Michael Pecka

Michael Pecka is a Research Group Leader at the Division of Neurobiology within the Faculty of Biology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. As a Regular member of MCN and GSN full member, he leads the Pecka Lab which focuses on understanding neural mechanisms of real-world hearing through innovative behavioral paradigms and ecologically relevant contexts. The lab develops and utilizes novel experimental approaches to identify network representations, brain states, and defined behaviors during unrestricted self-motion.

Dr. Pecka's research centers on active audition during natural behavior, with particular interests in spatial hearing under real-world circumstances, the role of context for predictive coding, goal-oriented behavior during active sensing, and the circuits of selective listening. His lab has developed the Sensory Island Task (SIT), a groundbreaking behavioral paradigm that allows studying sensory perception and neural processing in freely moving animals. This paradigm has been extended to human subjects (SITh) to investigate active hearing in humans. His research vision aims to bridge the gap between minimalistic experimental conditions and ecologically relevant settings to better understand neural processing dimensionality in natural contexts.

Analysis of Dr. Pecka's publication record reveals consistent focus on auditory neuroscience with particular emphasis on spatial processing, neural coding mechanisms, and the relationship between self-motion and sensory perception. His work demonstrates a clear trajectory from basic neural mechanisms in the auditory brainstem toward more complex cognitive processes during natural behavior. The development of the SIT paradigm represents a significant methodological innovation that has enabled his team to study neural processing under conditions with greater ecological validity. Recent publications increasingly incorporate human subjects and mobile EEG technology, showing expansion of research scope toward translational applications.

Dr. Pecka actively mentors multiple students at various levels, including PhD candidates and Master's students. His lab includes both animal and human research components, with projects examining goal-oriented behavior, neural circuits of active listening, and the role of sound sources in path finding. The lab collaborates with other research groups within LMU and internationally, contributing to a broader understanding of auditory processing and its applications for improving hearing aids and cochlear implants.

The Pecka Lab operates as part of the Division of Neurobiology under Chair Prof. Grothe at LMU Munich. The lab environment fosters interdisciplinary research combining behavioral neuroscience, electrophysiology, computational analysis, and human psychophysics. Current team members include postdocs, PhD students, and Master's students working on various aspects of active sensing and auditory processing. The lab maintains strong connections with other neuroscience groups at LMU and participates in collaborative projects examining neural mechanisms across species.