معرفی
Torkel Hafting is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oslo's Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, part of the Faculty of Medicine. He leads the Cortical Circuits Group and serves as Chair of the Physiology Section (since 2019). His research focuses on systems neuroscience, neural circuits, spatial/social memory, and perception, with a particular emphasis on perineuronal nets and their role in stabilizing neural networks. His work integrates electrophysiology, genetic engineering, and advanced microscopy to study how sensory information is processed and stored in neural networks.
He holds a Dr.Scient. in Physiology (2005) from the University of Oslo, following earlier degrees from the University of Oslo and the University Center in Svalbard. Key awards include the Fridtjof Nansen Award (2007) and the I.K. Lykkes Award (2006). He collaborates widely, including with CINPLA (Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity), the Leutgeb Lab (UC San Diego), and Simula Research Laboratory.
Hafting's teaching includes neurophysiology modules in medical education (MED1100, MED2200) and advanced courses like PSY4304 and MF9150. His research projects include the BrainChip initiative, a multidisciplinary effort to develop wireless brain probes for rodent studies, funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
Recent publications highlight breakthroughs in understanding perineuronal nets' role in grid cell stability, optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits, and topological analysis of visual cortex activity. His lab's tools (e.g., Exdir, Expipe) are widely used in neuroscientific data management.
