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DFG Research Training Group (RTG) 1373 Brain Signaling: From Neurons to Circuits - discontinued

Head: Prof. Dr. Arthur Konnerth

The Research Training Group (RTG) 1373 Brain signaling: From Neurons to Circuits focuses on basic and disease related neuroscience. Neuroscience promises to improve our strategies to treat neurological disorders, which in aging societies present an ever increasing problem. New technologies enable us to explore brain signaling with unprecedented precision, but also require increasingly complex and diverse interdisciplinary skills. Special requirements of the multi-disciplinarity inherent in neuroscience mandate the establishment of new formalized training programs for young neuroscientists-to-be. Our group aims to provide such specialized training, while at the same time addressing central questions in neuroscience with cutting-edge in vivo technology.

The scientific aim of our group is to elucidate the cellular and molecular signaling underlying brain function in health and disease. A special focus is to relate physiological processes to disturbances of signaling in neurological disease conditions. For this purpose, members of the group analyze animal models utilizing high-resolution in vivo imaging techniques and electrophysiological methods. Complementary efforts of other groups focus on the analysis of molecular mechanisms of brain function, including the development of new mouse models. Finally, imaging and electrophysiology approaches that can be applied to small animal models as well as human patients form a technological bridge towards clinical translation.

The educational concept of our group will specialize in providing in-depth scientific training to students with a medical background, as well as offering disease related research opportunities to young scientist from natural science disciplines. Training will be conducted in the form of a study program directly inspired by the successful M.D./Ph.D. programs that present the gold standard for training of clinician scientists. Over the past years, this program has proven a sounding success with exceptionally talented students applying in large numbers. Renewal of our Research Training Group will provide us the opportunity to consolidate the pioneering efforts of our first funding period, expanding our research program aimed at elucidating brain signaling in health and disease. Thus, multi-disciplinary training in disease related neuroscience will be firmly established at our partnering universities.