NEWS
Jul 2024
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Donation from the Vogel Stiftung Dr. Eckernkamp. The Vogel Stiftung Dr. Eckernkamp has supported the Defense Circuits Lab with a donation of 10 000€. Read the press-release
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May 2024
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Continuation of project on defensive states in Parkinson´s Disease. The DFG has approved funding for a second round of the collaborative research centre SFB TRR 295 Retune. Over the next three and a half years, we will continue investigating how Parkinson´s Disease affects the circuits underlying fear-induced freezing. Read the DFG press-release
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Mar 2024
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Brain awareness week. Join us for a neuroscientific bar night held at Standard on the 13.03.2024! There will be interesting talks on brain function, games and discussions.
Apr 2023
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Continuation of project on cardiac optogenetics. The IZKF Würzburg supports our approach towards developing cardiac optogenetics with a 3-year project
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Jun 2021
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Research Training Group funded. DFG is funding the research training group “Neural mechanisms of (mal)adaptive approach and avoidance behaviour” starting in fall of 2021 and running for an initial 4 years. The research training group aims to acquire a better understanding of a wide range of animal and human behaviour especially focusing on approach and avoidance. Learn more
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Jan 2021
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Innovative Training Network approved. The European Research Council will fund a 4-year international doctoral program on the role of the cerebellum in controlling emotions, especially fear & anxiety. Learn more
LATEST RESEARCH
A framework for cardio-behavioral defensive states.
The defense response to threat involves complex behavioral and autonomic adjustments. We identified integrated, short-lasting micro- and long-lasting macrostates evoked by threat, consisting of patterned behavioral and cardiac responses, which are dynamically interrelated, dependent on environmental threat levels, and controlled by neurons in the midbrain periaqueductal grey region.
