Berlin School of Mind and Brain: Doctoral candidates

Prof. Dr. Jonathan Flombaum
Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter
Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen

How do biological systems form percepts?

Doctoral project	How do biological systems form percepts?
Description	Based on my psychophysical data collected in normal and anomalous human trichromats and calcium imaging data collected in Caenorhabditis elegans, the central aim of my thesis is to put forth a theory which sheds light on one of the most perplexing questions in all of science: how do biological systems form percepts?
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Jonathan Flombaum Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 4: Brain plasticity and lifespan ontogeny
Degrees obtained	BA (philosophy of history), MSc (psychology conversion), MPhil (specialization in color vision)
Institute	Charité Medical Faculty Berlin; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, School of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
Academia.edu	https://hu-berlin.academia.edu/IfedayoEmmanuelAdeyefaOlasupo

Al, Esra

Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg

The role of functional connectivity and EEG rhythms on nonconscious processing of tactile stimuli

Al, Esra

Doctoral project	The role of functional connectivity and EEG rhythms on nonconscious processing of tactile stimuli
Description	The project investigates the neural correlates of nonconscious tactile stimuli localization. An EEG experiment is designed to observe whether specific EEG oscillations correlates with the ability to correctly localize undetected tactile stimuli. A TMS study will be designed to observe a possible pathway bypassing primary somatosensory cortex and allowing participants to localize undetected tactile stimuli. Finally, an fMRI experiment will be performed to understand the role of prestimulus functional connectivity on the localization of undetected stimuli.
Funding	Mind & Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained	B.Sc. Molecular Biology and Genetics
Institute	Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	esra.al.mbg-please remove this text-@gmail.com

Balzus, Luisa

Prof. Dr. Norbert Kathmann
Prof. Dr. Stephan Brandt

Efficacy of physiological stimulation in modulating neurobiological markers of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Balzus, Luisa

Doctoral project	Efficacy of physiological stimulation in modulating neurobiological markers of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Description	The aim of my project is to elucidate the role of overactive error monitoring in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Hyperactive error monitoring is one of the most robust psychophysiological alterations in OCD and may qualify as a neurobiological marker for the disorder. In my project, EEG will be used to assess electrophysiological correlates of error processing in patients with OCD. By employing a neurophysiological stimulation technique, I aim to answer the question whether neural correlates of error processing can be modulated in these patients and how this modulation affects obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. The overarching goal of my thesis is to increase our understanding of how specific neurocognitive functions contribute to complex psychopathological symptoms.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Norbert Kathmann Prof. Dr. Stephan Brandt
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	luisa.balzus-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de

Baum, Julia

Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman
Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek

Untrustworthy gossip: Effects on person perception and moral judgement

Baum, Julia

Doctoral project	Untrustworthy gossip: Effects on person perception and moral judgement
Description	When gossiping with colleagues, reading news, or browsing social media, we constantly encounter verbal information about other people that may or may not be true and meaningful. I investigate how unreliable affective information about a person influences how we perceive and morally judge them. I use electrophysiological correlates of brain activity (ERPs) to study how perceiving their face and appraising their character is shaped by what we’ve heard about them.
Funding	Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 3: Language Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychology, Neurocognitive Psychology; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julia_Baum2

Borowiak, Kamila

Prof. Dr. Katharina von Kriegstein
Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek

Effect of oxytocin on person-identity recognition in autism spectrum disorders

Borowiak, Kamila

Doctoral project	Effect of oxytocin on person-identity recognition in autism spectrum disorders
Description	Recognizing others is a key ability for human communication and its disability leads to severe social difficulties. Social deficits characterize autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and are caused by abnormal processing of communication signals such as the voice and the face. Previous studies have shown that face recognition in neurotypical individuals and individuals diagnosed with ASD can be improved pharmacologically. The aim of my project is to systematically investigate the effect of oxytocin on behavioral and neural mechanisms of voice-identity and face-identity recognition in ASD.
Funding	Elsa-Neumann-Stipendium des Landes Berlin
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Katharina von Kriegstein Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
M&B Topics	Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	BSc. Psychology (Freie Universität Berlin), MSc. Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (Freie Universität Berlin)
Institute	Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2014
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	borowiak-please remove this text-@cbs.mpg.de
Academia.edu	https://cbs-mpg.academia.edu/KamilaBorowiak

Chidambaram, Shambhavi

Prof. Dr. York Winter
Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinz
Prof. Dr. Randolf Menzel

The value of information in decision-making in nectar-drinking bats

Chidambaram, Shambhavi

Doctoral project	The value of information in decision-making in nectar-drinking bats
Description	Animals have been seen to violate the principles of rationality by choosing informative but low-energy rewards instead of non-informative, high-energy rewards. The question is whether Glossophaga soricina, a nectar-drinking bat which should value both information and energetic reward highly, also behaves irrationally. The free-flying animals will be studied using an electronic operant wall, and hypotheses, explanations and mathematical models underlying their behaviour will be explored.
Funding	DAAD scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. York Winter Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinz Prof. Dr. Randolf Menzel
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained
Institute	Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	shambhavi.chidambaram-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de

Dabas, Aroma

Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren
Dr. Roland Benoit

Role of emotion in future episodic thinking

Dabas, Aroma

Doctoral project	Role of emotion in future episodic thinking
Description	The focus of my project is towards gaining insights into the link between episodic memories and episodic future thinking. The key questions of my project are: Does the valence of our episodic memories play a significant role in simulating future episodic events? If yes, what are the neural correlates of this past-future link? Can aberrations of this past-future link influence decision-making processes?
Funding	DAAD
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren Dr. Roland Benoit
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained
Institute	Freie Universität, Berlin; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	aroma.dabas-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aroma_Dabas
Academia.edu	https://mind-and-brain.academia.edu/AromaDabas

Duncan, Caitlin

Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter

Neural correlates of stereotypes and prejudice

Duncan, Caitlin

Doctoral project	Neural correlates of stereotypes and prejudice
Description	This project examines how social biases are created through both prejudice (affective response) and stereotypes (semantic associations). Some of the essential questions are: Are these dissociable processes with distinct neural networks? Does the brain react similarly or differently across different social divisions? Do stress/arousal affect both processes or just the affective component?
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychology
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate

Eickers, Gina

Prof. Dr. Jan Slaby
Prof. Dr. Jesse Prinz
Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek

Social cognition, social interaction, and emotion

Eickers, Gina

Doctoral project	Social cognition, social interaction, and emotion
Description	My thesis challenges prevailing models of mental state attribution and advances an alternative by focusing on the role of behavioral alignment in social interaction. The focus is especially on non-verbal cues in social interactions, e.g., emotional display.
Funding	Mind & Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Jan Slaby Prof. Dr. Jesse Prinz Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	Staatsexamen Philosophie, Universität Stuttgart
Institute	Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Philosophie; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	gina.eickers-please remove this text-@fu-berlin.de
Academia.edu	https://mind-and-brain.academia.edu/GinaEickers

Ghani, Amna

Prof. Dr. Petra Ritter
Prof. Dr. Klaus-Robert Müller

Decoding musical emotions using the virtual brain (TVB)

Ghani, Amna

Doctoral project	Decoding musical emotions using the virtual brain (TVB)
Description	My project involves the study of musical emotions. Changes in intensity of valence and arousal results in different emotional states. In this study I will use these two components (arousal and valence) to decode person’s emotional experience.
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Petra Ritter Prof. Dr. Klaus-Robert Müller
M&B Topics	Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	MSc Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, Goldsmiths University of London
Institute	Technische Universität Berlin; Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	amna.ghani-please remove this text-@charite.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amna_Ghani
Academia.edu	https://goldsmiths.academia.edu/AmnaGhani

Graumann, Monika

Dr. Radoslaw Cichy
Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes

Objects and space: understanding how object and location information are processed in the real world

Graumann, Monika

Doctoral project	Objects and space: understanding how object and location information are processed in the real world
Description	In my research, I aim to characterize the neural dynamics of object and scene perception in a spatio-temporally resolved manner. Extensive research on object recognition in the brain has shown that visual object representations hierarchically emerge along the regions of the ventral visual stream while category-orthogonal information is gradually lost. In this PhD project I will investigate how object representations and object category-orthogonal information change in the ventral stream when objects are presented embedded in naturalistic scenes. To address this, I will apply multivariate pattern analysis and representational similarity analysis to human electrophysiology and neuroimaging data.
Funding	Research position, Emmy Noether grant
Supervisors	Dr. Radoslaw Cichy Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 3: Language
Degrees obtained
Institute	Freie Universität Berlin, AG Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	monikag-please remove this text-@zedat.fu-berlin.de

Guendelman, Simón

Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Hans-Christian Deter

Does mindfulness modulate empathy and mentalization processing?

Guendelman, Simón

Doctoral project	Does mindfulness modulate empathy and mentalization processing?
Description	The aim of this study is to determine whether a psychological intervention (mindfulness) may have an impact in the brain processing of basic social abilities such as empathy and mentalization. To address these questions will be conducting a prospective study, with pre-post measurements of neural correlates of empathy and mentalization, using functional magnetic resonance imaging under particular social cognition paradigms.
Funding	CONICYT – Chile / Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Hans-Christian Deter
M&B Topics	Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	Medical degree & Adult Psychiatry (University of Chile)
Institute	Institute of Psychology & Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2014
Status	Doctoral candidate
Academia.edu	https://hu-berlin.academia.edu/SimonGuendelman

Irmen, Friederike

Prof. Dr. Andrea Kühn
Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren

Modelling decision-making in Parkinson’s disease

Irmen, Friederike

Doctoral project	Modelling decision-making in Parkinson’s disease
Description	This project investigates disease- and therapy-specific deficits in decision-making in patients with the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson’s Disease. In particular, the effect of deep brain stimulation on impulsivity and reward-related decision-making and the interaction with dopaminergic medication are investigated. Further, local field potentials of patients receiving deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus are investigated as possible markers of decision-making performance.
Funding	Mind & Brain Scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Andrea Kühn Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained	MSc Clinical Neuroscience
Institute	Freie Universität Berlin & Virchow Klinikum Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	friederike.irmen-please remove this text-@gmx.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Friederike_Irmen

Kaiser, Mathis

Prof. Dr. Niko Busch
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
Prof. Dr. Daniel Senkowski

Oscillatory signatures and neural connectivity in multisensory integration

Kaiser, Mathis

Doctoral project	Oscillatory signatures and neural connectivity in multisensory integration
Description	My research aims to elucidate how brain regions interact to integrate the input from visual and auditory modalities. I will employ multisensory illusions, in which information from one modality can influence the perception of stimuli in another so that a novel percept arises, combined with EEG and TMS. Recently, beta-band oscillations have been suggested to provide a possible integrative processing mechanism across brain regions. I will consequently model oscillatory activity in the respective sensory areas, multisensory hubs and frontal regions, and perform connectivity analyses to get a better idea of the information transfer during multisensory processing. I will also apply TMS to selectively disrupt activity in regions of interest and analyze the effect on network activity.
Funding	DFG grant supervisor
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Niko Busch Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg Prof. Dr. Daniel Senkowski
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness
Degrees obtained	Diplom, Psychology (University of Konstanz)
Institute	Department of Psychology, FU Berlin; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Cohort	2014
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	mathis.kaiser-please remove this text-@charite.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mathis_Kaiser
Academia.edu	https://charite.academia.edu/MathisKaiser

Klotzsche, Felix

Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer
Prof. Dr. Werner Sommer

Virtually real cognition? Assessing human cognition in virtual environments

Klotzsche, Felix

Doctoral project	Virtually real cognition? Assessing human cognition in virtual environments
Description	What is the epistemological and ontological status of human cognitions that are elicited in virtual reality (VR) environments? Are they just as real as non-virtual cognitions (Chalmers, 2017)? How much can they tell us about cognition in the “real” world (or vice versa)? Are the underlying processes significantly shaped by the level of presence in the VR? The rise and the propagation of immersive VR technologies poses important questions to the research on mind and brain, and provides a new quiver of tools to approach traditional issues of the cognitive sciences. During my doctoral project I want to examine these tools and their interaction with our cognition. I will use virtual environments with different degrees of immersion, behavioural measures, and neuroimaging techniques (EEG/fNIRS).
Funding	BMBF Project
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer Prof. Dr. Werner Sommer
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Psychologie; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	felix_klotzsche-please remove this text-@web.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Felix_Klotzsche
Academia.edu	https://hu-berlin.academia.edu/FelixKlotzsche

Loaiza, Juan Raul

Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen
Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Jesse Prinz

Emotions, folk-psychology, and natural kinds

Loaiza, Juan Raul

Doctoral project	Emotions, folk-psychology, and natural kinds
Description	Empirical research has shown that emotions are not easily identifiable at the neural or bodily levels. This brings up the question of whether they form a natural kind and whether we should consider them objects of scientific inquiry on their own right. I want to argue that emotions are still interesting objects for psychology and neuroscience, despite the doubts we may have regarding their status as natural kinds. My project aims to develop an account in which, by starting from folk-psychological definitions and abstracting away from them, we can define emotions in scientifically meaningful ways.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Jesse Prinz
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	B.A. Philosophy, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Philosophy
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	loaiza.juan-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de

Mantwill, Maron

Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke
Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes

Functional connectivity profiles and relational memory deficits in patients with limbic encephalitis

Mantwill, Maron

Doctoral project	Functional connectivity profiles and relational memory deficits in patients with limbic encephalitis
Description	In my PhD project I investigate resting-state functional connectivity in patients with autoimmune diseases of the brain. First, I want to use resting-state fMRI data to identify a patient's disease earlier than usual based on functional connectivity measures. Secondly, I will examine functional connectivity differences in distinct variants of autoimmune encephalitis and their effect son cognitive functioning. Thirdly, I will assess relational memory in patients with limbic autoimmune encephalitis as a model for bilateral hippocampal damage. The goal of my PhD project is to facilitate clinical diagnostics using fMRI, help to elucidate differences in autoimmune encephalitis variants and generate knowledge about both the processing of relational memory and the effects of functional connectivity variations on cognition in the human brain.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 4: Brain plasticity and lifespan ontogeny Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychology
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	mantwill.m-please remove this text-@googlemail.com

Margiotoudi, Konstantina

Prof. Dr. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller
Prof. Dr. Christine Mooshammer

The mechanism of sound symbolism in the action-perception network of language

Margiotoudi, Konstantina

Doctoral project	The mechanism of sound symbolism in the action-perception network of language
Description	Sound symbolism is a universal linguistic phenomenon of nonarbitrariness in human language. The present project aims to explore the mechanisms of sound symbolism in the action-perception networks of language. In parallel we would like to test sound symbolism in NHM exploring further the origins of human language.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller Prof. Dr. Christine Mooshammer
M&B Topics	Topic 3: Language
Degrees obtained
Institute	Freie Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Deutsche und Niederländische Philologie, Brain Language Laboratory
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	konstantina.margiotoudi-please remove this text-@gmail.com

Matyjek, Magdalena

Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman

Reward-related processing of social non-verbal cues in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Matyjek, Magdalena

Doctoral project	Reward-related processing of social non-verbal cues in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Description	The aim of my project is to better understand how individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) process social non-verbal cues (facial expressions, gestures, and body posture). To address this issue, I will design a paradigm suitable for measuring both neural (ERPs) and other psychophysiological indicators of social and non-social reward processing (e.g. eye-tracking measures). Furthermore, I will investigate whether motion (videos instead of static pictures) and complexity (all of, or one of the following: facial, hand and posture cues) of social stimuli aid or impede feedback responsiveness in individuals with ASD.
Funding	Mind & Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	matyjekm-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de

Medawar, Evelyn

Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer
Prof. Dr. Soyoung Q Park

Unconventional eating behaviour and its effect on brain circuits and on mind-gut-feedback

Medawar, Evelyn

Doctoral project	Unconventional eating behaviour and its effect on brain circuits and on mind-gut-feedback
Description	In this project, we want to study the effects of an unconventional diet on food decision-making, brain connectivity and other cognitive and sensory processes implicated in choosing between food items. It has been shown that a change in diet affects our intestinal microbial composition and other metabolic markers, however, cognitive effects have not been fully investigated yet. We suggest that unconventional eaters manifest changes not only on a biological but also on a cognitive level (i.e. more self-control). We are interested in whether gut microbiotic status is predictive of brain connectivity in brain regions related to the adoption of an unconventional diet.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer Prof. Dr. Soyoung Q Park
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained
Institute	Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	medawar-please remove this text-@cbs.mpg.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Evelyn_Medawar2

Miller, Natalie

Prof. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg

Neurolinguistic investigations of causal links between the mechanisms for language and perception

Miller, Natalie

Doctoral project	Neurolinguistic investigations of causal links between the mechanisms for language and perception
Description	Can language influence our perception? Does labelling something make it easier for us to perceive it? These questions are central to my thesis project, in which I investigate the causal links between language and perception. The crux of my research involves tactile perception and discrimination before and after associating labels with tactile patterns.
Funding	Mind & Brain Scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 3: Language
Degrees obtained	BA Spanish, MA German and Theoretical Linguistics, MA European Linguistics
Institute	Freie Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Deutsche und Niederländische Philologie, Brain Language Laboratory
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
Phone	+49 30 83851170
E-mail	tally.miller-please remove this text-@fu-berlin.de
Homepage	http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/v/brainlang/te...

Naumann, Sandra

Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman

Empathy plasticity and the empathic brain: an EEG-accompanied training study employing the computer-assisted program Zirkus Empathico with preschoolers

Naumann, Sandra

Doctoral project	Empathy plasticity and the empathic brain: an EEG-accompanied training study employing the computer-assisted program Zirkus Empathico with preschoolers
Description	My doctoral project examines the development and plasticity of empathy looking at both the construct’s behavioral and neuronal correlates. Mental health problems in children have dramatically increased. A first indicator of dysfunctional, psychological, and behavioral patterns are deficient social and emotional competences. Continuous fostering of these competences should therefore already start at a very young age to prevent, correct, or compensate problematic thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, the computer-assisted program Zirkus Empathico will be employed in a longitudinal study design within my PhD project, with children’s behavioral and neuronal variables measured before and after the training to examine if improvements in empathic responses can be achieved.
Funding	Scholarship from Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman
M&B Topics	Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Department of Psycholgoy, AG Social Cognition, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	sandra.naumann-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sandra_Naumann3

Ohrnberger, Katharina

Prof. Dr. Felix Bermpohl
Dr. Daniel Margulies
Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer

Models of the self and their neurobiological implementation

Ohrnberger, Katharina

Doctoral project	Models of the self and their neurobiological implementation
Description	My doctoral research surrounds the neurobiological mechanisms (as well as their relation with behaviour and phenomenology) that (might) play a role in the maintenance and regulation of (human) systemic balance and identity. I pursue different lines of thought, one main focus concerns the regulatory mechanisms of large-scale brain networks involved with internally and externally directed attention.
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Felix Bermpohl Dr. Daniel Margulies Prof. Dr. Arno Villringer
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	B.A. Liberal Arts and Sciences (Biological Psychology, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Philosophy), University College Maastricht; M.Sc. Brain and Mind Sciences, University College London, Ecole Normale Superieure, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie
Institute	Charite Universitätsmedizin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katharina_Ohrnberger2
Academia.edu	https://ucl.academia.edu/KOhrnberger

Paul, Mariella

Prof. Dr. Angela D. Friederici
Prof. Dr. Isabell Wartenburger

The sensitive period for associative learning of non-adjacent dependencies in verbal and non-verbal material

Paul, Mariella

Doctoral project	The sensitive period for associative learning of non-adjacent dependencies in verbal and non-verbal material
Description	Young children are able to learn the rules of their native language in an associative, automatic way. Adults, on the other hand, have to learn a second language in a more explicit, controlled way. One kind of rules that have to be learned when acquiring a language are non-adjacent dependencies. These are grammatical dependencies that span across one or more other elements of a sentence, for example the “is” and “-ing” in: “The sister is singing.” In my thesis, I want to investigate when in development the ability to learn non-adjacent dependencies in natural language associatively is lost. By also investigating non-adjacent dependency processing for non-linguistic material, I want to further find out whether this developmental trajectory is specific to language or domain-general.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Angela D. Friederici Prof. Dr. Isabell Wartenburger
M&B Topics	Topic 3: Language
Degrees obtained
Institute	Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	paulm-please remove this text-@cbs.mpg.de

Peters, Caroline

Elisa Filevich, PhD
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen

Metacognition of action – behavioral and brain bases

Peters, Caroline

Doctoral project	Metacognition of action – behavioral and brain bases
Description	In my project I am interested in metacognition, i.e. the knowledge about one’s own cognitive phenomena. Precisely, I study metacognition of action: my main question is whether and to what extend people have metacognitive access to their movements. Typically, in metacognition research people do a task, in my case a motor task, and they subsequently judge their performance. This judgement is our measure of metacognitive ability. I am interested in both behavioural and neural correlates of metacognition of action. The implications of my project are manifold: it is of interest for sports science as well as for clinical research on motor disorders. Also, metacognition is an important aspect of human consciousness and could provide new insights relevant for philosophy as well.
Funding	Freigeist fellowship, Volkswagen Stiftung
Supervisors	Elisa Filevich, PhD Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained
Institute	Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience / Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2018
Status	Doctoral candidate
Phone	030 2093-6266
E-mail	caroline.peters-please remove this text-@bccn-berlin.de

Rekers, Sophia

Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke
Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren
PD Dr. Sabine Müller

Memory independent spatial navigation in clinical and experimental settings

Rekers, Sophia

Doctoral project	Memory independent spatial navigation in clinical and experimental settings
Description	In my doctoral project, I will study impaired and unimpaired memory independent topographical orientation in old age. I developed an assessment, which integrates core cognitive processes of navigation like mental rotation, sense of direction and the synchronisation of ego- and allocentric perspective, without the necessity for subjects to memorise routes or landmarks. I intend to use this tool, to differentiate between subjects with and without difficulties in topographical orientation and to explore neural activation patterns in successful vs. insufficient orientation using fMRI. Building on these findings, I plan to study the effects of enhanced excitability of neurons in regions that are involved in successful orientation on behavioural performance in navigation with tDCS.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren PD Dr. Sabine Müller
M&B Topics	Topic 4: Brain plasticity and lifespan ontogeny Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	sophia.rekers-please remove this text-@charite.de

Reuter, Lucia

Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers
Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter
Prof. Dr. Tade Spranger

Fixing broken brains – The human right to mental self-determination of legally incompetent persons in favor of or against psychiatric neurosurgery

Reuter, Lucia

Doctoral project	Fixing broken brains – The human right to mental self-determination of legally incompetent persons in favor of or against psychiatric neurosurgery
Description	In my PhD thesis standard questions like the legal requirements for the information duties of doctors and the need for the ascent of legally incompetent persons will be discussed. The focus will lie on relatively new issues like the possibilities of psychiatric patients to obtain PNS without or against their proxy’s consent (when patient prefers PNS over other medical treatment or detention). Moreover, the thesis will contain suggestions as to the establishment of an effective control system (monitoring patient care, study setup and outcomes). In an outlook, I will address the regulation of legally relevant behavior induced by functional and/or psychiatric neurosurgery (buying binge, gambling addiction, criminal behavior, …) and the possibility of applying PNS beyond the strictly clinical setting.
Funding	Mind & Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter Prof. Dr. Tade Spranger
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	1. juristisches Staatsexamen, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Maitrise en droit (international law), Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas; Licence en droit (law of the European Union), Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas
Institute	Juristische Fakultät, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
Phone	+49 (0) 173 7028358
E-mail	lucia.reuter-please remove this text-@posteo.de
Homepage	http://mindandbrain.charite.de/en/people/team_rg_mab/lucia_r...
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucia_Reuter

Scherpenberg van, Cornelia

Prof. Dr. Hellmuth Obrig
Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman

Semantic context effects in healthy and language impaired participants

Scherpenberg van, Cornelia

Doctoral project	Semantic context effects in healthy and language impaired participants
Description	Semantic relations between objects can influence how easily an object’s name is retrieved in language production. Categorical relations usually inhibit, whereas associative relations facilitate object naming. In my thesis I investigate these effects in detail using eye tracking and reaction time measures in healthy participants and people with language impairments. Individuals with aphasia following stroke or progressive aphasia due to dementia show particular difficulties in naming certain items. I aim to show how the processing of semantic relations between these items (as seen in eye movements) correlates with the speed and success of naming them in inhibitory or facilitative conditions. These behavioural insights can improve diagnosis and treatment strategies for these impairments.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Hellmuth Obrig Prof. Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Day Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, Leipzig; MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig; Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Cohort	2017
Status	Doctoral candidate
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cornelia_Van_Scherpenberg

Schweitzer, Richard

Prof. Dr. Martin Rolfs
Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg

Perceptual and motor consequences of intrasaccadic perception

Schweitzer, Richard

Doctoral project	Perceptual and motor consequences of intrasaccadic perception
Description	Whenever we humans make rapid, step-like eye movements - so-called saccades – the visual image shifts across our retina at high velocities. Why do we never perceive some kind of blurred visual input while we move our eyes? Previous studies have related this observation to an effect, or mechanism, termed saccadic suppression. This has led to the rather common belief that perception during saccades is shut down, which is not true. In contrast, some experiments suggest that intrasaccadic perception is not only well possible but also quite efficient. Using psychophysical methods combined with eye tracking and EEG, we will investigate the potential functional role of intrasaccadic perception in a range of visual processes.
Funding	Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Martin Rolfs Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness
Degrees obtained
Institute	Institute of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin & Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	richard.schweitzer-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de

Settembrino, Luca

Prof. Dr. Vittorio Gallese
Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen

Interpersonal mirroring: Towards an empirically informed account of the second-person perspective

Settembrino, Luca

Doctoral project	Interpersonal mirroring: Towards an empirically informed account of the second-person perspective
Description	The aim of my project is to provide a full-developed epistemological account of the second-person perspective, based on both philosophical reflection and neuroscientific evidence – with particular regard to the role played by the mirror mechanism. Furthermore, I will try to make use of this account of the dyadic relation I-Thou in order to explain a wider range of intersubjective phenomena, from shared intentionality to joint action.
Funding	Einstein Stiftung Berlin
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Vittorio Gallese Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen
M&B Topics	Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy (Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan)
Institute	Berlin School of Mind and Brain & Institute of Philosophy, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	luca.settembrino-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luca_Settembrino
Academia.edu	https://hu-berlin.academia.edu/LucaSettembrino

Sofroni, Razvan

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt

Emotions as a source of moral knowledge

Sofroni, Razvan

Doctoral project	Emotions as a source of moral knowledge
Description	Recent empirical research in moral psychology has underscored the importance of emotions in determining either all or some class of our moral judgments. This can be taken to justify skepticism with regards to the truth of such judgments. My project aims to explore the empirical underpinnings of moral emotions with the goal of ascertaining whether they can function as legitimate evidence for moral judgment and belief. Taking my cue from research in the model-based learning mechanisms involved in generating and refining emotional reactions, I will investigate whether moral emotions are also the upshot of such learning, and whether this can be a way of vindicating emotions as a source of moral knowledge.
Funding	Elsa Neumann Stipendium des Landes Berlin
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Department of Philosophy, HU Berlin
Cohort	2018
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	sofronir-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Academia.edu	https://hu-berlin.academia.edu/RazvanSofroni

Tertel, Kathrin

Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren
Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen

Uncovering neural mechanisms of consciousness - Modality-independent conscious processing within the working memory

Tertel, Kathrin

Doctoral project	Uncovering neural mechanisms of consciousness - Modality-independent conscious processing within the working memory
Description	My research project aims at disentangling different neural mechanisms related to conscious processing of stimuli in a working memory task. I will be looking for a brain structure and function that is at work during conscious processing of visual, auditory and tactile stimuli, regardless of their perceptual modality, and in contrast to unconscious processing of said stimuli. For that, I will be using data from EEG as well as fMRI and TMS. Integrating existing neural theories of conscious processing is the overarching goal of my thesis.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained	Diploma in Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg
Institute	Institute of Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin
Cohort	2013
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	kathrin.tertel-please remove this text-@fu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kathrin_Tertel

Tomasello, Rosario

Prof. Dr. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller
Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg

Brain connections of words, perceptions, and actions: A neurobiological model of semantic brain areas and brain imaging studies

Tomasello, Rosario

Doctoral project	Brain connections of words, perceptions, and actions: A neurobiological model of semantic brain areas and brain imaging studies
Description	A growing number of studies indicate the existence of so-called ‘semantic hubs’, that is, areas in cortex where the meaning of all types of signs and symbols is processed. However, recent neuroimaging and patient studies have shown that other cortical areas contribute to semantic processing in a more selective fashion, being particularly relevant for specific semantic categories. Why are there both semantic hubs and category-specific semantic areas in the human brain? Are these areas all necessary? When in time they first emerge? These questions will be investigated in a neurobiological model of semantic brain areas that simulates aspects of word learning in action and perception, to derive predictions and to be tested in a word learning experiment using fMRI and EEG.
Funding	Mind and Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Dr. Friedemann Pulvermüller Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
M&B Topics	Topic 3: Language
Degrees obtained
Institute	Institut für Deutsche und Niederländische Philologie, Freie Universität Berlin
Cohort	2016
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	tomasello.r-please remove this text-@fu-berlin.de
Homepage	http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/v/brainlang/te...
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rosario_Tomasello

Trilla, Irene

Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek
Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter

Interactions between oxytocin and the reward system on social cognition

Trilla, Irene

Doctoral project	Interactions between oxytocin and the reward system on social cognition
Description	To date, understanding the role of oxytocin in empathy and other pro-social behaviours has been a primary focus in social cognition research. How this neuropeptide exerts its effects is, however, not yet fully understood. Animal studies hint at oxytocinergic modulations of neurotransmitter systems underlying social-affective behaviours, such as serotonin and dopamine. In humans, however, these interactions are still not well identified. My project aims to further elucidate oxytocin’s mechanisms of action in humans, with special focus on the interactions with the dopaminergic-reward system.
Funding	Mind & Brain scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Isabel Dziobek Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter
M&B Topics	Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained	B.A. in Psychology (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain) M.Sc. in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience (Maastricht University, The Netherlands)
Institute	Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	irene.trilla-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Irene_Trilla

Uluç, Işıl

Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
Prof. Dr. Niko Busch

Neurophysiological correlates of working memory without consciousness

Uluç, Işıl

Doctoral project	Neurophysiological correlates of working memory without consciousness
Description	Working memory is thought to be a conscious process until recently. However, two studies behaviourally showed that there may be unconscious working memory. My work plans to search if this claim can be proven with an ERP study by subliminally occupying visual working memory and researching amplitude differences in CDA component, which is in relation to working memory capacity.
Funding	DAAD scholarship
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg Prof. Dr. Niko Busch
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness
Degrees obtained	M.Sc., Cognitive Science, Universität Wien; M.A., Philosophy, Bogazici University, Istanbul
Institute	Department of Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin
Cohort	2014
Status	Doctoral candidate
Phone	+49 151 12309799
E-mail	isil.uluc-please remove this text-@gmail.com
Academia.edu	https://independent.academia.edu/IsilUluc

von Schwanenflug, Nina

Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke
Prof. Dr. Christoph Ploner

Dynamic functional connectivity in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

von Schwanenflug, Nina

Doctoral project	Dynamic functional connectivity in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Description	My project aims to investigate temporal dynamics of functional connectivity in patients with autoimmune encephalitis. Two main hypotheses will be tested (a) do patients show symptomatic patterns of dynamic functional connectivity that distinguishes them from healthy controls? and (b) do these alterations account for the patients’ compromising long-standing memory deficits?
Funding	Cusanuswerk
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Carsten Finke Prof. Dr. Christoph Ploner
M&B Topics	Topic 2: Decision-making Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction Topic 6: Social cognition / human sociality and the brain
Degrees obtained
Institute	Neurology Department, Charité -- Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Cohort	2018
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	nina.schwanenflug-please remove this text-@charite.de

Wu, Yuan-hao

Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg
Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren

Working memory representation of multi-feature contents in somesthesis

Wu, Yuan-hao

Doctoral project	Working memory representation of multi-feature contents in somesthesis
Description	The present research project aims to characterize the fundamental neural mechanisms underlying multi-featured WM representations. From the perspective of sensory WM research, the benefit of this project would be twofold: On one hand, it would be one of few studies that addresses WM processing of more complex stimuli in somesthesis. On the other hand, by comparing analogies and differences between the new findings with other modalities would facilitate the identification of supramodal mechanisms. From the perspective of a larger context, this investigation can help to understand our ability to integrate different information and to experience them as a coherent, unitary wholes.
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren
M&B Topics	Topic 1: Perception, attention, consciousness Topic 2: Decision-making
Degrees obtained	BSc in Psychology MSc in Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience
Institute	Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin
Cohort	2015
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	yuan-hao.wu-please remove this text-@fu-berlin.de
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yuan_Hao_Wu

Wyrobnik, Michelle

Prof. Dr. Elke van der Meer
Prof. Dr. Fabian Klostermann

Event segmentation and temporal event sequencing of patients with Parkinson’s disease

Wyrobnik, Michelle

Doctoral project	Event segmentation and temporal event sequencing of patients with Parkinson’s disease
Description	The aim of the project is the better understanding of the cognitive impairments and the underlying neural mechanisms in patients with Parkinson’s disease regarding event segmentation and temporal event sequencing. Both processes are highly important for remembering and executing daily activities and thus, for the patients quality of life. The project includes behavioural tasks, e.g. the event segmentation task where participants segment movies into meaningful events. Furthermore, the project includes a neurophysiological measurement (ERP) where participants identify contentual or temporal errors in event sequences (event triplet task). The long-term objective of the project is the development of specific rehabilitative training programs that aim to improve the daily competence of the patients.
Funding	Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (ELES)
Supervisors	Prof. Dr. Elke van der Meer Prof. Dr. Fabian Klostermann
M&B Topics	Topic 5: Brain disorders and mental dysfunction
Degrees obtained
Institute	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychology / Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Neurology
Cohort	2018
Status	Doctoral candidate
E-mail	michelle.wyrobnik-please remove this text-@hu-berlin.de
Homepage	https://www.psychologie.hu-berlin.de/de/personal/91680356
Researchgate	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michelle_Wyrobnik