Harald Luksch

Harald Luksch is Professor and Chair of Zoology at the Department of Animal Sciences, Technical University of Munich (TUM). He serves on the MCN advisory Board and holds full membership and Scientific Board positions within the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN).

His research centers on sensory integration in the vertebrate midbrain, using chicken as a primary model. The midbrain functions as a central hub for sensorimotor integration, constructing multimodal sensory maps that enable rapid behavioral responses. Key investigations include bottom-up attention control, stimulus competition mechanisms, target detection processes, and network dynamics during self-movement, with specific emphasis on the tecto-isthmic circuitry.

Analysis of his 2013-2018 publications reveals consistent focus on avian midbrain circuitry, particularly optic tectum organization and cross-modal sensory processing. The work integrates neuroanatomical mapping, electrophysiological recordings, and behavioral analysis to dissect how neural networks encode spatial information and mediate attentional selection in vertebrates.

Professor Luksch has mentored doctoral researchers including:

• Hamed Yeganegi
• Maximilian Bothe

His laboratory at TUM's Freising-Weihenstephan campus maintains active research programs investigating midbrain function in avian species, with particular expertise in tectal network dynamics and multisensory integration mechanisms.