Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
The doctoral program "Sensory and Motor Neuroscience" is part of the Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB). It is hosted by the University Medical Center Göttingen, the University of Göttingen, the Max Planck Institute for Self-Organization and Dynamics, and the German Primate Center.The research-oriented program is taught in English and open to students who hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in the biosciences, chemistry, physics, engineering or related fields.
Processing of sensory information and subsequent motor responses form the basis of our interaction with the outside world. Sensory and motor deficits are common and of immense sociocultural relevance. Exploring Elucidating the principles of peripheral and central sensory processingand, motor programming and responsefunction as well as their dysfunction and functional restoration requires a combination of anatomical, physiological and computational skills. Moreover, a general understanding of sensory coding and its conversion into cognitive processes and motor action relies on integrating specialized sensory and motor neuroscience curriculum with a broad general neuroscience training.
The program provides a specialized but interdisciplinary training to promote a new generation of scientists with a comprehensive knowledge and state-of-the-art practical and theoretical skills in sensory and motor researchneuroscience as well as in disease modeling and development of innovative approaches for functional restoration.. In particular, it addresses students with a special interest in understanding cellular mechanisms of sensory processing, sensorimotor transformation and goal-directed behavior.
Sensory and motor neuroscience on the Göttingen Campus covers most sensory modalities and spans from sensory transduction to sensorimotor transformation, motor planning and execution. We bridge observations on the molecular, cellular, network and organismic levels. Activities on deciphering disease mechanisms and developing novel approaches to sensory restoration are emerging. They build on the improved understanding of normal function operate from drosophila to mice to primates. Developing and improving neuroprostheses such as hand protheses as well as cochlear implants involves innovative concepts such as optogenetics.