Graduate School

    IRTG Retreat 2024

    Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG)

    The IRTG forms the central structural component of the CRC’s training strategy, aiming to equip doctoral researchers with complementary skills beyond their specific projects and foster their transition to academic independence.

    Its primary focus lies in hands-on training with state-of-the-art methods and technologies, as well as promoting interdisciplinary exchange across CRC projects on neural resources of cognition.

    A secondary focus is placed on knowledge translation, offering a lean, career-stage-adapted program of workshops, professional development, and networking opportunities to support translational competence and long-term scientific success.

    IRTG – Graduate Program
    IRTG Activities
    Graduation at OVGU

    IRTG Team

    CRC 1436 member Anne Albrecht

    Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Anne Albrecht
    CRC 1436 member Christoph Knoll

    Christoph Knoll

    Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Anne Albrecht

    Anne Albrecht is the head of the Department of Neuroanatomy at the Institute of Anatomy at the Otto-von-Guericke University. Her research group studies the functional neuroanatomy of emotional memory and stress adaptation circuits. She also teaches anatomy to 1st and 2nd year medical students.

    The focus of her research is on the investigation of GABAergic interneurons and neuropeptides in learning, memory and stress processing in rodent models. To analyze the role of e.g. orexin in circuits of memory formation, her group uses neuronal tracing, high-resolution methods for expression analysis (RNAScope, laser-assisted microdissection & qPCR) as well as viral and pharmacological interventions in conjunction with behavioral analysis in mice and structural and molecular studies in cell and tissue cultures.

    Institut:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    Project Title:A07 Mobilising cognitive resource through orexinergic modulation of hippocampal circuits

    Christoph Knoll

    “Ingenuity, excellence and continual learning” – these three words sum up my passion for the field of Cognitive Neuroscience and Sport Science. In my PhD, I aim to develop a research profile within the field of Cognitive Neuroscience and Microstructural Imaging that investigates in brain vasculature and connected ccognitive changes. I aspire to gain practical insights about the best spatial resolution system of 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging.

    Institut:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    :IRTG

    :Z02 Human imaging at meso-scale

    PhD – Students Representatives

    CRC 1436 member Anwesha Das

    Anwesha Das
    CRC 1436 member Martin Matke

    Martin Matke

    Anwesha Das

    I am a doctoral researcher working in the groups of Elena Azañón and Max-Philipp Stenner, at Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg. Prior starting my PhD in September 2021, I pursued my master’s in neuroscience from National Brain Research Centre, in India. At SFB1436, I am a part of the sub-project C03 and we are investigating the cognitive resources associated with motor skill learning in healthy humans. We use behavioural measurements and magnetoencephalography (MEG) data for answering our research questions.magnetoencephalography (MEG) data for answering our research questions.

    Institut:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    project:C03 Parallel planning as a resource for human skill learning and memory

    Martin Matke

    I am working as a PhD student in the C01 project of the CRC on dynamic modelling of structural brain alterations and changes in functional abilities during learning. My goal as a researcher is to help understand how changing environments induce neuroplasticity. This understanding may help to inform future interventions that aim to mobilise neural resources in aged humans. As a basis for that, I am also interested in ongoing improvements in quantitative MRI.

    Institut:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    project:C01 Embodied cognitive reserve in the cortico-subcortical premotor network

    MD – Fellows

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    Luca Budinger
    CRC 1436 member Julius Duske

    Julius Duske
    CRC member Sophia Engler

    Sophia Engler
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    Annabell Ernst
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    Erelle Fuchs
    CRC 1436 member Hannah Gapp

    Hannah Gapp
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    Lilli Marie Lümkemann
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    Linus Marquering
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    Julia Poppke
    CRC 1436 member Theresa Schaaf

    Theresa Schaaf

    Julius Duske

    I’m a medicine student at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg. Since October 2022, I am pausing my studies, to work on my MD thesis at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. As a part of project A01 at CRC1436, I explore the influence that circadian rhythm disturbances have on cognitive flexibility. Because the neuropeptide orexin plays an important role in regulating sleep-wake cycle and its brain levels are affected by disruptions of it, I’m interested whether an orexinergic modulation on chronic jetlag-induced mice can decrease their deficits in cognitive flexibility.

    Institute:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    A01:A01 NMDA receptor-dependent prefrontal circuits critical for cognitive flexibility

    Sophia Engler

    I am a medical student at Otto-von-Guericke-University in Magdeburg, and I intend to temporarily pause my studies starting in October 2023 to fully dedicate myself to my research in Project B02. I will focus on studying the effects of cognitive training on the brain performance and plasticity of older adults. Additionally, I will investigate the structural changes in the brain and assess the impact of hidden pathologies.

    Institut:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    :B02 Neural resource of mnemonic discrimination and their interaction with hidden pathology in older adults and SuperAgers

    Julia Poppke

    I am a medical student at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg and have decided to pause my studies to work on my MD thesis at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. As a part of the CRC-project A01, I am focussing on the NMDA receptor and the question of how the stimulation of the GluN2A subunit of the receptor affects cognitive flexibility in mice. The NMDA receptor has an important role in learning processes and adaptation to changes in the environment, which I am investigating by using the Attentional Set Shifting Task (ASST).

    Institute:Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty

    :A01 The NMDA receptor complex – a signalling hub at the origin of cognitive flexibility?