We are interested how the brain and artificial systems generate intelligent behavior, and how self-organization allows them to robustly learn and perform these behaviors.

One major focus of the lab lies on the function and plasticity of neural circuits in the brain. We study how these circuits process information, how they support the formation of memories and how these memories change over time. A particular focus of the lab lies on inhibitory circuits. Inhibition was long thought of primarily as a stabilizer of neuronal networks. The richness of the observed inhibitory circuitry suggests, however, that it serves a much richer set of functions. We explore candidates for these functions using computational network models, which allow us to take experimental observations on the neural or microcircuit level to a functional or systems level.

A second focus of the lab is the use of computational models to study animal behaviour. We pursue this together with experimental collaborators in the Excellence Cluster Science of Intelligence, who perform behavioral experiments with mice and fish. Check out the Science of Intelligence Website for more info.