Tanja Blascheck is a PostDoc Researcher and Margarete von Wrangell Fellow at the Institute for Visualization and Interactive Systems (VIS) at the University of Stuttgart. Her work focuses on visual analytics , eye tracking , and microvisualizations for smartwatches and other wearable devices.
Katrin Vogt is a Group Leader at the University of Konstanz and an Affiliated Scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. She serves on the IMPRS Board and Faculty, focusing on behavioral neuroscience in Drosophila larvae. Her research explores how social context and internal states (e.g., hunger) modulate neural circuits and behavior, utilizing genetic tools like optogenetics, RNAi, and CRISPR. Key Research Areas: Behavioral flexibility under internal state changes Neural integration of sensory and state signals in the antennal lobe Role of serotonin (CSD neuron) in modulating output pathways Computational modeling of state-dependent circuit dynamics Notable Achievements: Discovered state-dependent olfactory valence switching (e.g., geranyl acetate shifts from aversion to attraction under food deprivation) Elucidated glutamatergic inhibition mechanisms in picky local interneurons Identified 5-HT7 receptor's role in upregulating uniglomerular projection neuron activity Recent Publications: 2025: PLoS Biology on multimodal sensory neurons 2024: Current Biology commentary on behavioral neuroscience 2023: Current Biology on multisensory memory merging Academic Affiliations: University of Konstanz (Group Leader, Department of Collective Behavior) Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (Affiliated Scientist) IMPRS for Organismal Biology (Faculty Member) Scientific Awards: DFG Research Fellowship (Project No. 345729665) Students & Collaborators: PhD students: Hari P. Narayanan, Akhila Mudunuri Research assistants: Nora Tutas, Julius Klein, Constantin Dyroff DAAD summer student: Élyse Zadigue-Dubé Recent graduates: Amelie Edmaier (BSc 2023), Constantin Dyroff (BSc 2023)
Leif Kobbelt serves as a University Professor at RWTH Aachen University, leading the Computer Graphics Group within the Department of Computer Science (Informatik 8). His research focuses on advancing geometry processing, interactive visualization, and computer graphics through innovative algorithmic solutions and interdisciplinary collaborations. Professor Kobbelt's research program centers on geometry acquisition and processing, with significant contributions to mesh generation, surface reconstruction, and neural rendering techniques. His work bridges theoretical geometry with practical applications in computer vision, photo-realistic image synthesis, and multimedia data transmission, often involving collaborations with industry partners and international research teams funded by DFG and EU sources. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strategic integration of deep learning with traditional geometry processing, particularly in Gaussian splatting for real-time rendering, NeRF-based 4D content generation, and robust mesh Boolean operations. His group maintains leadership in quad mesh optimization and surface mapping while expanding into immersive visualization techniques for complex data analysis. The group has earned recognition through prestigious awards: Günter Enderle Best Paper Award at Eurographics 2023 Best Paper Award (1st place) at Symposium on Geometry Processing 2022 Honorable Mention for Best Paper at ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology Funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and European Union programs supports the group's research infrastructure and international collaborations. The team actively supervises graduate theses while developing open-source software tools that translate theoretical advances into practical industry applications, particularly in digital fabrication and immersive visualization systems. The Computer Graphics Group operates as a central hub for visual computing research at RWTH Aachen, maintaining strong ties with both academic institutions and technology companies. Their recent work on virtual reality educational tools and high-fidelity 3D reconstruction systems demonstrates commitment to knowledge transfer and real-world impact beyond traditional publication venues.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Hoffmann is a Professor of Microsystems Technology at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr University Bochum. His academic career began at the University of Dortmund, where he earned his doctorate in high-frequency technology and later habilitated in microsystems technology (2003). He held roles as a private lecturer and industry researcher before becoming a university professor at TU Ilmenau (2006). He joined Ruhr University in 2017, specializing in cutting-edge microsystems research. His research focuses on MEMS, THz technology, microactuators, and nanoimprint lithography. Key projects include cooperative microactuator systems, THz biosensors, and energy-autonomous sensors. He collaborates with institutions like TU Ilmenau, Purdue University, and Nagoya University through international programs like Double Degree and Erasmus. His work spans academic advising, grants, and industry partnerships (e.g., HL Planartechnik GmbH, Silicon Manufacturing Itzehoe GmbH). Notable contributions include silicon grass nanostructuring, palladium-based gas sensors, and wafer-scale MoS₂ deposition. His lab develops micromechanical systems for biomedical, environmental, and defense applications.
Prof. Raoul-Martin Memmesheimer is a Professor at the University of Bonn's Institute of Genetics , contributing to the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) - Life and Health . His research focuses on understanding neural network dynamics across microscopic, mesoscopic, and large-scale phenomena, integrating mathematical approaches with neurophysiological insights. Key interests include the dynamics of precise spiking activity, collective network behavior, and computational principles underlying neural systems. Education & Background : While specific educational details are not listed, his position as a Professor indicates advanced academic qualifications in theoretical neuroscience or related fields. Research Interests : Memmesheimer's work bridges theoretical physics and computational neuroscience, addressing topics like spiking neuron models, learning in neural networks, and the emergence of complex behaviors. His group employs methods from computer science and applied mathematics to study how neural systems perform computations through their dynamic properties. Publications : Recent work explores topics such as gradient descent learning in spiking networks, STDP-based assembly dynamics, and oscillatory phenomena in hippocampal regions. These publications highlight his focus on both foundational theory and applications to biological systems. Awards & Collaborations : While no specific awards are listed, his participation in TRA Life and Health underscores collaborative efforts in transdisciplinary health-related research. His work is supported by the University of Bonn's strong focus on transdisciplinary innovation. Labs & Teams : His research group operates within the Institute of Genetics, leveraging interdisciplinary resources at the University of Bonn to advance theoretical neuroscience and computational biology.
Prof. Dr. Gil Westmeyer is a Professor of Neurobiological Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), holding joint appointments at the TUM School of Natural Sciences and TUM School of Medicine and Health. He serves as Director of the Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine at Helmholtz-Zentrum München and leads the Chair of Neurobiological Engineering at TUM. His research program bridges molecular engineering, neuroimaging, and synthetic biology to develop next-generation tools for understanding and manipulating cellular networks. Westmeyer's educational background includes medical and philosophical studies in Munich, doctoral work on the molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease under Professor Christian Haass, clinical training at Harvard Medical School, and postdoctoral research with Professor Alan Jasanoff at MIT. His laboratory focuses on creating genetically encoded molecular sensors and actuators that enable non-invasive imaging and remote control of cellular processes across multiple scales. His research spans three primary domains: molecular sensors for multimodal imaging (from electron microscopy to whole-organism optoacoustics), molecular actuators for spatiotemporal control of cellular processes, and neurobehavioral imaging in freely behaving model organisms. The lab's work integrates synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and advanced imaging techniques to create tools that map dynamic signaling processes and manipulate cellular functions with unprecedented precision. Westmeyer's publication record demonstrates consistent innovation in molecular engineering, with recent work focusing on genetically encoded barcodes for electron microscopy, intron-encoded reporting systems, multiplexed optoacoustic imaging, and magnetically responsive cellular compartments. His publications in high-impact journals like Nature Methods, Cell, and Nature Biotechnology reflect the significance of his contributions to molecular imaging and engineering. ERC Proof of Concept 'inteRNAlizer' (2023) ERC Consolidator Grant 'EMcapsulins' (2019) ERC Starting Grant 'MagnetoGenetics' (2013) Helmholtz Young Investigator's Group (2011) Westmeyer actively mentors students and researchers through multiple teaching positions at TUM, including courses in biological chemistry, genetic machine development (iGEM), mammalian cell technology, and neuro-recording methods. His laboratory develops technologies with clear translational potential for future neurotherapies and regenerative medicine applications, particularly through the creation of imaging-controlled cellular interventions. The lab maintains strong collaborations across disciplines and institutions, with research that contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellbeing.
Aman Saxena is a researcher at the Department of Computer Science in the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology at Technical University of Munich. His work focuses on geometric/categorical deep learning, robust machine learning, and quantum machine learning. Education: M.Sc. Computational Sciences and Engineering (2019-2023) Location: Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748 Garching b. Munich, Germany (Room 00.11.062) Research Interests: Geometric/Categorical Deep Learning Robust Machine Learning Quantum Machine Learning Bayesian Learning Efficient Machine Learning Code Analysis Recent Publications: Certifiably Robust Encoding Schemes (IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering - QCE 2024) Discrete Randomized Smoothing Meets Quantum Computing (IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering - QCE 2024)
Kanwarpal Singh serves as Group Leader and Head of the Microendoscopy Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in Erlangen, Germany. His research focuses on developing and applying advanced optical imaging techniques, particularly Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and related technologies, for biomedical applications. As part of the Max Planck Society, one of Germany's premier research organizations, his work bridges fundamental optical physics with clinical medicine. Dr. Singh's research interests center on biomedical optics and imaging, with particular expertise in endoscopic OCT, optical elastography, and polarization-sensitive imaging techniques. His work spans from developing novel optical systems and probes to applying these technologies in clinical settings for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Key areas include gastrointestinal imaging, dermatological applications, and neurological tissue characterization. His research demonstrates a consistent trajectory from fundamental optical engineering to translational medical applications, with particular emphasis on improving imaging depth, resolution, speed, and clinical usability. Analysis of Dr. Singh's recent publications (2021-2025) reveals a strong focus on overcoming technical limitations in biomedical imaging. His work addresses critical challenges including motion artifacts in in vivo measurements, depth of focus limitations, polarization sensitivity issues, and the development of portable, clinically practical systems. The research shows increasing clinical relevance, with applications spanning inflammatory bowel disease monitoring, esophageal tissue analysis, skin biomechanics, and central nervous system regeneration studies. Dr. Singh leads the Microendoscopy Research Group within the MPL's research structure. While specific lab details aren't provided in the text, his numerous publications describing novel probe designs and imaging systems suggest an active laboratory focused on optical system development, with strong connections to clinical collaborators for in vivo and patient studies. His research appears to involve both theoretical modeling and practical implementation of optical technologies.
Dr. Rosanne Rademaker is a Research Professor and Group Leader at the Rademaker Lab, part of the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) in Frankfurt, Germany, affiliated with Goethe University’s Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on understanding how sensation and cognition interact to shape human perception, particularly in visual working memory, attention, and physiological arousal states. Her lab employs behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, M/EEG) to explore how the brain balances perceptual input with stored memories. In addition to foundational work on memory and attention, the lab investigates context effects on perception, motor-output impacts on visual processing, and computational neural principles. Rosanne emphasizes collaborative, fun science, fostering an inclusive environment through outreach and international collaborations. Key recent work includes studies on categorical representations in the visual hierarchy and neural dynamics during memory recall. Lab Members: Giuliana Giorjiani (PhD), Noa Noelle Krause (MSc), Amit Rawal (PhD), Maria Servetnik (PhD), Nursima Ünver Aydingül (PhD). Grants & Collaborations: Mishal Qubad’s “Junior Clinician Scientist” grant on schizophrenia visual maps, international collaborations with Toronto and the Max Planck School of Cognition. Teaching: Lectures on “Introduction to Cognitive Psychology” at Goethe University. Publications highlight her work in Nature Neuroscience , eLife , and Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience , with over 30 peer-reviewed articles. The lab actively engages in conferences (VSS, ECVP) and hosts annual retreats to promote scientific exchange.
Wolfgang Stammer is a PostDoc researcher in the Machine Learning Group at TU Darmstadt's Computer Science Department. His work focuses on making AI models more interpretable and interactive, particularly in explainable AI (XAI), neuro-symbolic architectures, and systematic compositionality challenges in neural networks. He completed his Ph.D. in Machine Learning at TU Darmstadt (2019–2025), an M.Sc. in Computer Science at Goethe University Frankfurt (2016–2018), and a B.Sc. in Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück (2011–2015). Research Interests : Stammer's research bridges gaps between human understanding and AI capabilities. Key areas include: Explainable AI (XAI) and interactive machine learning (XIL) Neuro-symbolic integration for logical reasoning and visual concepts Mitigating shortcut learning and confounding factors in datasets Concept discovery and program synthesis for interpretable models Publications : His work spans foundational contributions to AI benchmarks (e.g., V-LoL, SLR-Bench) and frameworks (Neural Concept Binder, Revision Transformers). Recent studies highlight AI's limitations in systematic generalization and propose solutions for aligning reinforcement learning agents with human values. Grants & Labs : He contributes to the Machine Learning Lab at TU Darmstadt and co-organized workshops like the Interactive Machine Learning Workshop @ AAAI 2022. His research bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in healthcare and ethical AI systems.
Jignesh M. Patel is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA , with over 25 years of contributions to database systems, data analytics, and hardware-aware query processing. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical systems engineering. Research Interests span: Database systems optimization (query processing, transaction management) Hardware acceleration for analytics (eBPF, PIM, GPUs) Machine learning integration in databases (feature selection, model optimization) Efficient data structures (hashing, encoding, indexing) Multi-tenant and cloud database management Recent Work focuses on kernel-embedded databases (BPF-DB, 2025), memory-efficient dataframe processing (SplitDF, 2024), and algorithmic-hardware co-design for dense retrieval (DReX, 2025). He has pioneered techniques for adapting to data skew (VIP Hashing, 2022), leveraging static analysis in R optimization (ROSA, 2017), and rethinking benchmarking paradigms. Collaborations include key partnerships with: Systems researchers (Andrew Pavlo, José F. Martínez) Machine learning experts (Arun Kumar, Kevin Skadron) Education-focused colleagues (Adalbert Gerald Soosai Raj, Richard Halverson) Industry leaders (David J. DeWitt, Microsoft Research)
Giles Reger is a Senior Lecturer in the Formal Methods Group of the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester. He completed his BA in Computer Science at the University of Cambridge in 2009, followed by an MSc in Advanced Computer Science at the University of Manchester in 2010 (awarded Highest Achiever of the Year), and earned his PhD from the University of Manchester in 2014 with a thesis titled "Automata based monitoring and mining of execution traces". His research spans several key areas within computer science: Automated Theorem Proving (first-order) Saturation-based techniques Reasoning with theories and quantifiers Finite Model finding Collaborative and Concurrent proof attempts Runtime Monitoring/Verification Temporal specification languages Specification Mining/Inference Dr. Reger leads multiple EPSRC-funded research projects including SCorCH (Secure Code for Capability Hardware), CAPS (Collaborative Architectures for Proof Search), and QuTie (reasoning with Quantifiers and Theories). His work on the Vampire theorem prover and MarQ monitoring tool demonstrates his bridge between theoretical computer science and practical applications. Recent publications show strong focus on runtime verification, theorem proving, and program analysis with applications to security and performance monitoring. Notable awards: Highest Achiever of the Year Award for MSc studies Dr. Reger collaborates extensively with institutions including the University of Oxford, Arm, Amazon Web Services, and CERN (CMS Experiment). As Manchester lead on the SCorCH project, he develops formal analysis tools for security-aware hardware chips. His work on the VyPR framework enables developers to analyze Python program performance through temporal specification languages and monitoring algorithms.
Detlev Marpe is a leading researcher at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), serving as Head of the Video Coding & Analytics Department and Head of the Image & Video Coding Group. His work focuses on advancing video compression standards, including HEVC (H.265) and its extensions. He has contributed significantly to tools like entropy coding, transform coding, and scalable video coding. His research emphasizes efficient compression techniques, such as adaptive context models and wavelet-based methods, with applications in multimedia communication and low-delay video encoding. Affiliations: Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications HHI, Berlin, Germany Roles: Department Head, Research Group Leader, and Adjunct Lecturer at TU Berlin (2013/14) Research Interests: Video coding standards (HEVC, H.264/AVC), entropy coding (CABAC), wavelet-based compression, scalable video coding (SVC), multiview video coding (MVC), and rate-distortion optimization. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations, addressing challenges in compression efficiency, scalability, and real-time applications. Publications & Awards: Over 200 publications in top-tier journals and conferences, including IEEE Transactions and SPIE. Notable awards include the Chester Sall Best Paper Award and multiple Best Paper Awards from IEEE journals. His contributions to video coding standards have been adopted in global specifications like MPEG and ITU-T. Grants & Labs: Involved in major research projects on HEVC extensions, 3D video coding, and low-delay applications. Collaborates with industry partners and academic institutions globally. His team at HHI develops reference software and test models for emerging standards.
Dr. Katrin Vogt is a researcher at the University of Konstanz, specializing in neuroethology and sensory systems. Her work focuses on understanding recurrent neural circuits governing state-dependent behavior, particularly in olfactory systems of Drosophila larvae. She leads a subproject investigating hunger-dependent serotonergic modulation in the antennal lobe, collaborating with a doctoral student. Her research bridges vertebrate and invertebrate models to identify conserved network principles across species. Dr. Vogt is part of a DFG-funded interdisciplinary team examining recurrent circuits' roles in flexible behavioral responses to environmental changes. Her research interests include neural circuitry modulation, sensory integration, and behavioral plasticity. Key projects involve analyzing how sensory inputs are modulated by internal states like hunger, and how recurrent connections enable adaptive responses. She has contributed to studies on visual and olfactory memory formation, multisensory integration, and navigational strategies in Drosophila. Publications highlight work on dopamine signaling in taste punishment, social behavior in larvae, and cross-species odor coding principles. Her findings aim to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying sensory-driven behavior and neural plasticity in both vertebrates and invertebrates.
Jan Pfister is a researcher at the Chair of Data Science (Informatik X) , affiliated with the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Würzburg . Holding an M.Sc. in Computer Science from 2021, he contributes to the DMIR group while maintaining the BibSonomy platform. His work bridges Natural Language Processing and Deep Learning , with a focus on structured sentiment analysis and German language modeling. His research explores the integration of Large Language Models with Pointer Networks to extract fine-grained sentiment information. He has developed ModernGBERT , a German-only encoder model, and LLäMmlein , advancing NLP capabilities for the language. Pfister's recent publications highlight trends in encoder-decoder architectures, model-agnostic hallucination detection, and multi-label classification frameworks that refine LLM outputs. He has taught courses including Information Retrieval (SS '22), Text Mining (WS '23), and Selected Topics in Machine Learning (SS'21, WS '21, WS'24). His collaborative projects span medical informatics, human-AI interaction, and social media analysis, often involving interdisciplinary teams and real-world data.