Events

Professor Gašper Tkačik, PhD from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) will talk about “Information theory for instructed and self-organized development” during the MBExC / CIDBN Lecture on February 23rd, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the lecture hall at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3.

Abstract
Development relies on the ability of cells to reliably organize into patterns of different cell types that underlie the formation of tissues and organs, with or without the use of external cues. However, how to generically quantify the patterning performance of different developmental systems has remained unclear. We start by reviewing our past work that formalized positional information during externally-cued patterning in the language of bits. Our new work extends this concept to a wide range of self-organized developmental models. This information-theoretic approach allows us to derive ab initio predictions about biological systems, which we demonstrate on the gap gene network for early fruit fly development, as well as on models of lateral inhibition, cell type proportioning, and reaction-diffusion patterning.

Host: Prof. Dr. Fred Wolf, Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, University of Göttingen & MPI-DS

Poster of the talk:

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.

Hertha Sponer College Course (Internal Event/Registration required)

“Basics in Image Analysis using Python”

18–20 May 2026, 1 p.m – 5 p.m.
European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen

Supervisor: Antonio Politi, Facility for Light Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT)

The course prerequiste for participation in the upcoming HSC Course “Deep Leaning Image Analysis”

This course is organized by the Hertha Sponer College of the Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging (MBExC) and in cooperation with the Facility for Light Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen.

The 12th Biennial Neurizons Conference will take place on 19th until 22nd May 2026, at the MPI for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Faßberg-Campus (Germany).

This year we will welcome an exceptional group of scientists from the fields of Clinical Neuroscience, Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience, Systems & Cognitive Neuroscience, Theoretical & Computational Neuroscience, and Emerging Techniques in Neuroscience as our plenary speakers.
Confirmed speakers include Yukie Nagai, Ilka Diester, Sheila Nirenberg, Frank Winkler, Pieter Roelfsema, Helen Barron, and others.

As in previous years, we will host Poster Sessions and Young Scientist Talks, providing early-career researchers with opportunities to present their work and engage with peers. The conference will also include a Career Fair, bringing together professionals who have built careers outside academia, as well as professional development workshops focused on navigating and succeeding both within and beyond academia.

For the most up-to-date and official information regarding registration, schedule, speakers, workshops, and more, visit:https://www.neurizons.uni-goettingen.de/.

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.

Host: Jörg Enderlein (U GOE), MBExC
Local organizer: Alexander Egner (IFNANO)

Speaker: Thomas Burg, TU Darmstadt

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.

The Hertha Sponer College Lecture Series is addressed to interested students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and PIs. The overall idea is to fundamentally explain research by providing an overview about the general aims of the six MBExC Research Alliances with special focus on the specific techniques that are developed and applied. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 5 pm within the semester term, and are offered by MBExC PIs. Subsequent to lecture and discussion, Hertha Sponer College members have the opportunity to “Meet-the-PI” and each other for asking more specific or general questions, networking and socializing.