapt to the new environment. Fleeing from the war, I did not expect to be lucky enough to meet such a wonderful person. During our conversations, Jeanette was sincerely interested in what was happening in Ukraine during this war and always wanted to help the affected people. She gladly volunteered to help promote the petition to recognize the brutality against the Ukrainian people. Jeanette's support and concern about the war was invaluable. Thanks to Jeanette and the opportunity she gave me to work at the Institute of Cardiogenetics, I am able to continue my research career as a Ph.D. student and pursue work in an area that I was always really interested in

Ilyas Ahmad—I was lucky that, I found Prof. Jeanette Erdmann standing as a guide, shedding light on the path of my academic journey. My association with her spanned over the last 7 years, commencing from a Skype interview in July 2016 and an invitation to present my work in Lübeck, and eventually leading to my joining her group as a postdoctoral fellow in September 2016. Her advocacy for diversity in science was profoundly inspiring. Under her guidance, I was inspired to work independently, nurture and pursue my own ideas and foster collaborative scientific ventures. Thanks to her support, we established collaborations with cardiologists at the National Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi and researchers at the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) in Faisalabad, Pakistan. She was a colleague, mentor, and most importantly, a true mensch. Jeanette's memory will forever inspire and fuel the advancement of cardiovascular genetics.

Jaafar Al-Hasani—Jeanette had a very kind, open-minded and supportive personality; she was very thoughtful and had a warm, human touch. She was always in the mood for a joke, sporting a deadpan humour that caught you more than once when you least expected it. She was a truly motherly figure, as she regarded us as her scholarly offspring she had been tasked with preparing and releasing into the scientific world. She was always very respectful and humble, despite fostering projects and collaborations worth millions. During my Ph.D., she opened every door possible, and moreover her own was never closed for us students. Her lab felt like a second family, and many bonds that were made still continue to thrive.

It is hard to believe, and I still have not fully realized, that she passed away, way too soon, that we will not bump into each other in the streets of Lübeck anymore… but I am sure that her spirit will continue to guide and inspire. Jeanette, you are dearly missed!

Till Joscha Demal—I first met Jeanette in 2013 when I applied for a doctoral position in her laboratory. It was my immense fortune that she accepted my application, welcoming me into her research group. Under her expert guidance and trust, I not only had the opportunity to conduct research at prestigious institutions, collaborating with established experts from places like the University of Potsdam, MHH Hannover and MDC Berlin, but I also experienced unparalleled scientific freedom in my project on the inheritance of Ebstein's anomaly.⁶ Jeanette provided me with the space to pursue my own scientific ambitions and to work according to my vision.

Today, alongside my clinical duties at the Department for Cardiovascular Surgery at the University Heart & Vascular Center Hamburg, I proudly lead my own research group where I delve into the genetics, diagnostics and treatment of thoracic aortic diseases. I am deeply convinced that this journey and these achievements would not have been possible without Jeanette's foundational training and her unwavering support. Her teachings and influence will forever remain a fundamental part of my scientific career.

Redouane Aherrahrou—I had the privilege of working with a wonderful Ph.D. supervisor, Jeanette. She was a fantastic mentor who provided support and guidance to scientists from all over the world. While working with her, she always treated me respectfully and valued my ideas and work. I joined Jeanette's lab through an exchange programme between my university and the University of Lübeck, where I focused on studying the functional analysis of GWAS hits PHACTR1 and CYP17A1.^7-9 With Jeanette's support, I had the opportunity to collaborate with various groups and consortia, including Leducq Foundation-sponsored networks. After completing my Ph.D., I continued my cardiovascular research at the University of Virginia, but Jeanette urged me to return to her institute as an independent scientist to establish my own research group. I am committed to excellence and promoting diversity and women in science in honour of her legacy.

Brownie, Jeanette's pet cat, became a part of her life on March 23, 2022. Jeanette found it very amusing that the cat was grey in colour, but her sister suggested naming him Brownie. During the pandemic, Jeanette enjoyed spending time with Brownie and attended many meetings with him while working from home office.

Recently, Jeanette started using a new electrical wheelchair called the BRO. Jeanette was very excited about using this special chair, which was very powerful and had a unique feature of climbing stairs. It was a familiar sound for all of us at ICG to hear her adjusting this wheelchair and moving it back and forth. She was happy to be more independent with this BRO and had started using the bus independently and planning vacations and attending concerts.

We lost a great person, a wonderful mentor who was dedicated to science. Her legacy shall always remain alive (Figure 1).

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.