News archive of the MPI of Neurobiology

News from the institute until December 2021

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The origin of neuronal diversity

Insights into the mechanisms leading to different cell types in the brain more

Balancing fear

The brain uses bodily signals to regulate fear. more

From amateur to expert

Mice’s learning skills help researchers pinpointing brain areas where acquired knowledge is stored. more

Flawed quality control in the brain

New mouse type reveals when neurons fail to cope with misfolded proteins more

Recognition for outstanding publications by young scientists

Young Scientist Award 2020 goes to Nikolai Hörmann and Nate Nejc Dolensek more

The complex task of staying on course

To fly straight, fruit flies need the ability to detect motion. more

Remember more by taking breaks

Longer breaks during learning lead to more stable activation patterns in the brain. more

Otto Hahn Medal thanks to an optical illusion

Yunmin Wu receives award for outstanding research more

Picky neurons

In the visual thalamus, neurons are in contact with both eyes but respond to only one. more

Top address for life science research

Bavaria invests up to 500 million euros in the competitive development of the Martinsried Max Planck Campus into an outstanding international research hub more

Simplifying our world

Mice master complex thinking with a remarkable capacity for abstraction more

In a tight spot

A newly discovered circuit helps fish to prioritize more

Tracing the many paths of vision

New study decodes the molecular diversity of neurons in the zebrafish retina more

Scientific highlights 2020

Scientific highlights 2020

December 21, 2020

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2020 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

10 years MaxLab

10 years MaxLab

November 24, 2020

With a lot of enthusiasm and a wide range of experiments, the MaxLab brings scientific research closer to the public in a practical and up-to-date way. In 2020, the students’ and visitors’ laboratory of the Max Planck Institutes in Martinsried looks back on a 10-year success story. more

The protein dress of a neuron

New method marks proteins and reveals the receptors in which neurons are dressed more

Functional ultrasound imaging of brain-wide activity

New method will help to unravel brain functions at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution more

Awarding the research of young scientists

Johannes Larsch and Daniel Gehrlach receive the Young Scientist Award 2019 more

The right cells in the right spot

Neurons in a visual brain area of zebrafish are arranged as a map for catching prey more

An optical illusion opens a window into the brain

Interview with Yunmin Wu from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, who identified neurons enabling zebrafish to detect motion more

Bavaria builds on research

Bavaria builds on research

September 17, 2020

Support for the new Max Planck life science campus in Martinsried and the initiative for quantum computing and quantum technologies more

Individual differences in the brain

If selection reinforces a behavior, brain activities soon change as well more

Making balanced decisions

Neuronal circuits in the brain 'sense' our inner state more

Directed protein evolution with CRISPR-Cas9

New area of application for gene scissors: Optimized proteins for biomedical research more

Motion patterns instead of pixels

Higher brain areas receive a functional rather than realistic view of the environment more

Tobias Bonhoeffer becomes a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)

High distinction for the Max Planck Director from Martinsried more

The facial expressions of mice

The face of a mouse reveals its emotions more

ERC Advanced Grants for six Max Planck researchers

Research Council ERC awards grants of up to 2.5 million euros each more

Redesigning brain circuit

Rüdiger Klein receives an ERC Advanced Grant to analyze the development of amygdala circuits more

Shaping the social networks of neurons

Identification of a protein complex that attracts or repels nerve cells during development more

Everything is relative: How flies see the world

The neural code in the fly brain continuously adapts to environmental conditions more

Artificial intelligence as behavioral analyst

Computer algorithms disassemble prey capture behavior of zebrafish into its components more

Decision-making process becomes visible in the brain

Transparent fish larvae reveal how a decision makes its way through the brain more

It takes more than a global impression to move a fish

Larval zebrafish require both global and local visual stimuli to avoid drifting more

When cells become cannibals

When cells become cannibals

October 08, 2019

Max Planck scientists describe mechanism of partial phagocytosis more

Safe on your feet: Sense of touch is more important than expected

Neurons in the spinal cord integrate tactile information and help coordinate walking more

Young zebrafish could provide information on nerve cell circuits for social behavior

Johannes Larsch receives NARSAD Young Investigator Grant more

An island for negative emotions

The insular cortex processes negative emotions and bodily states more

Brain region for close-up exploration

A mouse’s brain creates a multi-sensory impression of the nearby environment more

Interactive zebrafish brain

Max Planck scientists create the first nerve cell atlas of a vertebrate brain more

Live streaming the brain - Neurons in the pretectum calculate space-filling movements

Neurobiologists show how movement information flows through the fish brain more

Otto Hahn Medals 2019

Otto Hahn Medals 2019

June 25, 2019

Aljoscha Leonhardt and Georg Ammer are being honored for their outstanding research more

Artificial intelligence learns to recognize nerve cells by their appearance

Neurobiologists train artificial neural networks to map the brain more

Multitasking with perfection: Nerve cell works like 1400 individual cells

Amacrine cell in the fruit fly visual system consists of electrically isolated subunits more

Using fish to unravel how complex behavior is encoded in the genome and wired in the brain

Scientists from Georgia Tech and Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology receive $750,000 grant for research more

Young Scientist Award

Inês Ribeiro and Arne Fabritius recognized for their outstanding publications more

Georg W. Kreutzberg, 1932 - 2019

Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Georg Kreutzberg, an outstanding neuropathologist and esteemed colleague, passed away on the 20th of March at the age of 86 following a short, but serious illness. more

ANA 2018 Best Thesis Award for Georg Ammer

Recognition for outstanding PhD thesis on fly motion vision more

Making sense of the cerebellum

Zebrafish brain reveals a deceptively simple organization for encoding complex sensorimotor information more

Should I stay or should I go? Decisions take a straight path through the fish brain

Max Planck neurobiologists show how visual perceptions are translated into behavior more

Three nerve cells are sufficient to steer a fly

HS cells correct an unwanted rotation movement by slowing down the legs more

Albert Herz, 1921 – 2018

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Albert Herz, an outstanding neuropharmacologist and valued colleague, died peacefully on the 9th of November 2018 at the age of 97 more

How to recognise your own kind

How to recognise your own kind

November 01, 2018

Zebrafish identify virtual shoal partners based on motion patterns typical of their species more

Protein for deeper insights into the brain

Researchers publish building instructions to promote biomedical research more

Spontaneity in the brain

Spontaneity in the brain

August 31, 2018

Scientists aim to understand how random behavior arises more

Diversity research in the brain

Christian Mayer receives ERC Starting Grant to investigate the origin of interneuron variety more

LC10 – the neuron that tracks fruit flies

How visual information about other flies reaches the male brain more

Artificial neural networks now able to help reveal a brain’s structure

Digital image analysis steps up to the task of reliably reconstructing individual nerve cells more

Award for outstanding publications

Susanne Falkner and co-first authors Daniel del Toro & Tobias Ruff receive „Young Scientist Award“ more

Neuroimmunologist Hartmut Wekerle receives the Jacob Henle Medal

Award for outstanding, medically relevant scientific achievements more

International Biology Olympiad in the Martinsried MaxLab

Pupils will deepen their knowledge in the first Bavaria-wie seminar more

Color processing in the tiny brain of fruit flies

Biologists explain basic mechanisms of color vision in an invertebrate more

Science unites cultures

Science unites cultures

January 08, 2018

‘The Science Bridge’ initiative brings together neuroscientists from Western and Middle East/South-Asian countries more

Thalamus helps the cerebrum with learning

Contrary to previous belief, learning processes do not occur exclusively in the cerebral cortex more

Neural and genetic foundations of individuality and personality

Carlos Pantoja receives a NARSAD Young Investigator Grant more

Intestinal flora from twins is able to initiate multiple sclerosis

Genetically modified mice deliver first indication that human intestinal bacteria can trigger multiple sclerosis more

Neuronal circuits of fear

Neuronal circuits of fear

September 06, 2017

Nadine Gogolla receives an ERC Starting Grant for the investigation of the insular cortex more

Brain region mediates pleasure of eating

Neurons in the amygdala link food consumption to reward more

Illuminating neural pathways in the living brain

Optobow method makes functional connections between individual neurons visible more

Go against the flow

Go against the flow

July 12, 2017

How fish detect and keep their position in water flowing with constant velocity more

Remote control of behaviour by optically activating single neurons

New method allows linking individual neurons and network activity to behaviour in zebrafish more

The formation of folds on the surface of the brain

Adhesion of migrating neurons influences the folding of the cerebral cortex more

<p>Award for outstanding publications of young scientists </p>

Tobias Rose and Co-first authors Matthias Meier und Etienne Serbe receive „Young Scientist Award“ more

Live from the cerebellum, the center for sensory-motor integration

Neurobiologists reveal how the brain of a behaving vertebrate encodes sensory and motor inputs more

The more active the fly, the faster its brain works

Neurobiologists discover important characteristics of the motion detector in the fly brain more

100 Years of Psychiatry & Neurobiology

MPIs of Neurobiology and of Psychiatry celebrate their anniversary more

Understanding the brain with the help of artificial intelligence

Neurobiologists program a neural network for analyzing the brain’s wiring more

New neurons for the brain

New neurons for the brain

October 26, 2016

Transplanted embryonic nerve cells can functionally integrate into damaged neural networks more

Tobias Bonhoeffer appointed scientific advisor of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Max Planck Director will help identify new groundbreaking research areas for a healthy human life more

Hungry cells on the move

Hungry cells on the move

September 06, 2016

Researchers discover a signalling pathway that enables cells to reach their destinations through repulsion more

Neuron unites two theoretical models on motion detection

Computation of motion by T4 cells in the fly brain more complex than previously believed more

Neurons form synapse clusters

The contact points of cells in the cerebral cortex form functional groups more

Cells send out stop signs

Signaling molecules can make neuronal extensions retract at a distance more

Stable perception in the adult brain

Neurons return to their original state after a change more

Pregnancy changes perception of odours and tastes

Receptor modifies how mated fruit flies perceive polyamines more

Smelling and tasting what’s good

Polyamine receptors boost food selection and reproductive success more

Irina Dudanova receives <em>For Women in Science</em> award

UNESCO-L'Oréal prize helps excellent female scientists to continue their career while having children more

Hunger shifts sensory perception in the fish brain

Neurobiologists show how satiety may influence decisions more

Fumi Kubo receives the Young Investigator Award 2016

Acknowledgement of research on the neural circuit that processes visual motion more

Nerve cell imaging in freely swimming fish

HFSP Project Grant for advances in optical microscopy more

New microscope designed to reveal the function of individual genes in the brain

The new method could help to identify genes and their role in neuropsychiatric disorders more

Outstanding research and publications

Alex Mauss and Fiona Müllner receive Young Scientist Award more

Neuronal calculations consider expectations

The fly brain takes typical features of the environment into account when calculating motion more