Alexander Borst

Prof. Dr. Alexander Borst is Director of the Department "Circuits - Information - Models" at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence in Martinsried, Germany. His research focuses on understanding neural computation in the visual system of Drosophila, particularly how direction-selective motion detection circuits process visual information to guide behavior.

Education:

• Diploma in Biology, University of Würzburg (1981)
• Doctoral thesis with Martin Heisenberg, University of Würzburg (1984)
• Habilitation and private lecturer, University of Tübingen (1989)

Prof. Borst's research employs a multidisciplinary approach to investigate neural information processing at the level of individual neurons and small circuits. His department uses the fruit fly Drosophila as a model system due to its computationally tractable visual system, with circuits containing fewer than 100 neurons that can be genetically manipulated and observed. The research integrates anatomical reconstructions, physiological characterization, behavioral analysis, and computational modeling to build a comprehensive understanding of visual processing.

Analysis of Prof. Borst's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on motion vision mechanisms in Drosophila, with particular emphasis on directional selectivity, neural circuit organization, and the molecular basis of visual processing. His work demonstrates how specific subpopulations of T4 and T5 cells are directionally tuned to cardinal directions and how ON and OFF pathways segregate motion processing. The publications highlight the integration of experimental techniques like 2-photon calcium imaging with computational modeling to understand circuit function.

Scientific Awards:

• Valentino Braitenberg Award in Computational Neurobiology (2014)
• FENS Award (2014)
• Member of the HHMI Scientific Advisory Board (2018)
• Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (2012)
• EMBO Member (2011)
• Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2011)
• Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Prize (2006)

Prof. Borst has led his department since 2001, first at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology and now at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence. His research has been supported by numerous grants from German and international funding agencies. He has mentored many students and postdoctoral researchers who have established successful careers in neuroscience. His department includes multiple research groups focusing on different aspects of neural computation in the Drosophila visual system.

His laboratory comprises several specialized teams working on neurogenetics, molecular characterization, electrophysiology, 2-photon functional imaging, tethered and free behavior analysis, and computational modeling. These teams collaborate closely to investigate how visual information is processed from photoreceptors to behavioral output, with particular focus on motion detection circuits and their developmental and molecular underpinnings.