Active Sensing
Team
Principal Investigator
Administrative & Technical Staff
Scientific Staff
- Sarah Nicola Jung
Conference Proceedings | Talks
Jung SN (2016) Spatial learning using the electric sense in weakly electric fish (Gnathonemus petersii) - Annual meeting of the DZG, Kiel, Germany
Jung SN (2014) Weak signal detection in weakly electric fish. - Tübingen, Germany
Jung SN (2014) Weak signal detection in the electrosensory system.- 'Electric fish meeting', Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Canda
Jung SN (2013) Weak signal detection in weakly electric fish.- Neuronal systems and behavior, summer school, Woods Hole, USA
Jung SN (2013) Weak signal detection in vivo. - 'Electric fish meeting', Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Canada
Jung SN (2011) Visual motion detection in tethered flying flies. – ‘Brain & Behavior Seminar’, Bielefeld, Germany
Conference Proceedings | Posters
Jung SN, Marcoux C, Longtin A, Maler L (2013) Biophysical mechanisms and computational principles of weak signal detection. - SFN, San Diego, USA
Jung SN, Longtin A, Maler L (2012) Weak Signal Detection by Pyramidal Cells of the Electrosensory System. - Satellite Symposium, Neuroethology, Maryland, USA
Jung SN, Borst A, Haag J (2011) Visual motion detection in tethered flying flies. 9th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. Göttingen, Germany.
Teaching
Oct 2003 – Aug 2006 Tutor for “Mathematics in Biology’
June 2013 & June 2014 Teaching Assistant ‘Neuronal systems and behavior’
Awards and Memberships
September 2015 – present DFG return fellowship, Bielefeld
April 2013 – March 2015 DFG Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ottawa
Jan 2009 – Oct 2011 Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Munich
June 2008 – May 2011 DFG Research Training Group Orientation and Motion in Space: Fellowship, Munich
Oct 2007 – Oct 2011 International Max Planck Research School for Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences, Munich
June 2010 – July 2010 Grass Foundation – Scholarship for summer school, Woods Hole
- Valerie Lucks
Research Projects
Currently, we are investigating the presence of neuronal short-term plasticity in the optic tectum of adult zebrafish.
The optic tectum plays a major role in transforming visual input into direct motor output. It is homologous to the colliculus superior, which is part of the midbrain performing major computations of visual information processing, but much easier to access. We want to address the question whether adaptation alters the tuning of orientation and direction-specificity in single tectal neurons of a fully developed brain. In Xenopus larvae it is known that sensory experience can lead to plasticity (functional or structural) of tectal circuits and that modification of direction selectivity during development by visual input is possible (Podgorski 2012, Engert 2002). However, whether a similar plasticity exists in the tectum of adult animals remains unknown. To solve these questions, we deliver calcium sensitive dyes to single neurons via electroporation or pin injection and observe neuronal activity by monitoring fluorescence intensity changes in vivo using wide field microscopy. Preliminary results indicate the presence of neural plasticity (Fig. 1). Neurons that do not show any response preference for gratings moving to a certain direction, can be tuned to direction- or orientation-selectivity by adaptation with a previously presented grating moving to a fixed direction.
Futhermore, the adaptation direction seems to play a major role for the induced type of selectivity. We adapted previously orientation-selective cells either at the peak or at the flank of the response distribution. We find that adaptation at the flank only increases orientation-selectivity. Adaptation at the peak also increases direction-selectivity. Additionally, we want to see if we can relate these neuronal preferences to a certain cell type by analyzing the stained tectal regions.
Conference Proceedings | Posters
Lucks V, Kabbert J, Hollmann V, Kurtz R, Engelmann J (2016) Control of self-motion using optic flow in zebrafish - The role of adaptation. 109th annual meeting of the DZG 2016, Kiel, Germany.
Lucks V, Hollmann V, Kurtz R, Engelmann J (2015) Adaptation-induced modification of motion selectivity tuning in visual tectal neurons of adult zebrafish. 108th annual meeting of the DZG 2015, Graz, Austria.
Lucks V, Kassing V, Kabbert J, Kurtz R, Engelmann J (2014) Short-term plasticity of orientation tuning in the optic tectrum of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). 107th annual meeting of the DZG 2014, Goettingen, Germany.
Kabbert J, Lucks V, Kassing V, Engelmann J, Kurtz R (2014) The need for speed: Alteration of velocity tuning functions via adaptation in the optic tecttum of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). 107th annual meeting of the DZG 2014, Goettingen, Germany.
- Rahul Gaddi
- Maria Paula Arteaga Avendano
Maria Paula Arteaga Avendano
maria.arteaga@uni-bielefeld.de
- Telefon
- +49 521 106-6569
- Raum
- UHG W3-266
- Marcel Simsch
