New board member: Felix Wittmann

I am very pleased to be joining the INTERDEM Board as a Junior Board Member and to further deepen my engagement within the network in this role. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the Academy, contribute to its continued development, and advocate for early-career researchers.

Wittmann, Felix Felix.Wittmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de

I am currently a research assistant at the Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health at Leipzig University, where I am completing my PhD. My work focuses on dementia, particularly on risk reduction. In my research, I have examined sex and gender differences as well as different aspects of adherence in the AgeWell.de intervention study. I am currently focusing on specific risk profiles and on risk and prevention potential among people with a migration background, with the aim of enabling more targeted and effective approaches to risk reduction. Structural and societal factors are central to my work and shape my perspective on prevention and intervention.

I have been connected to INTERDEM for several years, initially through my involvement in the Academy. Through my research focus, I became part of the Task Force on Prevention and, since 2024, have also been a member of the Academy’s Management Board. In addition, I support the coordination of the Task Force. These experiences have given me valuable insights into the network, which I look forward to bringing into my new role on the Board.

I particularly value the strong sense of connection and the many opportunities for exchange within the Academy. Alongside the Task Forces, initiatives such as the MENTORDEM programme play an important role in supporting early-career researchers. In my new role, I hope to further strengthen these structures and support the integration of young researchers into the network. I see great potential in fostering closer collaboration between senior and early-career researchers and would be very glad to contribute to these efforts.

I would like to sincerely thank the Board for the trust placed in me. I look forward to contributing actively, representing the Academy and early-career researchers, and I am always happy to connect, exchange ideas, or serve as a point of contact.