David Keays

Prof. David Keays serves as Chair of Organismal and Developmental Neurobiology within the Faculty of Biology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). He leads the Keays Lab, a core component of the Munich Center for Neurosciences (MCN) and Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), where he also holds a Scientific Board position. His research integrates advanced methodologies including 2-photon imaging, electrophysiology, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to address fundamental questions in sensory and developmental neuroscience.

Keays' research focuses on three interconnected domains: the biophysical mechanisms of animal magnetoreception, the role of microtubule mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders, and the evolutionary neurobiology of monotremes. His lab employs reductionist experimental approaches to investigate how magnetic fields are detected, how tubulin mutations disrupt neuronal migration, and why egg-laying mammals possess unique neural architectures. This work spans molecular genetics, cellular imaging, and comparative neuroanatomy.

Analysis of Keays' recent publications (2019-2025) reveals dominant research trajectories in avian magnetoreception mechanisms and tubulin-related neuropathologies. Key themes include cryptochrome protein function, iron-based magnetic sensing structures, and the developmental consequences of tubulin mutations. His work bridges quantum biology, clinical neurology, and evolutionary neuroscience, demonstrating consistent innovation in both conceptual frameworks and technical methodologies.

Scientific awards and honors are not documented in the available source materials.

Keays mentors doctoral candidates including Patrick Heisterkamp, Carolina Duro, Alexandra Vilceanu, and Thamari Kapuruge. His research program receives competitive funding, though specific grant details are not provided in the source texts. The lab actively contributes to graduate training through the GSN and maintains rigorous standards for data integrity and publication ethics.

The Keays Lab operates within LMU's Neurobiology department, maintaining specialized facilities for 2-photon imaging, single-cell sequencing, and transgenic model development. The team collaborates extensively with MCN and GSN affiliates, utilizing cerebral organoid systems and quantum magnetic imaging to advance understanding of sensory processing and neurodevelopment. Current infrastructure supports high-resolution in vivo imaging and molecular manipulation of neural circuits.