Research
The mission of N&F is to discover and delineate mechanisms and processes which are fundamental to the development of neural systems and to the control of behavior.
The theme 'Genes and Behavior' reflects our ambition to understand the function of specific genes in the developing and mature brain in relation to complex behaviors under normal and pathological conditions. 'Genes' stand for genetic make-up and gene products: proteins that act as cogwheels in biochemical machineries. We use genes as entry points to molecular regulatory networks that are essential for development, homeostasis and functional activity of the brain. 'Behavior' means all observable and quantifiable actions of an organism in response to internal and external stimuli. We use behavior as read-out of neurobiological processes of addiction and feeding, and as endophenotypes to find new genes.
The research program 'Genes and Behavior' is carried out on two platforms (Neurodevelopment and Neurobiology of Behavior) on which research groups with complementary disciplines and expertise collaborate.
