We are addressing fundamental problems in Neuroscience, Developmental Biology, and Evolutionary Biology. We are particularly interested in:

 

  • How complex neural circuitry arises in development
  • How the activity of neuronal networks regulates animal behavior
  • How animal genomes, body plans and cell types evolved

In order to address these questions, we use several animal systems encompassing cnidarians, mollusks, fruit flies and nematodes, and a broad spectrum of experimental approaches. Our expertise ranges from genetics, cell- and developmental biology, and genomics to systems neuroscience. We are an interdisciplinary collaborative team of six groups. Click here to find out about their specific fields of research.

Department News

15.07.2017
 

Daniela Praher published a paper in RNA Biology about the characterization of the piRNA pathway in Nematostella

22.06.2017
 

Grigory Genikhovich was awarded a FWF grant about pattern formation of the oral-aboral axis

01.04.2017
 

Dr. Oleg Simakov joined our department as a new group leader.

01.08.2016
 

Article in Current Opinion in Genetics and Development on genomics and development of Nematostella.

01.07.2016
 

Prof. Qi Zhou was awarded an ERC starting grant of the European Union

01.06.2016
 

Sabrina Kaul-Strehlow is awarded a Hertha Firnberg stipend.