Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers

Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers (born 23 June 1962 in Basel) is a Swiss neurobiologist with a focus on myelin. She is research group leader at the Department of Research (DBM) and lecturer for neurobiology at the University of Basel.

Education
Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers studied biochemistry at ETH Zurich. Switzerland. After completing her doctorate In 1995, she joined the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) in Basel, Switzerland as a postdoctoral fellow. Schaeren-Wiemers was Research Group Leader at the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel, where she has been researching and teaching as a neurobiologist. In 2004, Schaeren-Wiemers obtained her Habilitation at the Medical Faculty of the University of Basel and in 2007, she was appointed to adjunct professor of neurobiology.

Research
Schaeren-Wiemers investigates the development of the myelin sheath and its preservation and compares it with that in mice, rats and humans. Myelin appears in evolution only in quadrupeds and is conserved structurally as well as at the molecular level including humans. Schaeren-Wiemers identified one of the proteins in myelin, the protein MAL, during her doctoral studies at ETH Zurich. Later work in her own research group at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel, Schaeren-Wiemers showed that MAL is responsible for the apical transport in the myelin sheath. Later studies showed that the function of MAL is crucial for the association of the paranodal loops of the myelin sheaths at the axon with the membrane proteins myelin-associated glycoprotein, peripheral myelin protein 22kD, and nectin like 4. As an example, without MAL the paranodel loops lose contact with the axon. Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers research group characterized that these proteins are altered in humans with CMT1A and in the corresponding animal model. Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers also investigates the molecular changes in the normal appearing white matter (the myelinated axons) of deceased people with multiple sclerosis. Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers discovered that in normal appearing white matter many neuroprotective proteins are highly regulated. The research group of Schaeren-Wiemers was able to develop a suitable animal model.

Professional career and mission
Schaeren-Wiemers was member of the council of the Swiss Society of Neuroscience (SSN) from 2009 to 2010, vice president from 2007 to 2009 and president from 2009 to 2010. Schaeren-Wiemers professionalized the neuroscience community of Switzerland. From 2013 to 2021, she was Chair of the Neuroscience Network of Basel (NNB). This consists of the three faculties (Medicine, Natural Sciences and Psychology), the University Hospital and the UPK, the FMI, the IOB and Neurex as well as the pharmaceutical industry are associated with the NNB. NNB is a scientific network, which enhance the neuroscience in Basel and is involved in the education of master as well as PhD students. The University of Basel contributed substantially in this network, which allows to organize each year the Brain Awareness Week (BAW) Brainweek, a public event.

From 2009 to 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers coordinated the Group II (habilitated and adjunct professors) of the Faculty of Medicine and was elected as member of the Faculty Committee from 2009 to 2021. She played a key role in drawing up and updating the list of members of Group II, which now consists of over 500 habilitated and adjunct professors. In 2013, the members of Group II founded the Association of Lecturers at the University of Basel (DOZUBA), of which Schaeren-Wiemers was the first president. This was a result of the evaluation and performance assessment obligation at all university levels. In the following years, Schaeren-Wiemers managed that a member Group II was given a seat on every Regenz Commission. From 2009 to 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers also organized the elections for a member of Group II for various university committees and was in direct contact with the Rectorate (DOZUBA website). The major goal of DOZUBA is being included in the university statutes; that was achieved by Schaeren-Wiemers at the end of 2020. From 2015 to 2021, she was an elected member of Grouping II of the Faculty of Medicine in the Regenz and was also elected to the Regenz Committee as a representative of all members of Grouping II of the university.

From 2011 to 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers was a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission and was involved in improving the advancement of women in their scientific career. Schaeren-Wiemers was able to contribute to the university's strategy report (2022-2030) in this regard and bring about a binding formulation.

From 2013 to 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers was a member of the Science Award Commission of the City of Basel. This commission consist of two members of each faculty and awards every year the “price of science of the city of Basel”. In 2022 Schaeren-Wiemers became member of the evaluation committee of the city of Basel for financial support for young scientist from developed country.

The DBM's Scientific Advisory Board had taken Schaeren-Wiemers as the coordinator of doctoral students at the DBM, which is enrolled at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. She established the "International PhD Program in Biomedicine", which is affiliated with the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

From 2020 to 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers became Vice Dean for the promotion of young scientists at the Faculty of Medicine. On August 1, 2021, Schaeren-Wiemers became Head of the newly created Vice-Rectorate People & Culture. Due to health reason, Schaeren-Wiemers had to step down in 2022, but proceed her scientific research.