In this meeting Prof. Jancke gives a brief overview about cortical visual prosthesis approaches and optogenetics
With the BrainBusiness format, we are establishing a platform for exchange in the field of neuroscience: Different perspectives from science, healthcare, and business are brought together to learn from each other! This year we focus on visual perception and associated diseases, as well as on related challenges and solutions for mental health.
Neuroscientific findings are becoming increasingly important in many areas of science and business. Our understanding of the structure and functioning of the brain is extensively growing and complex processes such as thinking, feeling, learning, and memory become accessible in an evidence-based manner. As a result, promising technical applications for diagnosis and therapy are emerging.
At Ruhr University Bochum, as well as in cooperation with the University Alliance Ruhr, excellent basic and clinical research has been conducted for years. Unlocking the transfer potential from this research strength is a great opportunity. Companies, and especially start-ups and new ventures, can both benefit from these insights as users, but also contribute as specialized providers to solving existing challenges.
Students of our Research Training Group MoNN&Di are pleased to announce their first international symposium "Current Perspectives in Neuroscience", which takes place on April 28-29, 2025, at the Ruhr University Bochum. This event will bring together leading scientists to discuss the latest advances, groundbreaking discoveries and future challenges in neuroscience.
The symposium will feature an engaging scientific program, including keynote lectures by internationally renowned experts and poster sessions providing young researchers the opportunity to present their work and engage with peers and experts.
Bernstein Nodes are established wherever many Bernstein Network members are active but no Bernstein-Center is located. Bernstein nodes promote interdisciplinary and national and international collaboration within the computational neuroscience community. Scientists working experimentally and theoretically are networked even more effectively and the coordination of both local and global activities is promoted.
The Bernstein Node Bochum (see homepage) connects researchers from computer science, medicine, psychology and biology at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB). Its members have demonstrated leadership in key areas of computational neuroscience (CNS), a track record of successful collaborations, complementary expertise spanning theoretical and experimental approaches, and a strong commitment to advancing CNS research through collaborative initiatives.
Founding members
Nikolai Axmacher
Sen Cheng
Dirk Jancke
Christian Klaes
Xenia Kobeleva
Denise Manahan-Vaughan
Lucia Melloni
Robert Schmidt
Caspar Schwiedrzik
Laurenz Wiskott
EventsMittwoch, 9. Oktober 2024
Anton Chizhov - Modelling the visual cortex
In our INI Seminar seriesAnton Chizhov presented his work about cortical networks using a conductance-based refractory density (CBRD) model. In this approach the primary visual cortex (V1) is modelled as a layered continuum of interacting populations.
In his thesis presentation, Robert gave a nice overview of his studies that bridge the fields of systems neuroscience and computer science. He demonstrated his excellent broad competence in the following discussion and is the first student at the INI receiving the Dr. rer. nat. from the RUB Faculty of Computer Science (Informatik).
EventsMittwoch, 20. Dezember 2023
Neues 2-Photonen Imaging System in Betrieb genommen
The IGSN family gathered for its highlight of the year. Researchers and staff, as well as friends and family came together on Graduation Day to honour this year's graduates, who had completed the IGSN programme and finally received their PhDs in Neuroscience.
EventsDonnerstag, 26. Oktober 2023
Dirk Jancke appointed Professor
In recognition of his outstanding reasearch and teaching record, appointed "außerplanmäßiger Professor" at the Faculty of Computer Science by the Rector of the Ruhr-University.
Callum joins our group in the framework of "Monn&Di" - The goal of this consortium is to train doctoral candidates to become highly skilled monoaminergic researchers that can bridge the gaps between tool development, basic research and clinical applications.
We present new work from our lab, where we explore the physiological properties of the coupling between microstimulation and internally ongoing brain activity in genetically modified mouse models using wide-field imaging of fluorescent voltage indicators.
Host: David Rotermund & Udo Ernst, Universität Bremen
EventsDienstag, 18. April, 10:00 Uhr
Colloquium about seizures -
Ictal heterogeneity in the awake thalamocortical system
We welcome our guest Magor Lorincz, University of Szeged, Hungary, presenting his work in the framework of the colloquium series of the International Graduate School of Neuroscience. For abstract and further information see IGSN.
Dirk Jancke gives a talk about "Memory traces - Creating representations of immediate future and past events in primary visual cortex" at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
The Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience was established within the Faculty of Psychology in 2002. It now comprises the Departments of Biopsychology, Neuropsychology and Cognitive Psychology as well as the research group Avian Neuroscience and the Department of Computational Neuroscience at the Institute of Neuroinformatics.
Dirk Jancke talkes about "How far can we get with one photon? Wide-field optical imaging of TMS and serotonergic effects on whole-brain dynamic" at the Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Marseille.
The Institute objectives are to carry out world class research in fundamental neurosciences, from cellular to cognitive levels, and to fill the gap between fundamental and clinical approaches. Integrative neuroscience, by bridging levels of organization of the nervous system within a functional approach, plays an essential role in understanding the neural underpinnings of our behavior and of their dysfunctions in neurological and psychiatric diseases.
Our Lab participates in a newly founded Research Training Group (RTG)
Today the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) published their decisions regarding establisment and continuation of "Graduierten-Kollegs". We are happy to be part of the newly funded RTG called "MoNN&Di" (Monoaminergic Neuronal Networks & Disease).
The goal of MoNN&Di is to create a focused 5 year doctoral training programme that enables scrutiny of how monoaminergic G Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) modulate neuronal circuits and shape behavioral responses.
He will give a talk entitled "Spike-timing dependent plasticity among multiple layers of motion-sensitive neurons: a feedforward mechanism for motion extrapolation" in the framework of our INI seminar series
EventsMittwoch, 27. Juli 2022
Our group extends imaging portfolio
With a budget of approximately 700.000 € our group will be equipped with a state-of-the-art 2-photon imaging setup. This supplements our wide-field imaging approaches with high-resolution in vivo imaging of single cells. The additional grant support is received in the framework of the EU-funded ERA-Net NEURON project „I-see - Improving intracortical visual prostheses“, where our group contributes with cortical microstimulation studies.
First in-person FENS Conference after the pandemic
Our PhD student Ruxandra Barzan presents her studies with a poster contribution entitled: Modulation of the cortical state by serotonergic (5-HT) receptors: a study combining optogenetic tools and multi-channel electrode recordings in mouse visual cortex.
see FENS Forum Webpage for further info about the conference
Fatma did her Master at the Faculty of Biology at RWTH Aachen, Germany, and joins our EU-project "I-See" about developing new approaches of cortical visual prosthesis. Here we see her during our Zoom kick-off meeting of the consortium.
Our lab participates in a new call offered by the RUB to attract students from China. This is also to strengthen existing education and research cooperation with Chinese universities and research institutions.
The China Scholarship Council (CSC) offers scholarships to highly qualified Chinese candidates who wish to study and/or carry out research at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.
Research Profile Neuroscience
If you are curious as to how the brain builds memories, or modifies and forgets them; if you would like to know how the brain changes during aging, dementia, psychosis or in disease states related to immune, genetic or metabolic disorders, then RUB is the perfect place for you to conduct your PhD project.
In diesem Jahr wird es den BRAIN DAY erstmals rein virtuell als Zoom-Konferenz geben. Das Organisationsteam des SFB 874 reagiert damit auf die Corona-bedingte Absage im vergangenen Jahr. Als virtuelles Format bietet die Neuauflage 2021 größtmögliche Sicherheit für die Gesundheit und Planung aller Besucherinnen und Besucher. Die Teilnahme am BRAIN DAY ist wie immer kostenlos, um Anmeldung per Email wird gebeten unter: sfb874-pr@rub.de.
TECHNISCHE „BRAIN HACKS“ – Welche Zugriffsmöglichkeiten haben wir auf Gehirnaktivität? PD Dr. Dirk Jancke, Optical Imaging Lab, Institut für Neuroinformatik (Podcast)
Online
ZOOM
Wie entstehen visuelle Wahrnehmungen? Wie werden aus der Vielzahl aktiver Nervenzellen im Gehirn Gedanken geformt? Wie kodiert das Gehirn Informationen und wie können wir darauf zugreifen oder sie gar verändern? Privatdozent Dr. Dirk Jancke ist Vizesprecher des SFB 874 und erforscht Funktionen des Sehsystems mit Hinblick auf Wahrnehmung und Möglichkeiten deren Veränderbarkeit durch Lernvorgänge. In Vortrag werden einige grundlegende neurophysiologische Verfahren dargestellt, die helfen, sich der „Sprache“ des Gehirns zu nähern.
EventsMittwoch, 22. September 2021
Bernstein Conference 2021
Due to the ongoing pandemic the Bernstein Conference will be held online
Each year the Bernstein Network invites the international computational neuroscience community to the annual Bernstein Conference for intensive scientific exchange. It has established itself as one of the most renown conferences worldwide in this field, attracting students, postdocs and PIs from around the world to meet and discuss new scientific discoveries.
Our PhD student Ruxandra Barzan presents her work as a Poster,Wednesday, Sep 22, 14:15 CEST
EventsDienstag, 29. Juni 2021
We are glad to welcome our Erasmus student
Beyza Bozkurt
Beyza studies at the Faculty of Life Sciences, Abdullah University, Kayseri, Turkey and joins our group in the framework of an Erasmus internship for half a year.
EventsDienstag, 27. April 2021
Virtual Meeting
The poster shows serotonin-producing neurons in the brainstem. Figure from our recent study published in Elife (http://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.53552).
EventsMontag, 15. März 2021
Interview about our new visual prosthesis project
(in German)
EventsDienstag, 9. März 2021
Fall of a Dogma in Visual Neuroscience
Darks and Lights
The ‘Yin–Yang’ of Vision Depends on Luminance
In a Trends of Neurosciences Spotlight we highlight a recent study by Rahimi-Nasrabadi et al. which shows that our ability to perceive image contrast changes throughout the day.
EventsMittwoch, 9. Dezember 2020
Our student Zohre Azimi received PhD - Congratulations!
The effect of serotonergic modulation on visual processing
The Committee evaluated her work and its oral presentation with the grade "summa cum laude"
EventsMontag, 23. November 2020
New Grant Support
We announce funding of our new project in the framework of the ERA-Net Neuron Scheme, supported by the European Commission (EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon 2020”).
The project brings together scientists from Germany, Switzerland, and Canada, with expertise in computational and theoretical neuroscience and complementary experimental methods. The project is funded for 3 years with 900.000 €.
For blind patients who cannot profit from a retinal implant, intracortical visual prostheses offer great promise. However, at the time, intracortical prostheses have had limited success, mainly because they require strong stimulation currents, which generate non-specific percepts, and which may also bear the risk of tissue damage. We address these limitations by targeting complex response properties of neural populations in areas beyond primary visual cortex to generate more specific percepts and link electrical stimulation patterns in a closed-loop setup. Together these approaches will provide further insight into brain dynamics, while exploring options for its external stimulation and the potential of interfaces to target perceptual content.
Perception of the difference between past and present stimulus: A rare orientation illusion may indicate incidental access to prediction error-like signals. PLoS ONE 15(5): e0232349.
Link to Press release, Pressemitteilung (english, deutsch)
In cooperation with the Herlitze Lab at the Ruhr University, our students Zohre Azimi and Ruxandra Barzan show how Serotoninbalances internal brain activity and external visual input by combining state-of-the-art optogenetics, wide-field optical imaging, electrophysiology and pharmacological manipulations in vivo.
Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Chicago, 19.-23. October, 2019
Our student Zohre Azimi participated with a poster of her study via the "Science Knows No Borders" program.
Unfortunately, she did not get a Visa in time to present her work personally. The foto shows her poster that was printed at the conference site and tagged with a hint to the SFN "Science Knows No Borders" program.
EventsMittwoch, 25. September 2019
BRAIN DAY 2019
Under the motto "From Fundamental Research to Therapy", the ninth BRAIN DAY will take place on the 25th September 2019. The programme can be found here.
EventsFreitag, 5. Juli 2019
New "THINK" building
The Joint Science Conference (GWK) approved funding for a new research facility at the Ruhr University Bochum. THINK, Center for Theoretical and Integrative Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. THINK will facilitate a novel integrative and interdisciplinary approach to understanding cognition and the underlying neural mechanisms. Dirk Jancke participated as principal investigator in the grant application. The initiative is coordinated by Onur Güntürkün (speaker) and Sen Cheng (deputy speaker). For oficial press release from the Ruhr University Bochum see (in German only).
Dirk Jancke gives a "Global Excellence Lecture" at the Hvidovre Hospital - Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR)
The DRCMR is one of the leading research centres in Europe within the field of biomedical MRI. A highly profiled international research team translates the latest advances in MRI to examine the brain's function, metabolism and structure.
The course is addressed to excellent master and PhD students and young researchers who are interested in learning advanced techniques in data analytics and in getting hands-on experience in the analysis of electrophysiological data. Internationally renowned researchers will give lectures on statistical data analysis and data mining methods with accompanying exercises.
Brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), offer new approaches to therapeutics for brain disorders. Jancke's group uses an innovative imaging method with voltage-sensitive dye to track at submilimeter range and high temporal resolution, TMS-induced plastic functional changes across the brain.
The conference program included 30 distinct 2-hour symposia, along with 12 plenary lectures, 3 poster sessions, and 4 Meet the Expert workshops.
Invited talksDienstag, 25. September 2018
Dirk Jancke presents work from the lab at the Satellite Workshop entitled “Sensory neurons: Predictive coding or coding for predictions?"
Host: John-Dylan Haynes, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Charité, Berlin.
Invited talksMontag, 18. Mai 2015
Voltage-sensitive Dye Imaging of Brain Dynamics. Research Department Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum.
Invited talksMittwoch, 16. Oktober 2013
Gonda Brain Research Colloquium, Dirk Jancke reports work of the German-Israeli Project "Decoding visual content and perception from neuronal population activity in visual cortex: VSDI, fMRI and computational modelling"
Our lab organizes an IGSN Symposium entiteld "Decoding Visual Content and Perception from Neuronal Population Activity in Visual Cortex: VSDI, fMRI and Computational Modelling"
Guest speakers:
Hamutal Slovin Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
John-Dylan Haynes Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin
Shimon Ullman Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Invited talksDienstag, 13. September 2011
Population dynamics across the visual brain imaged with voltage-sensitive dye.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of brain activity captured with voltage-sensitive dye imaging. Symposium Systems Neurobiology, University of Göttingen, 28-29. September, 2009.
Invited talksFreitag, 16. Januar 2009
Voltage-sensitive dye imaging as a tool to capture large-scale activation dynamics across the brain.
Dynamic computation in early visual cortex captured by VSD imaging and parallel electrophysiology. International Workshop - Aspects of adaptive dynamics - Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg, Delmenhorst.
Kortikale Aktivitätswellen in primären visuellen Arealen optisch registriert mittels fluoreszenter spannungsabhängiger Farbstoffe. Otto Witte, Interdisziplinären Zentrums für Klinische Forschung (IZKF) Jena Klinikum der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena.
Invited talksDienstag, 1. Mai 2007
Cortical Activity Streaks evoked by Fast Moving Stimuli form to Patterns that Map Orientation of Motion Trajectories - Voltage-Sensitive Dye Imaging across Cat Primary Visual Cortex. Soc Neurosci Abstr 37.
San Diego, CA, USA
Invited talksDonnerstag, 29. März 2007
Population dynamics in cat early visual cortex evoked by local motion.
Cortical activity visualized by voltage-sensitive dye imaging: Dynamics of subthreshold and suprathreshold activity patterns across primary visual cortex. Center for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics (CNNR) – University of Sussex, England.
Invited talksSamstag, 8. Juli 2006
Shaping visual space from propagating subthreshold activity in early visual cortex - Voltage-sensitive dye imaging of neural network dynamics in real time.
Shifting of position in primary visual cortex: Studying local stimuli dynamics using voltage-sensitive dyes. Andreas Engel, Inst. of Neurophysiology, Universitätskliniken Eppendorf (UKE) - Hamburg.
Invited talksFreitag, 3. März 2006
Studying positional effects in cat primary visual cortex using voltage-sensitive dyes. Ray Dolan, Hakwan Lau, Wellcome Trust Functional Imaging Laborator, Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), England.
Invited talksDienstag, 21. Februar 2006
Visualizing the Invisible: The functinal role of subthreshold cortical spread for the processing of local objects. Voltage-sensitive dye imaging in cat primary visual cortex. Henning Scheich, Leibnitz Institute of Neurobiology – Center for Learning and Memory Research, Magdeburg.
Invited talksDienstag, 28. Juni 2005
Visualizing the invisible – Voltage-sensitive dye imaging of shaping suprathreshold activity from emerging cortical spread in early visual cortex. Satellite Symposium, ASSC9 Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA. (program)
Invited talksMontag, 2. Mai 2005
Imaging the influence of subthreshold activity on the representation of stimulus location in cat visual cortex. Uwe Ilg, University Hospital, Clinic for Neurology, Dept. Cognitive Neurology, Tübingen.
EventsMontag, 11. April 2005
Our lab organizes an IGSN Symposium entiteld "Modeling Cortical Information Processing"
Guest speakers:
Misha Tsodyks Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Wolfram Erlhagen Departameno de Matemática para a Ciencia e Tecnologla (DMCT)), Universidade do Minho, Guimares, Portugal
Thomas Wennekers Computational Neuroscience, Univetsity of Plymouth, UK
EventsMontag, 7. Februar 2005
Our lab organizes an IGSN Symposium entiteld "The Brain in Action: Optical Imaging of Vision and Touch"
Speakers:
Dirk Jancke Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
Thomas Hahn Department of Cell Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
Hubert Dinse Theoretical Biology, Institut für Neuroinformatik, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
Invited talksMontag, 27. September 2004
Imaging Cortical Motion Trajectories in Early Visual Areas of the Cat. Bert Sakmann, Hartwig Spors, Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, 27. September, 2004.
Invited talksFreitag, 30. Januar 2004
Spatio-temporal integration of propagating subthreshold activity – Voltage-sensitive dye imaging in cat visual cortex. 7. Tübingen Perception Conference, 30. Jan – 1. February, 2004.
Prof. Dr. Dirk Jancke
Institut für Neuroinformatik NB2/27 Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Germany
