Welcome to the website of the Institute of Biology

Research Topics

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Clinical Neuropsychology
• Cultural and Socialization Research
• Cortical Mapping of Cognitive Processes
• Comparative Neuroanatomy, Behavioral and Developmental Neurobiology
• Systemic and Molecular Neurobiology
• Molecular Mechanisms and Regulation of Signal Transduction
  
  

Areas of Work

• Animal Models for the Development of Mental Disorders (ADHD, Depression, Autism)
• Influence of Parent-Child Relationship on Brain and Behavior Development, Role of the Father
• Impact of Early Deprivation and Trauma on Brain and Behavior Development: Gender-Specific Vulnerability and Resilience
• How Does Early Childhood Learning Affect Learning Ability in Adulthood?
• Studies on "Cognitive Enhancers"
• Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity
  
  

• Mechanisms of Behavioral Control and Emotional Learning
• Formation and Modification of Neural Circuits
• Pharmacogenetic and Molecular Manipulation of Circuits
• Control of Behavior-Relevant Network Activities
• Function and Plasticity of GABAergic Interneurons
• Intracellular Signaling Pathways and Gene Expression Regulation in Neurons
• Molecular Control of Neuronal Differentiation
• Mouse Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
  
  

• Selection of Visual Consciousness Contents (Multistability, Attention)
• Formation of Visual Gestalt Objects (Grouping, Spatial Attention, Feature Attention)
• Task-Specific Adaptation of Visual Processing (Attention, Set)
• Limited Capacities of Visual Processing (Attention, Saliency, Working Memory)
• Situation-Dependent Associative Learning (Temporal-Context-Dependent Learning, Optimal Decision Models)
• Realization of Spiking Neural Networks for Associative Learning Based on Analog VLSI Circuits ("Silicon Cortex")
  
  

• Studies on the Structure and Dynamics of Molecular Networks in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
• Reconstruction of the Structure of Regulatory Networks via Reverse Engineering
• Sensory Control of Spore Formation in Physarum polycephalum
• Light-Controlled Swimming Behavior (Phototaxis) in Halobacterium salinarum
  
  

• Molecular Mechanisms of Cytokine Signal Transduction
• Molecular Regulation of Signal Transduction Pathways
• Cross-talk between Signaling Cascades and Cytokines and Hormones
• Coordination of Signal Transduction via Adapter Proteins
• Identification of Network Motifs
• Analysis of Signal Transduction Dynamics
  
  

• Study of Neuronal Foundations of Different Forms and Phenomena of Learning
• Focus on Systemic Physiological Level; Neural Networks and Interacting Brain Systems
• Information Integration (SFB TRR 31)
• Motivation and Action Control (SFB 779)
• Stimulus Evaluation and Meaning Assignment (SFB TRR 62)
• Cognitive Phenomena: Abstraction, Category Learning, and Concept Formation
• Development of Cortical Sensory Neuroprosthetics
• Design of Support Strategies for Learning and Memory
  
  

• Neuroplasticity
• Molecular Physiology
• Neuropharmacology
• Visual Attention and Perceptual Learning
• Presynaptic Plasticity
• Systems Biology
• Neurophysiology