Mark Hübener

Mark Hübener is a Professor and Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, with significant affiliations to Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) as a board member of the Munich Center for Neurosciences (MCN) and the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN). His research centers on the mammalian visual system, investigating neural plasticity, development, and functional organization using advanced mouse models.

Research Focus: The Hübener Lab employs dual approaches of functional/structural imaging and behavioral analysis to dissect how visual input manipulations reshape cortical circuits. Key investigations include binocular disparity mapping, monocular deprivation effects, sensorimotor integration during natural behaviors (e.g., prey capture), and experience-dependent structural changes in neuronal connectivity. The lab specializes in linking cellular-level alterations to system-wide functional outcomes in visually guided behavior.

Publication Trends: Recent work (2009-2019) demonstrates consistent focus on cortical plasticity mechanisms, evolving from structural circuit analysis (2009) to complex behavioral paradigms (2012, 2016) and high-resolution mapping of visual processing (2019). Publications span top-tier journals including Nature, Science, and Neuron, emphasizing translational relevance in neural repair and sensory processing disorders.

Advising: Through the GSN, Hübener has mentored multiple graduate students including Sandra Reinert, Danielle Paynter, Matthew McCann, and Sabine Liebscher, focusing on interdisciplinary neuroscience training at the intersection of imaging, behavior, and circuit analysis.

Laboratory: The Synapses – Circuits – Plasticity/Visual System Plasticity department at the MPI provides state-of-the-art infrastructure for in vivo two-photon imaging, behavioral tracking, and circuit manipulation techniques, enabling comprehensive investigation of visual system organization across multiple spatial and temporal scales.