We study how cytoarchitecture, connectivity and functional dynamics mature across early life, working at the interface of microscopy, neuroimaging and computational modelling.
Based at INM-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and ERC.
Building multiscale models of the developing human brain.
Developmental changes in the human brain are profound and multi-factorial. We use multiscale frameworks to better understand how the cortex matures — and where that maturation goes awry in neurodevelopmental disorders.
We combine post-mortem data (histology and transcriptomics) with in vivo imaging (structural and functional MRI, intracranial EEG) to construct models that span these levels of organisation. Microstructure holds a special place in this work: a lynchpin between post-mortem and in vivo datasets, and a route to identifying overarching principles of cytoarchitectural organisation, such as large-scale cortical gradients.
We believe state-of-the-art neuroanatomy should be incorporated into workflows across neuroscience, from clinical research to building artificial intelligence — and we develop open tools and atlases toward that end.
Awards and recognition for the group.
Selected work from the group.
Exploration of the validity, reliability and replicability of in vivo microstructure profiles, alongside the release of the CortPro toolbox. Read the paper →
Probing perinatal cortical development using T1w/T2w profiling shows distinctive influences of gestational and postnatal durations on layer-wise maturation of myelin. Read the paper →
A deep-dive into the architecture of the default mode network, and how its anatomy accounts for its broad role in cognition. Read the paper →
A review of how recent MRI advances allow in vivo approximation of myelin content, and how to best capitalise on myelin-sensitive imaging. Read the paper →
A perspective on how microarchitecture can constrain network accounts of human cognition, beyond describing where functions occur. Read the paper →
A review of methods for integrating the BigBrain ultra-high-resolution histological atlas with multimodal neuroimaging, and the toolbox that combines them. Read the paper →
An ultra-high-resolution histological reconstruction shows the mesiotemporal lobe's dominant axis of differentiation follows the iso-to-allocortical transition. Read the paper →
A novel coordinate system of the human cortex built from an advanced connectivity model, linking cell-specific gradients to functional hierarchy. Read the paper →
Depth-dependent trajectories of intracortical myeloarchitecural development contribute to the maturation of structural hierarchies in the neocortex. Read the paper →
A novel approach for modelling microstructural profile similarity reveals a system-level gradient from primary sensory to limbic regions. Read the paper →
Open-source toolboxes.
Depth-wise variations in image intensity reveal architectonic differences across the cortex. CortPro is a standardised, validated procedure for generating microstructure profiles from either post-mortem stained tissue or MRI — wrapped as a single line of code.
View on GitHub →
BigBrain offers an ultra-high-resolution (20µm) volumetric reconstruction of a sliced and stained post-mortem human brain. BigBrainWarp integrates BigBrain with neuroimaging and other modalities: histological features and pre-transformed maps, code for data transformations, and extensive tutorials.
Documentation → · GitHub →The people of MuNe.
Where we work, and how to reach us.
Research at INM-7 centres on the relationship between the brain and behaviour. The institute specialises in integrating multi-modal neuroimaging data and using it to develop machine learning models of complex behavioural phenotypes. The Multiscale Neurodevelopment team is closely tied to the Biomarker Development group.
The Forschungszentrum is a leafy campus housing domain-expert scientists from across many fields, a short train ride from Aachen, Cologne and Düsseldorf.
We are very grateful for funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft via the Emmy Noether Programme.
