Richard Kempter

Richard Kempter is a Full Professor at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he leads the Theoretical Neuroscience research group within the Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology. His research focuses on the neural basis of learning and memory through computational and mathematical modeling of synapses, neurons, and neural networks. He is affiliated with several major research centers including the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, and the CRC 1315 Memory Consolidation.

Professor Kempter's research interests span theoretical and computational neuroscience with a particular focus on the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory. His work employs biophysical modeling and mathematical analysis to study synaptic short- and long-term plasticity, the dynamics of single neurons, and the interaction of neurons in recurrently coupled networks. A key aspect of his research investigates how neural systems maintain a balance between learning susceptibility and stability against pathological activity patterns, with model systems including the hippocampus and early auditory system.

His research group has made significant contributions to understanding hippocampal sharp wave-ripple events, phase precession in spatial navigation, auditory processing in barn owls, and memory consolidation mechanisms. The group's work combines theoretical approaches with computer simulations to unravel the computational principles of neural circuits, showing particular interest in how neural tissue remains susceptible to learning while maintaining robust stability against pathological activity patterns.

• Scholarship of the State of Bavaria (03/1994-12/1995)
• Emmy Noether Fellowship Part I (09/1999-08/2001), funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• Emmy Noether Fellowship Part II (01/2003-09/2008)
• Guest Professor, HU Berlin, Department of Biology (10/2008-03/2010)

Professor Kempter has advised numerous PhD and Master's students throughout his career, with many continuing in neuroscience research. His group maintains strong connections with experimental laboratories to bridge computational models with empirical findings, particularly in hippocampal function and auditory processing. The Theoretical Neuroscience Lab participates in collaborative projects investigating memory consolidation and neural coding principles, contributing significantly to our understanding of how neural circuits implement computational principles underlying learning and memory.