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Neural networks lab

We are a Neuroscience laboratory seeking to unveil how experience shapes the brain.

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Research

Our group focuses on understanding the neural basis of learning and other cognitive functions in health and disease. 

One of the primary risk factors for mental disorders is adverse early life experiences. The effects of these experiences during childhood persist throughout adolescence and adulthood, heightening vulnerability. To uncover the mechanisms contributing to the increased risk we investigate changes at the neural circuit level in animal models. 

We analyse the dynamics of neural network activity while animals learn, make decisions and interact with each other to reveal context-dependent neural signatures of long-past experiences. Our goal is not only to understand the neural factors that contribute to increased vulnerability in the face of adverse early experiences but also to identify patterns in neural activity that facilitate resilience.

 

While the brain exhibits significant plasticity early in life, the ability to learn persists throughout live. Our lab aims at understanding how learning reshapes neural network activity and facilitates flexible behavior. We explore how sensory perceptions and abstract knowledge, are modularised to enable context-dependent adaptive choices at the right time and place.

To address these questions, we employ large-scale electrophysiological recording techniques, such as Neuropixels probes, to monitor neural activity as animals learn and execute behavioral tasks. Leveraging methods to manipulate neural activity, we establish links between physiological experience driven changes, stress-related responses, and specific brain areas and cell types.

Our Team

Open Positions

We are looking for motivated team players to join our team!

Are you looking for a PhD or Postdoc position and you

  • are interested in the neural mechanisms underlying learning? 

  • have experience with behavioral experiments and neural data acquisition, e.g imaging or electrophysiology?

  • have experience and enjoy scientific programming / data analysis (e.g. Python and/or Matlab) 

  • have an analytical approach to problem-solving

  • can work independently

  • are proficient in English

  • have a Masters' degree / P.hD. in a relevant field, e.g. (computational) Neuroscience, Engineering, Computer Science, Life Science

... Get in touch! Send your application materials (Letter of motivation, CV, names of two referees) to claudia.boehm@charite.de

We also have computational and experimental master thesis projects available in the lab

Our lab is committed to building an inclusive environment for under-represented minorities. We strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups. 

News

September 2024
Chao joins the lab

Chao joins the lab as a postdoc and will work on figuring out how learning shapes behavior and neural activity. Welcome Chao!

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August 2024
Bianca join the lab

Bianca is a student in the MSc program Computational Neuroscience at the Bernstein Center Berlin and will support our research with computational methods. Welcome Bianca!

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Pinja joins the lab

Pinja Hillman joins us from University of Turku as a master student. 

Welcome Pinja! 

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March 2024
Luna presents poster

The lab participates in the Research Day of the Department for Psychiatry at Charité Berlin and Luna presents her research project on 'Gaining mechanistic Insights into the lasting impact of early adversity'

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January 2024
Jonas joins the lab

Jonas is a medical student at Charité Berlin and joins the lab as a student assistant. Welcome Jonas!

Jonas Kohler
August 2023
Luna joins the lab

Luna holds a Masters' degree in Fundamental Neuroscience from Maastricht University, The Netherlands and joins the lab as PhD candidate to investigate the impact of adverse early experiences on neural activity. Welcome Luna!

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May 2023
Talk at the Cajal Institute, Madrid

Claudia presents work on 'Time, Space, and Memory in Prefrontal Cortex during Flexible Behavior' at Instituto Cajal hosted by Jorge García Marqués

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May 2023
Lab opens its doors

Claudia starts at Charité Berlin, Silvia joins the lab as part-time technical assistant. Welcome Silvia!

Open Books

Publications

Claudia Böhm, Yangfan Peng, Jörg R. P. Geiger and Dietmar Schmitz

Cell and Tissue Research 2018 (review article)

Shota Zarnadze, Peter Bäuerle, Julio Santos-Torres, Claudia Böhm, Dietmar Schmitz, Jörg RP Geiger, Tamar Dugladze, Tengis Gloveli

eLife 2016

Claudia Böhm, Yangfan Peng, Nikolaus Maier, Jochen Winterer, James F.A. Poulet, Jörg R.P. Geiger and Dietmar Schmitz 

Journal of Neuroscience 2015

Claudia Böhm,  Maria Pangalos,  Dietmar Schmitz and Jochen Winterer

Cerebral Cortex 2015

Prateep Beed, Anja Gundlfinger, Sophie Schneiderbauer, Jie Song, Claudia Böhm, Andrea Burgalossi, Michael Brecht, Imre Vida, Dietmar Schmitz
Neuron 2013

Nikolaus Maier, Genela Morris, Sebastian Schuchmann, Tatiana Korotkova, Alexey Ponomarenko, Claudia Böhm, Christian Wozny, Dietmar Schmitz
Hippocampus 2011

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge our funding sources

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Contact Us

Mail Address

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie

Campus Mitte

10117 Berlin

Germany

Lab Address

Claudia Böhm lab

Neuroscience Research Center

Hufelandweg 14

10117 Berlin

Germany

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