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Anne Böckler-RaettigView profile

Professor

• Social Cognition
• Empathy
• Theory of Mind
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Anne Böckler-Raettig is a Professor for Research Methods & Social Cognition at the University of Würzburg's Faculty of Human Sciences. She leads an Emmy Noether Research Group and is involved in DFG projects like ContextualEYEze . Her roles include Deputy Chair of the local Ethics Committee, Co-Chair of the Diversity-AG, and Vertrauensdozentin of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes. Primary Affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Würzburg Research Leadership: Emmy Noether Research Group (2018–2025) DFG Project: ContextualEYEze (2024–2025) Academic Roles: Professor (2021–present), Juniorprofessorin (2015–2020) Her research spans social cognition, empathy, theory of mind, prosocial behavior, gaze processing, and the psychological effects of meditation. Recent articles highlight gaze direction's role in attention capture, emotion perception, and prosociality, alongside neural correlates of mental training. She explores clinical and developmental contexts, including trauma responses and cross-cultural stigma studies. Scientific awards include the prestigious Emmy Noether Fellowship (DFG). Her work appears in journals like Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews , Human Brain Mapping , and Emotion , reflecting interdisciplinary impact. Collaborations span institutions including Max-Planck Institutes and Princeton University.

• Probabilistic Programming
• Deep Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• +7 more

Jan-Willem van de Meent is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam where he co-directs the AMLab with Max Welling. He also maintains an Assistant Professor position at Northeastern University, though currently on leave while continuing to advise students and collaborate. His research develops AI models by combining probabilistic programming and deep learning, focusing on understanding inductive biases that enable models to generalize from limited data. His research spans multiple domains: Probabilistic programming frameworks and inference methods Inductive biases for generalization from limited data Physical system simulators incorporating domain knowledge Causal structure and symmetries in AI models Applications in robotics, NLP, healthcare, and physical sciences Van de Meent is one of the creators of Anglican, a probabilistic programming language based on Clojure, and currently develops Probabilistic Torch, a library for deep generative models extending PyTorch. He is writing a book on probabilistic programming (draft available on arXiv) and serves as co-chair of the international conference on probabilistic programming (PROBPROG). His recent publications show a strong trend toward developing more efficient inference methods for probabilistic models, exploring disentangled representations across vision and language domains, and applying these techniques to healthcare, robotics, and neuroscience. His work on nested variational inference, energy-based models, and state abstraction in reinforcement learning has been particularly influential. Awards and Recognition NSF CAREER award (2021) Van de Meent actively advises multiple PhD students and postdocs across interdisciplinary projects. His lab maintains strong collaborations with researchers in robotics, healthcare, neuroscience, and other scientific domains, applying advanced probabilistic modeling to challenging real-world problems. He also develops practical tools for the research community, making advanced inference techniques more accessible to practitioners.

• Interoceptive Inference
• Cardiac Neuroscience
• Predictive Coding
• +2 more

Amanda C. Marshall is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at LMU Munich's Department of Psychology. Her research investigates the electrophysiological mechanisms of interoceptive inference using EEG, focusing on heartbeat-brain interactions in emotional processing and motor control. Key findings demonstrate cardiac phase influences on distractor suppression and the role of facial expressions in interoceptive learning. Publications in Nature Communications and Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience explore predictive coding models of body-brain communication.

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Interoceptive Inference
• Neurophysiology
• +3 more

Dr. Amanda C. Marshall is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology (General and Experimental Psychology) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. She joined the lab in 2016 and holds a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from the University of Essex, Colchester, England. Her research focuses on the electrophysiological underpinnings of interoceptive inference, employing neuroscientific and psychophysiological methodologies. Affiliation: LMU Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, Room 2103A Her work bridges cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology, with a particular emphasis on understanding bodily signal processing through advanced electrophysiological techniques. No specific grants or awards are listed in the provided information.

Anil SethView profile

Professor

• Consciousness Science
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• +7 more

Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, where he serves as Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science. He is also Co-Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness. His research bridges psychology, philosophy, computer science, AI, physics, mathematics, psychiatry, and neurology to determine the biological basis of conscious experience. Dr. Seth completed his MA in Natural Sciences at Cambridge University in 1996, followed by an MSc in Knowledge-Based Systems and a DPhil in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence, both at the University of Sussex. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego from 2001-2006 before returning to Sussex. Seth's research is guided by two key principles: that consciousness science should account for properties of subjective experience in terms of neural mechanisms, and that basic experiences of conscious selfhood depend on close connections between brain and body. His lab develops mathematical measures of information flow and neuronal complexity as markers of conscious level, investigates how conscious perception depends on neural mechanisms underlying 'predictive processing' in the Bayesian brain, and explores how prediction of bodily signals underlies basic experiences of selfhood using virtual reality and psychophysiology. These insights are translated into new approaches for understanding disturbances of conscious experience in psychiatric disorders. His publications reveal a consistent focus on the neural basis of consciousness, with recent work expanding into consciousness in artificial intelligence, ethics of brain-computer interfaces, and stroboscopically-induced hallucinations. His research spans theoretical frameworks, empirical studies, and practical applications across multiple domains. Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2019-2024) Royal Society's Michael Faraday Prize (2023) Prospect Magazine Top 25 Thinkers for 2024 Royal Society Young People's Book Prize (2014) BBC Radio Drama Awards Best Single Drama (2016) 2019 KidSpirit Perspective prize 2023 Segerfalk Prize from the University of Lund Seth has received significant research funding including an EPSRC Leadership Fellowship, an ERC Advanced Investigator Grant, support from the Wellcome Trust, and funding from CIFAR. He was previously a Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow (2016-2020) and founding Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness (2014-2024). His book 'Being You: A New Science of Consciousness' (2021) became a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller and was named Book of the Year by multiple publications including The Economist and The New Statesman. His 2017 TED Talk has garnered over 15 million views and is among TED's most popular science talks. He leads the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science and collaborates extensively with international researchers, including through the CIFAR Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness. His work increasingly intersects with artists and creators, as evidenced by projects like Dreamachine, an innovative immersive experience combining art, neuroscience, architecture, and music.

Henrik WalterView profile

Professor

• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• +8 more

Henrik Walter is a Full Professor (W3) of Psychiatry with a focus on Psychiatric Neuroscience and Neurophilosophy at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. He serves as Director of the Mind and Brain Research Division and Deputy Medical Director (Research) at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte. Walter is also a faculty member at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain , a faculty member of the Bernstein Computational Center Berlin , and a principal investigator at the Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging . Clinical expertise: Schizophrenia and affective disorders Empirical research: Working memory, volition, reward mechanisms, emotion regulation, mentalization, imaging genetics, connectomics Philosophical research: Philosophy of mind, neurophilosophy, neuroethics, philosophy of psychiatry Research trends in his 15 most recent publications (2009-2024) emphasize connectome-based machine learning , dynamic network reconfiguration , self-control mechanisms , and predictive models for psychiatric relapse . His work explores the intersection of neural network organization , emotional processing , and philosophical frameworks in mental health. Walter oversees major projects including environMENTAL (data harmonization in large cohorts) and FOR5187 PREACT (personalized psychotherapy). His team actively trains students and researchers through internships, theses supervision, and doctoral programs.

Franziska KnolleView profile

Researcher

• Computational Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Clinical Neuroscience
• +15 more

Dr. Franziska Knolle is a Researcher and Principal Investigator at the Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM) . She leads the KnolleLab , focusing on computational and clinical neuroscience. She completed her Habilitation in Neuroscience in June 2024 and holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences. Education and Training: PhD, Max Planck Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig Habilitation in Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich (2024) Medical undergraduate studies (Physikum), TU Dresden Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow Research Interests: Dr. Knolle uses computational modeling, fMRI, EEG, and machine learning to study cognitive mechanisms in health and psychiatric disorders, especially psychosis. Her work is grounded in the framework of predictive processing and Bayesian inference , exploring how prior beliefs influence perception, decision-making, and language. She investigates whether computational parameters can predict psychiatric risk or functional outcomes, with a focus on schizotypy, autism traits, and glutamate neurochemistry. Publication Trends: Her recent publications span computational psychiatry, neuroimaging, and cognitive modeling. Key themes include predictive processing in psychosis, reward prediction errors, semantic prior weighting, neural circuitry of salience, and multimodal imaging (fMRI, EEG, MRS). Her work increasingly integrates AI and machine learning for digital phenotyping and biomarker discovery. Scientific Awards: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow Advising and Grants: Dr. Knolle supervises multiple PhD and medical doctorate students, including Elisabeth Sterner, Pritha Sen, and Onur Icin. She mentors students in computational modeling, neuroimaging, and clinical research. Her lab is supported by funding from competitive sources including DFG, DAAD, Marie Curie, and Leopoldina. She collaborates widely with institutions in the UK, Germany, and internationally. Labs and Teams: She leads the KnolleLab at TUM, which includes PhD students, medical researchers, and interns. The lab focuses on integrating computational models with multimodal brain data. She collaborates with researchers at the University of Cambridge, King’s College London, MRC CBU, and the University of Melbourne.

• Computational Neuroscience
• Social Cognition
• Mentalization
• +9 more

Niklas Georg Bürgi is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Computational Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, working in Peter Dayan's group. His research integrates behavioral experiments, neuroimaging, and computational modeling to understand social learning and interaction in both healthy individuals and those with mental disorders. Research Interests: His work centers on computational social cognition , particularly mentalization —the ability to infer others' thoughts—and how it adapts during reciprocal interactions. He investigates how these processes are altered in depression and other psychiatric conditions, combining clinical psychology with advanced neuroimaging and modeling techniques. His research bridges human and artificial intelligence, aiming to uncover mechanistic accounts of social inference. The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward understanding the neural and computational basis of social cognition , with applications in computational psychiatry . His work employs fMRI, machine learning, and game-theoretic paradigms to decode social belief updates and brain network dynamics in depression. Scientific Awards: Annual award for excellent scholarly work by the University of Zurich (for PhD dissertation) Advising and Grants: While no formal students or grants are listed, his research has been supported through institutional funding at the Max Planck Institute and the Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics. He has collaborated with leading researchers in neuroeconomics and clinical psychiatry, suggesting active involvement in interdisciplinary projects and mentorship through research collaboration. Labs and Teams: He is currently part of Peter Dayan’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics. Previously, he was a PhD student in Christian Ruff’s group at the Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics (ZNE). His work has involved collaborations with teams in psychodynamic therapy research, neuropsychopharmacology, and healthy aging, indicating a broad interdisciplinary network.