Forschungsthemen
1. MULTI-PARAMETRIC MAPPING
Aims:
- to implement MR imaging protocols and anaylsis pipelines to provide applied scientists with a variety of quantitative image contrasts such as structural and functional connectivity and myelin volume fraction
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. Dongjung Kim, Yonsei University, Korea
- Prof. Jongho Lee, Seoul National University
- Prof. Stefan Ehrlich, TU Dresden
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project Z2 "Core Imaging Facility"
2. REAL-TIME fMRI
Aims:
- to analyze functional MRI images in real-time
- to provide neurofeedback to subjects as an aid to enhance self-control of brain activity
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. M.N. Smolka, TU DresdeN
- Prof. S. Posse, University of New Mexico
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project Z2 "Core Imaging Facility" and A7 "Volitional control of brain activity: Effects of neurofeedback on emotional reactivity"
3. EFFECTS OF TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS) ON BRAIN CONNECTIVITY
Aims:
- to investigate the effects of repetitive TMS on functional connectivtiy of the brain
- to affect emotional brain circuits by targetting the superior frontal gyrus
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. S. Bender, Universitätsklinikum Köln
- Dr. Franziska Korb, TU Dresden
- Dr. Philipp Riedel, TU Dresden
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project Z2 "Core Imaging Facility"
4. NEUROIMAGING DATA WORKFLOWS
Aims:
- to process neuroimaging data in an efficient way using available processing software tools
- to provide an easy processing interface to users to configure processing pipelines
- to use the high-performance computing infrastructure at the TU Dresden
- to enhance quality control of raw and processed imaging data
- to enhance reproducibility of published results
- to further develop the Neuroimaging Center Phython pipelines (NICePype) software to accomplish the above goals
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. M.N. Smolka, TU Dresden
- Prof. W. Nagel, TU Dresden
- Dr. R. Müller-Pfefferkorn, TU Dresden
- Dr. R. Grunzke, TU Dresden
- Dr. C. Löschen, TU Dresden
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project Z2 "Core Imaging Facility" and INF "Data management, workflow optimization and science gateway"
5. CLASSIFICATION OF COGNITIVE BRAIN STATES
Aims:
- to apply multi-variate classification techniques in the context of fMRI
- to identify brain states with predictive value with respect to human choices
- to predict, based on brain activity, whether individuals will choose a higher rewards at a later time or an immediate smaller reward
- to make choice predictions in real-time as a validation of the presumed brain states
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. M.N. Smolka, TU Dresden
- Prof. I. Sbalzarini, TU Dresden, MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project A7 "Brain states representing dynamics of meta-control"
6. ATTENTION CAPTURE OF EMOTIONAL STIMULI (ACES)
Aims:
- to investigate the neural basis of attention capture by emotional stimuli
- to study the possibility of changing emotional reactivity in individuals using, for example, fMRI neurofeedback or brain stimulation techniques
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. M.N. Smolka, TU Dresden
- Prof. S. Posse, University of New Mexico
- Dr. Lydia Hellrung, ETH Zürich
Funding:
- DFB grant SFB 940 Project A7 "Volitional control of brain activity: Effects of neurofeedback on emotional reactivity"
7. DRUG EFFECTS OF BRAIN PERFUSION
Aims:
- to study the effects of the drugs alcohol and Naltrexon on blood flow (perfusion) in the brain
- to employ arterial spin labeling (ASL) to measure perfusion
Collaboration Partners:
- Prof. M.N. Smolka, TU Dresden
- Prof. U. Zimmermann, TU Dresden
- Prof. M. Günther, Universität Bremen, Fraunhofer MEVIS Bremen
Funding:
- BMBF grant BMBF/DLR (01ZX1311H) and NIAAA grant U01AA017900