NeuroDoWo 2023

The ‘Neurobiology Doctoral Students Workshop’ (NeuroDoWo) is a meeting for doctoral students organized by doctoral students.

For over 30 years, this annual meeting has provided an open and inclusive platform for students in neuroscience and its related disciplines. At NeuroDoWo, doctoral students present their work, exchange ideas, and learn new skills. We discuss topics ranging from subcellular activity to the role of neurons in collective behaviour.

The 2023 edition of the NeuroDoWo was held in Konstanz; this provided a great opportunity to promote the Konstanz Neurobiology research among ambitious young researchers.

Read the conference report from the organizers below.

Bridging Minds, Expanding Horizons: NeuroDoWo's Triumph in Unifying Neuroscience and Collective Behavior

For over three decades, the Neurobiology Doctoral Students Workshop (NeuroDoWo) has been a beacon of inspiration and collaboration, organised by dedicated doctoral candidates. With a steadfast aim to engage and connect early career scientists from diverse neuroscientific backgrounds, both from Germany and abroad, this esteemed conference has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary communication and providing invaluable opportunities for young researchers to showcase and discuss their work. Through stimulating talks and scientific poster presentations, NeuroDoWo empowers aspiring scientists, enabling them to gain essential experience and actively participate in the vibrant exchange of ideas. NeuroDoWo nurtures a thriving community of young scientists, promoting multidisciplinary dialogue within neuroscience and related disciplines.

For a successful Konstanz edition of NeuroDoWo, our program encompassed diverse and interdisciplinary perspectives. The event featured five talk sessions and three poster sessions, providing ample opportunities for participants to present and discuss their doctoral projects. Furthermore, we were honoured to host four esteemed keynote speakers who covered various neuroscientific topics. Remarkably, the lineup of external speakers comprised three accomplished female researchers who delivered captivating presentations. Emily Baird (Stockholm University) illuminated the audience with her groundbreaking work on bumblebee sensory ecology and the effects of temperature on foraging and learning. Emilie Macé (University Medical Centre Göttingen) delved into the fascinating realm of distributed brain networks and their impact on behaviour using functional ultrasound imaging in mice. Irene Senna (Liverpool Hope University) shared insightful perspectives on sight restoration and the influence of multisensory experiences in shaping perception and action among human populations. To commence the event, we have carefully chosen a keynote lecture that exemplifies the unique strengths of research in Konstanz, specifically the investigation of mechanisms underlying collective animal behaviour and decision-making processes. With his captivating opening lecture, titled The Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour Lecture, Armin Bahl (University of Konstanz) showcased our institution's dedication to this fascinating field, providing valuable insights into his groundbreaking research on neuronal circuits for evidence accumulation and decision-making in larval zebrafish. Four excellent workshops - two on essential soft skills and two on cutting-edge technical skills - along with two presentations on a world beyond academia, completed the program of our NeuroDoWo edition.

Our meticulously designed scientific program attracted nearly 70 participants from over 20 outstanding international institutions. In line with the spirit of NeuroDoWo, we created ample opportunities for social and scientific networking, fostering future collaborations among researchers across all related disciplines, ranging from cellular and systems neuroscience to cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and clinical neuroscience. This spirit harmonises perfectly with the diverse and multidisciplinary research conducted at our Cluster of Excellence, the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior. To bridge the fields of neuroscience and collective behaviour, we extended our closing social event to all like-minded early career scientists from the CASCB community, thereby further encouraging interdisciplinary exchange. From a broader perspective, NeuroDoWo23 served as an outstanding platform for enhancing national and international visibility, particularly for the field of neurobiology, which will be a crucial component in preparation for the upcoming round of the Excellence Initiative.

It is a cherished tradition of NeuroDoWo that the responsibility of organising the workshop is passed on to the university with the largest number of participants. Therefore, we eagerly anticipate meeting everyone in Leipzig for the next year's editions. The organisation of this year's NeuroDoWo23 was undertaken by PhD students Ronja Bigge, Max Capelle, Andrea Gonsek, Yannick Günzel, Kavitha Kannan, and Katja Slangewal, with assistance from Kajal Kumari and August Paula. We sincerely thank the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior for their support that helped keep the participation fee as low as possible.

Report: NeuroDoWo organizers 2023