Current research
Here is a selection of current research projects from my two main fields of research interest:
(1) How does our brain represent mental content in consciousness
I use multivariate decoding techniques (MVPA) for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify brain regions that code the content of consciousness during working memory delay phases. Togehter with colleagues and Prof. Dr. Felix Blankenburg from the Neuroimaging and Neurocomputation Unit (NNU) at the Freie Universität Berlin, I published several recent studies on tactile and cross-modal working memory
Inspired by the data I have collected over the last years, I am currently working on a “predicitve coding”-model of working memory.
(2) What are the brain mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness (ASC)
- The Altered States Database – www.asdb.info – Meta-analyses of different induction methods of altered states experiences, e.g. dose-response relationships
- Developing a Taxonomy for induction methods of altered states of consciousness
- Investigating the neuronal bases of non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness with functinal magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
ACTIVITIES/Talks/Workshops
Blog-Post [GERMAN] by the Wikimedia Foundation about the ASDB project
News-Blog by me on research related to the ASDB
Interview with me about the construction and the vision of the ASDB, by Leonard Ruedin (idelab.)
Videorecording of a presentation given at the ICPR2016 conference, Amsterdam
Videorecording of a presentation given at the Breaking Convention, London
Pitch [GERMAN] for a book chapter
Co-Organizer of the #DrugScience2017 conference @ Charité Berlin
Professional organizationS/Associations
I am currently member of the following professional scientific organizations/communities: