Team

Academic Background

• Since 04/2023: Deputy Head - Clinical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
• Since 2023: Visiting Scientist - Department of Neuropsychology and Psychological Resilience Research, Research Group Learning and Brain Plasticity in Mental Disorders, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
• 2021 - 2023: PostDoc - Integrative Spinal Research Group, Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zürich, Switzerland
• 2019 - 2022: PostDoc - Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
• 2015 - 2016: Visiting Scientist - Clinical Research and Imaging Centre (CRICBristol), University of Bristol, United Kingdom

Education

• 2019: Doctor (PhD) in human sciences (Dr. sc. hum.), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University; Dissertation: „Cognitive and Affective Mechanisms of Pain Modulation and their Neuronal and Neurochemical Correlates“
• 2011: Diploma in Psychology (Mag. rer. nat.), University of Innsbruck

Research Interests 

General experimental human pain research, individualized treatment for patients with chronic pain, endogenous pain modulation, brain imaging, cognitive and clinical neurosciences

Specific research topics

• Psychobiological mechanisms underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain
• Predictors of individual treatment success in patients with primary chronic pain
• Learning mechanisms in primary chronic pain
• Quality of life, neuropsychological symptoms, and pain in patients with mitochondrial diseases

Selected Publications

1. Scarlatti, F, Dormegny-Jeanjean, L, Schefzik, R, Foucher, JR, Banaschewski, T, Bokde, ALW, Brühl, R, Desrivières, S, Garavan, H, Gowland, P, Grigis, A, Heinz, A, Martinot, J-L, Paillère Martinot, M-L, Artiges, E, Papadopoulos Orfanos, D, Poustka, L, Smolka, MN, Hohmann, S, Vaidya, N, Walter, H, Whelan, R, Schumann, G, Nees, F, Schwarz, E, Löffler, M*, Flor, H*, IMAGEN Consortium (in press). “Neural and psychosocial signatures of the comorbidity between pain and affective symptoms.” PAIN Reports 11, no. 1: e1353. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000001353 *contributed equally
2. Löffler, A., Beier, F., Bekrater-Bodmann, R., Hausner, L., Desch, S., Silvoni, S., Kleinböhl, D., Löffler, M., Nees, F., Frölich, L., & Flor, H. (2024). Reduced tactile sensitivity is associated with mild cognitive impairment. EBioMedicine, 99, 104896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104896
3. Löffler, M., Schneider, P., Schuh-Hofer, S., Kamping, S., Usai, K., Treede, R. D., Nees, F., & Flor, H. (2023). Stress-induced hyperalgesia instead of analgesia in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Neurobiol Pain, 13, 100110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynpai.2022.100110
4. Löffler, M., Levine, S. M., Usai, K., Desch, S., Kandic, M., Nees, F., & Flor, H. (2022). Corticostriatal circuits in the transition to chronic back pain: The predictive role of reward learning. Cell Rep Med, 3(7), 100677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100677
5. Löffler, M., Gamroth, C., Becker, S., & Flor, H. (2020). Chronic pain as a neglected core symptom in mitochondrial diseases. Neurology, 94(8), 357-359. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000009011

For a full list see of publications see: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=de&user=fI-4kPkAAAAJ

Research Funding, Awards & Honors

• DAAD (2024): 1.140 € – Travel grant
• BMBF (2020–2023): 465.051€ – „PerPain: Improving outcomes in chronic musculoskeletal pain through a personalized medicine approach using cross-illness multilevel assessments and mechanism-based interventions” Project #2, Flor/Löffler: “Pain extinction and retraining-tailored approach for chronic musculoskeletal pain and analysis of dysfunctional behavior and brain networks“
• DGSS (2023): 7.000 € – Förderpreis für Schmerzforschung [Award for Pain Research] (1^st place) in the category „clinical research“ for the publication “Corticostriatal circuits in the transition to chronic back pain: The predictive role of reward learning”

Collaborations

• Prof. Dr. Tilman Supprian, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR-Clinic Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Jonas Tesarz, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Dorit Pud, The human experimental pain research laboratory, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel
• Prof. Dr. Herta Flor, Department of Neuropsychology and Psychological Resilience Research, Research Group Learning and Brain Plasticity in Mental Disorders, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
• Dipl.-Psych. Carsten Gamroth, Patient representative, International Mito Patients, Lübeck

Review Activities

Cell Reports Medicine, Biological Psychiatry, Pain, NeuroImage, BMC Psychology, Human Brain Mapping, The Journal of Pain, Journal of Neural Transmission, European Journal of Pain, Frontiers in Pain Research

Academic Career

since 2025: Research Associate, Head of Laboratory
Department of Clinical Psychology – Becker Pain Lab, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

2017–2025: Research Associate, Head of Laboratory
Department of Biological Psychology and Social Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

2011–2017: Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Biological Psychology and Social Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

2010: Visiting Scientist
Interdisciplinary Center for Smell and Taste (Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Hummel),
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden

2006–2010: PhD Candidate
Department of Biological Psychology and Social Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

Education

2010: PhD in Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat., summa cum laude), Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

2005: Diploma in Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

Committee Work

since 2023: Member of the BSc and MSc Psychology Examination Boards

2017–present: Deputy Coordinator, BSc Psychology Examination Board
Representative for the BSc Psychology Examination Board for Studium Universale

2011–2016: Board Member, Department of Psychology

2012: Member of the Reaccreditation Committee (BSc and MSc Psychology Programs)

Habilitation Committees:
2021: PD Dr. Studer
2020: PD Dr. Gieselmann
2014: PD Dr. Bell
2013: PD Dr. Lange

Appointment Committees:
2020–2021: Professorship in Clinical Psychology
2010: Professorship in Comparative Psychology

2006–2011: Member of Examination Boards
Diploma Psychology, BSc Psychology, MSc Psychology

2006–2025: Academic Advising, Psychology

Research Interests

General

• Human social chemosignaling
  – Role of body odors and other chemosensory signals in socio-emotional processes.
• Neurocognitive processing of social signals
  – Central neural mechanisms of empathy, aggression, fear, and social perception.
• Sexuality and sexual orientation in social-emotional processes
  – Differences in perception, behavior, and neural processing across sexual orientations.
• Sociobiological and evolutionary aspects of human behavior
  – Adaptive significance of cooperation, aggression, and homosexuality.
• Psychophysiology of social interaction
  – EEG/fMRI and peripheral physiological investigations of empathy, mirror neuron system, and affective processing.

Specific

• Chemosensory signals
  – Processing, effects, and behavioral modulation by signals of fear, aggression, happiness, or satiety.
• Influence of sex hormones, gender, and pregnancy
  – Hormonal modulation of chemosensory perception and emotional responses.
• Sexual orientation and social/emotional behavior
  – Differences in empathy, aggression, cooperation, and body odor perception between homo- and heterosexual individuals.
• Empathy and mirror neuron system (EEG, Mu-suppression)
  – Relationship between empathy, somatosensory Mu activity, body odor processing, and sexual orientation.
• Social context and chemosensory modulation of cognitive processes
  – Influence of (body) odors on attention, emotion recognition, mood, defensive behavior, and social cognition.

Selected Publications

• Loos, H.M., Schaal, B., Pause, B.M., Smeets, M.A.M., Ferdenzi, C., Roberts, S.C., de Groot, J., Lübke, K.T., Croy, I., Freiherr, J., Bensafi, M., Hummel, T., & Havlíček, J. (2025). Past, present, and future of human chemical communication research. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 20(1), 20–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231188147
• Lübke, K.T., Storch, D., & Pause, B.M. (2024). Sexual orientation affects neural responses to subtle social aggression signals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53(1), 153–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02661-z
• Lübke, K.T., Sachse, C., Hoenen, M., & Pause, B.M. (2020). Mu-suppression as an indicator of empathic processes in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(2), 635–644. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01491-2
• Pause, B.M., Storch, D., & Lübke, K.T. (2020). Chemosensory communication of aggression: Women's fine-tuned neural processing of male aggression signals. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 375(1800), 20190270. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0270
• Lübke, K.T., Busch, A., Hoenen, M., Schaal, B., & Pause, B.M. (2017). Chemosensory anxiety signals prime defensive behavior in prepubertal girls. Physiology and Behavior, 173, 30–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.01.035
• Lübke, K.T., Busch, A., Hoenen, M., Schaal, B., & Pause, B.M. (2017). Pregnancy reduces the perception of anxiety. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 9213. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07985-0
• Lübke, K.T., & Pause, B.M. (2015). Always follow your nose: The functional significance of social chemosignals in human reproduction and survival. Hormones and Behavior, 68, 134–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.10.001
• Lübke, K.T., Croy, I., Hoenen, M., Gerber, J., Pause, B.M., & Hummel, T. (2014). Does human body odor represent a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness? PLoS ONE, 9(4), e94314. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0094314
• Lübke, K.T., Hoenen, M., & Pause, B.M. (2012). Differential processing of social chemosignals obtained from potential partners in regards to gender and sexual orientation. Behavioural Brain Research, 228, 375–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.12.018
• Pause, B.M., Lübke, K., Laudien, J.H., & Ferstl, R. (2010). Intensified neuronal investment in the processing of chemosensory anxiety signals in non-socially anxious and socially anxious individuals. PLoS ONE, 5(4), e10342. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010342

Grants and Funding

• 2014–2016: DFG Research Grant
  Project: "Sexual Orientation as a Modulator of Aggression, Cooperation, and Empathy"
  (Joint application with Prof. Dr. B.M. Pause; total budget: €122,222)
• 2010: Research stay funding
  Interdisciplinary Center for Smell and Taste, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden
  (Women’s Promotion Funds, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, HHU Düsseldorf)
• 2008: Full scholarship, Minerva Foundation
  Participation in the 28th Blankenese Conference on Sensory Signaling and Information Processing

Reviewer Activities (International)

Journals include:
Archives of Sexual Behavior · Behavior Research Methods · Brain Sciences · Chemical Senses · Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance · Frontiers in Psychology · International Journal of Medical Science · i-Perception · Journal of Homosexuality · NeuroImage · Perspectives on Psychological Science · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B · Physiology & Behavior · PLOS One · Polish Psychological Bulletin · Proceedings of the Royal Society B · Psychology of Sport & Exercise · Psychoneuroendocrinology · Scientific Reports

Memberships in Professional Societies

• German Society for Psychophysiology and its Applications (DGPA)
• German Psychological Society (DGPs) – Sections: General Psychology; Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology
• European Chemoreception Research Organization (ECRO)
• Association for Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS)

Organization of Scientific Symposia

• 2015: “Women, Men, Emotions: Influence of Gender and Sex Hormones on Emotional Processes”
  41st Conference "Psychology and the Brain", Frankfurt (with Prof. C. Merz)
• 2013: “Olfaction in Everyday Life: Chemosensory Communication, Social Learning, and Olfactory Disorders”
  55th Conference of Experimental Psychologists, Vienna (with Prof. C. Dobel)
• 2011: “The Influence of Gender and Sexual Orientation on Human Olfaction”
  21st ECRO Congress, Manchester (with Dr. M. Sergeant), Member of Scientific Organizing Committee

Invited Talks (Selection)

• 2020: Following the Nose! How Human Chemosignals Influence Reproduction
  Joint Symposium DGRM + AGRBM, Düsseldorf
• 2019: Following the Nose! Communication via Human Body Odors
  Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf
• 2018: Contributions on Chemosensory Aggression and Empathy
  NeuroRad, Frankfurt; Human Chemosensation Meeting, Dresden
• 2017–2010: Invited Talks at HHU Düsseldorf, RUB Bochum, and University Hospital Dresden

Collaborations

• University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden – Prof. Dr. Thomas Hummel
• University of Osnabrück – Prof. Dr. Ursula Stockhorst
• Centre des Sciences du Goût (CNRS/Université de Bourgogne, Dijon) – Prof. Dr. Benoist Schaal

Training in Teaching and Research

• Professional Teaching Competence for Higher Education (Certificate, HHU Düsseldorf, 2013)
• Functional MRI in Psychological Research (BION, Gießen, 2011)
• Human Olfaction Summer School (Dresden, 2009)
• Event-Related Potentials and Spontaneous EEG (Leipzig, 2009)

Teaching

Supervision of:

• Doctoral, Master, Bachelor, and Diploma theses

Lectures:

• Social Psychology, BSc Psychology (substitute)

Seminars & Practical Courses:

• Clinical Psychology (BSc & MSc)
• Physiological Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Experimental Practicals (BSc & Diploma)

Project Modules & Practicals:

• Scientific working methods
• Participation in ongoing research projects
• Supervision of professional internships (since 2006)