How do neural networks generate behavior? For the brain to be able to process sensory information, e. g., an image of one's surroundings, nerve cells need to be connected in a specific fashion. The information flow in these neural circuits in turn steers the behavior of the organism. The scientists of this department investigate the genetic, molecular and cellular underpinnings of animal behavior.

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What happens in the brain, when it learns or forgets something? The brain is like a huge construction area: almost continuously, connections between nerve cells are created and disassembled. This so-called plasticity is the basis of learning and memory. To understand this plasticity, from the molecular up to the cellular and systems level, is the central focus of the scientific work in this department.

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How does a fly brain process optical information? The comparatively few nerve cells in a fly's brain are highly efficient in processing information from the eyes. Especially the perception of motion is well developed. The scientists of this department investigate the function and connection of the involved nerve cells in order to understand the operation of the whole network. To this end, electrophysiology, computer simulations and genetic methods are employed. [more]

Can we develop new microscopic methods which make the so far invisible visible? In general, it is possible to understand biological processes only when they are investigated where they take place – in the living tissue. Here, only optical microscopes are able to visualize such activities on the cellular and molecular level. The scientists of this department work on the enhancement of existing microscopes and on the development of new microscopic methods. [more]

How do nerve cells communicate with each other? In order to accomplish their complex tasks, nerve cells need to find and to connect to their correct partner cells. This becomes especially crucial during the development of the brain and nervous system. The scientists of this department investigate the role specific receptors and their ligands play in this network formation in the nervous system. [more]

What happens when the immune system attacks the nervous systems? In the so-called autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, aggressive immune cells infiltrate the nervous system where they cause inflammation that damages the nerve cells. In close cooperation with the Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, the scientists of this department investigate the causes of this misguided immune reaction. [more]