Milena Philomena Maria Musial
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry & Neurosciences CCM, Research Group Learning and Cognition
PhD project
Reward Processing and Reinforcement Learning in Alcohol Use Disorder and Major Depression
Field of research
My research falls into the field of computational psychiatry: I aim to capture reward learning and decision making in psychiatric disorders by means of computational parameters and to link them to their neurobiological correlates.
Fun facts
Staying up late or getting enough sleep – struggle of my life.
Year
2021
Jiameng Wu
Affiliation
Larkum Lab, Humboldt University of Berlin
PhD project
Psychedelics and Neuronal Circuit
Field of research
I am interested in neuronal and circuit mechanisms underlying psychedelic actions with a particular emphasis on dendro-somatic processing in cortical layer 5b pyramidal neurons and the circuit involving layer 6b and higher-order thalamus.
Fun facts
Year
2019
Yasat Hacibaloglu
Affiliation
Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
PhD project
Synaptic diversity in health and disease
Field of research
I work in molecular and network neuroscience, trying to understand the effects of MUNC13 patient mutations and how they affect Synaptic Function.
Fun facts
I got lost in a forest in Kyoto after a typhoon hit the city. Did you know I lived in Japan?
Year
2021
Subhi Arafat
Affiliation
Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) Department of Computational Neurology
PhD project
Exploring the relationship between intrinsic and evoked brain
activity from a dynamical systems perspective
Field of research
Ongoing Brain Activity, Brain Stimulation, Dynamical Systems Theory, Complex Systems
Fun facts
By the time you read this, it will describe a previous iteration of this person.
Year
2020
Ștefania Cionca
Affiliation
German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIFE) Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Department of Neuroscience of Decision and Nutrition
PhD project
Disturbances in Body Image and The Role of Interoception
Field of research
Body image, body ownership, interoception, virtual reality and eating disorders. The main aim of my research is to better understand body image disturbances in eating disorders and to investigate the interaction between body ownership and interoception. In my research I use virtual reality technology to investigate ways to reduce body image disturbances.
Fun facts
I’ve been known for badly singing Evanescence in inappropriate situations, when I don’t realize that I am unmuted.
Year
2020
Alessandro Thomas Gifford
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Education and Psychology, Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition Group
PhD project
Computational modeling of vision-related EEG data.
Field of research
Computational neuroscience, M/EEG, deep learning, human visual object recognition.
Fun facts
Not sure it is fun, but I’m into playing Frisbee, arthouse movies and mountains.
Year
2020
Natalie Gloveli
Affiliation
International Graduate Program Medical Neurosciences (MedNeuro) PhD
PhD project
Field of research
Neural correlates of play behavior in rodents
Fun facts
Year
2020
Eugenio Graceffo
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Pediatrics with a focus on Neurology, AG Schülke Group
PhD project
THRA deficiency and Allan-Herndon-Dudley-Syndrome: Defects of local Thyroid Hormone function during human brain development
Field of research
The main goal of the PhD project is to characterize, by means of molecular and bioinformatic tools, the epigenomic landscape that regulates the timely and spatial expression and splicing of SLC16A2 and THRA, the 2 main genes involved in the developmental diseases Allan Herndon Dudley Syndrome (AHDS) and Thyroid Hormone Receptor Alpha deficiency (THRA-deficiency) respectively.
Fun facts
When I´m not hopping around the lab, I´m doing artistic gymnastics. Also, my favorite dish is pasta (yes, I am Italian indeed)
Year
2020
Agnessa Karapetian
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Education and Psychology, Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition Group
PhD project
Scene processing in biological and artificial networks
Field of research
Vision neuroscience, cognitive computational neuroscience
Fun facts
Year
2020
Hugo McGurran
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell and Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Neuroimmunology Research Group
PhD project
Understanding microRNAs as signalling molecules and modulators of neurodegeneration
Field of research
I am researching the role of microRNAs within the context of neurodegeneration, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease. These molecules may be novel regulators of inflammatory processes in the disease and provide the opportunity for therapeutic and biomarker discovery for Alzheimer’s.
Fun facts
Year
2020
Fiona O’ Donovan
Affiliation
Institute of Medical Psychology
PhD project
Maternal Cortisol Concentrations During Pregnancy and Infant White Matter Microstructure
Field of research
Diffusion tensor imaging, human brain development, stress
Fun facts
I have a kombucha factory in my kitchen. Just ask me if you’d like some. I’d be very happy to free up some space.
Year
2020
Emin Serin
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Department Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
PhD project
Not fixed yet, but will be broadly about the “Investigation of heterogeneity in disease related brain structures.”. The disease will be Schizophrenia (and might also bipolar disorder).
Field of research
computational psychiatry, MRI, machine learning
Fun facts
I live in an endless loop of re-learning and forgetting mathematical notations and performance metrics.
Year
2020
Kirsten Stark
Affiliation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychology, Neurocognitive Psychology
PhD project
Why not only the nose is getting longer: Behavioral and neurocognitive investigations on speech production during lying
Field of research
language, speech production, social interaction, emotion perception, EEG, cognitive neuroscience
Fun facts
I used to speak Nicaraguan Sign Language
Year
2020
Selina Yogeshwar
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology, Cognitive Neurology Lab Berlin
PhD project
Auto-immune driven progressive CNS atrophy in anti-IgLON5 disease: from genetics to neu-rodegeneration
Field of research
Brain atrophy, MRI, HLA-conferred risk, Mechanisms of autoimmunity
Fun facts
A crocodile was once named after me
Year
2020
Bilge Askin
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy
PhD project
Genomic instability in age-related neurodegenerative diseases
Field of research
Genomic alterations, Neurodegenerative proteinopathies, Tau and TDP-43 pathology
Fun facts
I like planning and I plan my day around coffee breaks
Year
2019
Caroline Beyer
Affiliation
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Gouti Lab (Stem Cell Modeling of Development and Disease)
PhD project
Modeling of neuromuscular and vascular development using neuromuscular organoids
Field of research
Developmental Biology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Fun facts
My apartment has more plants then square meters.
Year
2019
Tony Carricarte
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Education and Psychology, Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition Group
PhD project
Neural basis of mental imagery, visual illusion and perception
Field of research
Visual cognition, visual perception, recurrent processing, laminar MRI, multivariate pattern analysis
Fun facts
Year
2019
Carina Forster
Affiliation
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Neurology Department, Somatosensory Group
PhD project
Somatosensation, perception and decision making with a focus on subliminal stimuli and metacognition
Field of research
Clinical psychology/neurology, computational neuroscience, psychophysics
Fun facts
Yoga teacher and climbing addict like every other person in Berlin/Neukoelln
Year
2019
Sophie Fromm
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, AG Learning and Cognition
PhD project
Neurobiological and behavioral substrates of decision making under uncertainty in the context of (subclinical) psychosis
Field of research
Computational Psychiatry, Decision Making, Reinforcement Learning
Fun facts
Neuroscience is no fun (No Fun et al. , 2020). But I have a scientific publishing joke, please purchase PDF for $39 for 24h access or 70$ for full access.
Year
2019
Barbara Hollunder
Affiliation
Larkum Lab, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
PhD project
Towards the Definition of an Optimal Convergent Deep Brain Stimulation Circuit Target for Individual Non-Motor Symptom Constellations in Parkinson’s Disease
Field of research
My scientific interests include symptom-specific connectomic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the therapy of neurological and psychiatric circuitopathies, patient-centered precision neuromodulation, optimal DBS target modeling, and transdiagnostic / dimensional approaches in neuropsychiatry.
Fun facts
If you were to draw a Venn diagram of former unicycle club members and people who happen to be good at assembling IKEA furniture, you would find me in its slim center.
Year
2019
Victor Kumbol
Affiliation
Charité-Universitatmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, AG Lehnardt,
PhD project
A role beyond gene regulation: how extracellular miRNAs affect neuronal structure and function.
Field of research
neuroimmunology, toll-like receptors, neurodegeneration
Fun facts
I tinker with electronics in my spare time.
Year
2019
Nir Moneta
Affiliation
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Research Group NeuroCode
PhD project
Representation and distortions in cognitive maps of task states
Field of research
Value-based decision making and task representation in the brain. Human fMRI and multivariate analysis methods
Fun facts
On an ongoing search for non-scientific hobbies, suggestions are welcome!
Year
2019
Kai Standvoß
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (CCM), Visual Perception Lab
PhD project
The effect of environmental uncertainty on visual metacognition
Field of research
Cognitive computational neuroscience, visual perception, metacognition, decision making under uncertainty, hierarchical predictive coding
Fun facts
Year
2019
Anna-Lena Eckert
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Visual Perception Lab
PhD project
Predictions in schizophrenia across perceptual domains
Field of research
I am generally interested in the computational foundations of psychiatric disorders
Fun facts
I grow spider plants – approach me if you’d like to have one
Year
2018
Clémence Bergerot
Affiliation
Romanczuk lab, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
PhD project
Influence of cognitive biases on collective adaptation to changing environments
Field of research
My research lies at the interface between computational neuroscience and complex systems science, while borrowing concepts from other fields, such as game theory and experimental psychology. I use multi-agent reinforcement learning to investigate collective adaptation to change, when individuals exhibit biased decision-making.
Fun facts
Although I study decision-making, I am quite bad at making decisions.
Year
2021
Lilly von Kalckreuth
Affiliation
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Institute of Biology Humboldt University
PhD project
Field of research
Applying computational models to understand intelligent decision-making on a behavioral systems and a neurophysiological circuit level in animals. Incorporate dopamine and serotonin sensors to elucidate the role of these neuromodulators in decision-making, as well as their contribution to related behavior in models of psychiatric conditions.
Fun facts
I collect swords and hang them up in my apartment
Year
2021
Stefanie Mayer
Affiliation
Experimental Neurology/Centre for Stroke Research
PhD project
Post Stroke Pial Collateral Remodeling and Neuronal Plasticity in Motor Recovery
Field of research
Collateral circulation refers to the cerebral blood flow of artery-to-artery anastomotic vessels that may act as endogenous circumventers during large vessel occlusion. Collateral remodeling is a major determining factor of stroke outcome as patients with good collateral circulation have better prognoses and benefit greatly from reperfusion. Factors that give rise to differences in individual collateral circulatory systems are not well understood, nor is the correlation between post-stroke collateral remodeling and post-stroke neural rewiring. Therefore, this project aims to answer the questions: how and why does collateral remodeling differ so vastly between individuals, and how are these differences linked to functional readouts.
Fun facts
I was named after my mum’s favourite tennis star, but now people tend to notice more the similarities I share with the author of Twilight.
Year
2021
Fiona O’ Donovan
Affiliation
Institute of Medical Psychology
PhD project
Maternal Cortisol Concentrations During Pregnancy and Infant White Matter Microstructure
Field of research
Diffusion tensor imaging, human brain development, stress
Fun facts
I have a kombucha factory in my kitchen. Just ask me if you’d like some. I’d be very happy to free up some space.
Year
2020
Elisa Pedersen
Affiliation
Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin
PhD project
Molecular determinants of neocortical development
Field of research
We are interested in identifying the mechanisms that regulate the normal timing, extent and final maturation of the dendritic tree during formation of the mammalian neocortex. Furthermore, we also investigate how defects in these mechanisms contribute to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Fun facts
In my free time I really like to swim, and I once swan across a 1 km fjord for fun.
Year
2021
Lois Hew
Affiliation
Department of Experimental Neurology
PhD project
Human Schwann cell myelinated sensory and motor neuron co-cultures as disease models of inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies
Field of research
I work with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and we differentiate them into peripheral sensory neurons (iPSC-DSN) to model chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy. Expanding on this model, we will differentiate iPSCs to Schwann cells and to motor neurons, to study inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies (IDP) such as chronic IDP, Guillain-Barré syndrome, immune checkpoint inhibitor-related neuropathies and paraneoplastic neuropathies.
Fun facts
I like pandas!
Year
2021
Thomas Samuel Binns
Affiliation
Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) Department of Computational Neurology
PhD project
Parkinson’s disease: Invasive investigations of connectivity-based biomarkers for closed-loop deep brain stimulatio
Field of research
I am investigating the interaction between the cortex and basal ganglia using electrocorticography and local field potential recordings from Parkinson’s disease patients having undergone surgery for deep brain stimulation (DBS). This will inform our understanding of the mechanisms of DBS and dopaminergic agents in Parkinson’s, as well as highlight potential biomarkers for next-generation DBS treatments.
Fun facts
: I am the proud owner of an authentic Black Watch military kilt which I never pass up the opportunity to wear. The only question is: am I a true Scotsman?
Year
2021
Melina Engelhardt
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurosurgery, Image Guidance Lab
PhD project
Preconditioning of the motor network with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to reduce the mortality risk in neurosurgery
Field of research
Noninvasive brain stimulation, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), clinical neuroscience, glioma, motor system, plasticity, reorganization
Fun facts
My “second PhD project” is improving the anatomic accuracy of the brain cakes I bake.
Year
2018
Gisela Govaart
Affiliation
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuropsychology
PhD project
Voice–Speech Interactions in Infant Phoneme Acquisition
Field of research
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Early Language Acquisition, Phoneme acquisition and voice processing in infancy. In my PhD project, I investigate how infants learn the vowels and consonants of their native language, and how this learning process interacts with the processing of the voices of the speakers the infants are listening to.
Fun facts
Year
2018
Greta Häberle
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Education and Psychology, Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition Group
PhD project
How does each of the core regions active during vision represent objects?
Field of research
Cognitive neuroscience, vision, fMRI, DNNs, object representations, ventral visual stream
Fun facts
Year
2018
Majed Kikhia
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Experimental Neurology
PhD project
Fate mapping of myeloid cell subsets following ischemic stroke.
Field of research
Neuroimmunology and inflammation in animal models of ischemic stroke. Specifically, the involvement of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages in the pathophysiology of stroke injury.
Fun facts
Although I think I am usually funny, I could not find one fun fact about myself!
Year
2018
Robert Tjarko Lange
Affiliation
Technische Universität Berlin, Sprekeler Lab
PhD project
Learning of Intelligent Swarm Behaviour
Field of research
Deep Reinforcement Learning, Cognitive Neuroscience, Animal Psychology
Fun facts
I used to do freestyle wrestling in the state team of North Rhine-Westphalia before deciding to play Magic: The Gathering semi-professionally
Year
2018
Sara Moberg
Affiliation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Larkum Lab
PhD project
Learning-related plasticity in layer 1 apical dendrites
Field of research
Neuronal circuitry, animal behavior, calcium imaging, apical dendrites
Fun facts
Year
2018
Nelson Niemeyer
Affiliation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Theoretical Biology, Computational Neurophysiology Group
PhD project
Pattern generation in noisy neural systems
Field of research
Biophysical neuron models, central pattern generators
Fun facts
Year
2018
Jan Stasinski
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Brain Stimulation Section
PhD project
How the brain creates beliefs - Brain Simulation approach
Field of research
I am interested in high-order cognitive functions and general theories explaining cognition such as hierarchical predictive processing
Fun facts
Re-learning math when you are a graduate student hurts, a lot
Year
2018
Lara Wieland
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, AG Learning and Cognition
PhD project
Reinforcement Learning in Schizophrenia
Field of research
Computational Psychiatry
Fun facts
Year
2018
Yuanwei Yao
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Education and Psychology, Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Group
PhD project
How does effort investment influence subjective value?
Field of research
Decision-making, reward function, motivation
Fun facts
Year
2018
Ashraf Abdo
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Medical Immunology, Achim Kramer Lab
PhD project
Human chronotyping
Field of research
Chronobiology and Circadian rhythms
Fun facts
I love what I study (Sleep) and I spend the whole weekend studying
Year
2017
Isabella Paola Boux
Affiliation
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Philosophy and Humanities, Brain Language Laboratory
PhD project
Communication beyond form: how the brain processes communicative intention
Field of research
Language, neuropragmatics, speech acts, communication
Fun facts
Year
2017
Meida Jusyte
Affiliation
Leibniz Forschungsverbund Berlin, Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Molecular and Theoretical Neuroscience
PhD project
Field of research
Molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic transmission and plasticity.
Fun facts
Year
2017
Graham Cooper
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Tranlational Neuroimaging Group (DIAL)
PhD project
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Multi-Parameter Mapping in Multiple Sclerosis.
Field of research
Quantitative MRI, Cognitive Neuroscience, Multiple Sclerosis, Experimental Autoimmune Encephalitis, Lesion Classification, Myelin Imaging, Experimental MRI.
Fun facts
Graham is a keen performer but his career peaked at 16 when he directed and starred in his parody of Grease! with the puppet ministry team in his local church.
Year
2017
Andrea Knop
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Medical Psychology
PhD project
Experience-driven plasticity of the genital somatosensory field
Field of research
Early life stress, childhood adversity, sexual abuse, neural plasticity, plastic reorganization, developmental programming, sensitive periods.
Fun facts
Year
2017
Joram Keijser
Affiliation
Technische Universität Berlin, Sprekeler Lab
PhD project
perceptual decision making with a continuum of alternatives
Field of research
theoretical neuroscience, statistical analysis of neural data, plasticity , inhibition
Fun facts
I think we should ‘solve the worm first’ before trying to understand the human brain.
Year
2017
Daniela Palleschi
Affiliation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of German Language and Linguistics
PhD project
Interaction of linguistic and non-linguistic context in language processing.
Field of research
The main aim is to investigate the interaction between world knowledge and temporal verb morphology in language processing. A secondary aim is to investigate this effect in non-native speakers of diverse linguistic backgrounds to determine how the grammar of a native language can affect the on-line processing of a second language when multiple sources of information are involved.
Fun facts
Year
2017
Hung Lo
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Neuroscience Research Center and NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, AG Schmitz
PhD project
Odor representation and adaptation in rodents.
Field of research
Neuronal circuitry, animal behaviors, calcium imaging
Fun facts
Hung thought he was a master of Rubik's cube until he realized he is actually color blind.
Year
2017
Kathrin Radscheit
Affiliation
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Izsvák Lab
PhD project
Field of research
Fun facts
Year
2017
Irene Sophia Plank
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
PhD project
Are parents really better at it? Measuring social competencies regarding children in parents and non-parents.
Field of research
Social Cognition, Social Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Theory of Mind, Empathy, Compassion.
Fun facts
Year
2017
Raquel Suárez Grimalt
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurophysiology, Owald Lab
PhD project
Cellular mechanisms of drug preference in Drosophila melanogaster
Field of research
neuroscience/behavioral neuroscience/drug addiction
Fun facts
Year
2017
Kazi Atikur Rahman
Affiliation
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Synaptopathy
PhD project
“Role of pre-synaptic autophagy in clearance of pathogenic alpha-Synuclein aggregates”, “Neuroimmune response modulation in Alzheimer’s Disease”
Field of research
Neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Microglia, Autophagy, alpha-Synuclein, Neuroinflammation.
Fun facts
I did not know what my name really meant until I came to Berlin.
Year
2017
Alexandra Tzilivaki
Affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Neuroscience Research Center and NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, AG Schmitz
PhD project
Field of research
Electrophysiological characterisation and connectivity analysis of interneurons in the mouse parasubiculum.
Fun facts
Year
2017
Rafaela Vieira da Silva
Affiliation
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute for Medical Immunology, AG Infante
PhD project
Extracellular Matrix Alterations in Multiple Sclerosis
Field of research
Glycosaminoglycans, MRI/MRE, Multiple
Fun facts
Year
2017