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Graduate student from Budapest investigating the neural networks that control emotional behaviour and learning in mice. Part-time science journalist covering neuroscience, psychology and more.   Ákos recently is a member of Social Brain Lab led by Christian Keysers

In 2005, I obtained an MSc degree in biology at ELTE and started my PhD studies at Semmelweis University's Doctoral School of Neuroscience. From 2002 until obtaining the PhD degree (2011), I worked in dr. József Haller's research group and acquired the basic methods of behavioral research. During this period, I investigated the behavioral aspects of stress reactions. In my PhD thesis, I examined the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on the development of addiction. In 2009, I learned anatomical techniques in Prof. Carl Petersen's lab (EPFL, Lausanne). I took part in the examination of the whisker system and we established that the sensory cortex has a fast motor function. In my postdoctoral years, in dr. Norbert Hájos’ group, I investigated the electrophysiological properties of amygdalar interneurons using in vitro electrophysiological methods. Since 2015, I have been working with dr. Ferenc Mátyás in the Network and Behavior Neurobiology research group. Here, as a behavioral neurobiologist, I investigate neurobiological mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal cognitive processes using anatomical, optogenetic, chemogenetic and behavioral research methods.

Aletta is a PhD student in János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences under thesupervision of Ferenc Mátyás. Aletta is interested in understanding mechanisms in medialthalamus-prefrontal cortex circuit regarding wakefulness and salience. Before pursuing herdoctoral studies, she completed her MA in Eötvös Loránd University, during which time she wasalso a graduate researcher at Ex Vivo Electrophysiology Group with Sándor Borbély. Aletta’sgraduate studies mainly focused on ex vivo epilepsy examination. In this lab, Aletta aims to study the functional connectivity between the midline thalamus and medial prefrontal cortex in the course of the salience network, which is a hot topic nowadays. Aletta has a key part in implementation of the in vivo acute urethane anaesthetized extracellular electrophysiological recordings and in the chronic freely moving tetrodes implantations in different mouse brain area. Furthermore, Aletta in her free time hold scientific and educational lectures during scientific events. In addition, to research, Aletta pay close attention to current world events, and if she have any possibility Aletta trying to get involved them. For these reason she was a volunteer in the Hungarian national COVID-19 screening and vaccination of the population. Outside of the lab Aletta enjoys hiking, cooking, baking, wine tasting, and classical music.

I began working in the Neural Network and Behavior Research Group in 2019 as an undergraduate student. I learned about traditional and viral tracing techniques, as well as immunhistochemical approaches in mice. I can use the epifluorescent and confocal microscopes with confidence. Now I’m also trying to master electrophysiological techniques and programming languages with the help of my colleagues and supervisors.

Sándor Borbély works as research fellow in the Institute of Experimental Medicine of HUN-REN. He graduated in the Eötvös Loránd University of Science, and he received his PhD degree in the Ex vivo microelectrophysiology group headed by Dr Ildikó Világi. As a young postdoc he worked at the Institute of Physiology in Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz in the laboratory of Prof. Heiko Luhmann. Later he became a member of Dr Péter Barthó's Sleep Oscillations Research Group at the Research Centre for Natural Sciences. He received his habilitation degree in 2021 at the Eötvös Loránd University of Science.  Main topics of his research work related to epilepsy and sleep, most recently he investigates absence epilepsy using electrophysiological methods.

Peter is currently finishing his PhD at the János Szentágothai Doctoral School ofSemmelweis University. Before academia, he studied Physics as a bachelor at EötvösLoránd University (ELTE) and Cognitive Science as master at the Budapest Universityof Technology and Economics (BME). He started working at the Institute ofexperimental Medicine during the second year of his bachelor, when he gainedapplication to the laboratory of Attila Gulyás as a student researcher. Here, helearned the nuts and bolts of acute slice electrophysiology. His main focus was onhippocampal inhibitory neurons, epileptic inter-ictal events and sharp wave-rippleactivity. Peter started his PhD project in 2018, which was inspired by a collaborationbetween the Gulyás Lab and the Neuroimmunology Lab of Ádám Dénes, where heinvestigated microglial cell behavior in acute slice preparations and their influence onneuronal networks and neuronal activity. After 8 years spent in doing in vitroelectrophysiology, he recently joined the lab of Ferenc Mátyás, where his aim is tolearn the nuts and bolts of in vivo electrophysiology as well, while his focus is oninvestigating intra-amygdalar, thalamo-amygdalar and thalamo-collicular circuits.