Jennifer Li and Drew Robson are belonging to a new generation of research group leaders at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen. A few months ago, they left Harvard for Germany to continue their career at the Max Planck Society.

The post Science on film, episode 4: Motivational states of the brain first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

Science on film series, episode 2

When we learn something new, we acquire knowledge, skills and abilities. In doing so, we often learn from experience and a comparison with our environment. Feedback from outside helps us to enter into and shape an individual learning process. But when do we need feedback and how does our brain deal with new information if we don’t get proper feedback?

What influence feedback has on our learning and how learning can be improved with and without feedback is being investigated by neuroscientist Franziska Bröker at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany.

The post The role that feedback plays in learning first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

Algorithms for the healthcare of tomorrow
Science on Film

Gabriele Lohmann is working on algorithms that can enable better clinical diagnoses in the field of modern imaging techniques. In the video, the Group Leader gives insights into her research.
The mathematician and computer scientist heads a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in the Department of High-Field Magnetic Resonance. Previously, she worked at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen. Here, she developed early computer-aided procedures that evaluated the nature of forest areas in satellite images.

The post Algorithms for the healthcare of tomorrow first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication

The post PKC alpha integrates spatiotemporally distinct signals to facilitate synaptic plasticity first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication

The post The protein RGS14 regulates calcium signaling in CA2 neurons to restrict plasticity first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication

The post Local order within global disorder synaptic architecture of visual space first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication

The post Making CRISPR Cas9 work in the brain first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication:
Lee, D., Hyun, J.H., Jung, K., Hannan, P., and Kwon, H.-B. (2017). A calcium- and light-gated switch to induce gene expression in activated neurons. Nat Biotech advance online publication.
http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nbt.3902.html

The post Cal-Light: a calcium and light gated switch system to label and control neurons first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

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Original Publication:
Chang, J.-Y., Parra-Bueno, P., Laviv, T., Szatmari, E.M., Lee, S.-J.R., and Yasuda, R. CaMKII Autophosphorylation Is Necessary for Optimal Integration of Ca2+ Signals during LTP Induction, but Not Maintenance. Neuron 94, 800–808.e4.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.04.041

The post Reading calcium to write memories: the importance of CaMKII autophosphorylation first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.

Researchers develop a light-sensitive technique to visualize and manipulate neuromodulation with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision

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Lee, D., Creed, M., Jung, K., Stefanelli, T., Wendler, D.J., Oh, W.C., Mignocchi, N.L., Lüscher, C., and Kwon, H.-B. (2017). Temporally precise labeling and control of neuromodulatory circuits in the mammalian brain. Nat Meth advance online publication.
http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nmeth.4234.html

The post Shining light on neuromodulator function with iTango first appeared on Max Planck Neuroscience.