Martin Heinsenberg - Curriculum vitae#

Martin Heisenberg, Prof. Dr., emeritus (since 1.10. 2009)
Dept. Genetics and Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Biozentrum, Würzburg

Education:

• 1959 Abitur, Maximiliansgymnasium, Munich
• 1964 Diplom in Chemistry, Tübingen University
• 1966 Ph.D., Biochemistry, Tübingen University
• 1966-68 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, California, Institute of Technology (with Max Delbrück)

Research and Professional Experience:

• 1968-75 Assistent at Max Planck Institut für biologische Kybernetik, Tübingen (Abt. K.G. Götz)
• 1975 Visiting Research Fellow, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 1975- Professor of Genetics, Head of Department (Lehrstuhl) of Genetics, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Würzburg University, (since 1992: Biozentrum; Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften; Lehrstuhl für Genetik; since 2000: Lehrstuhl für Genetik und Neurobiologie)
• 1986-87 Cornelius Wiersma Visiting Professor of Neurobiology California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA
• 1997 Ida Beam Visiting Professor, University of Iowa
• 2008-1-10 Prof. emeritus
• 2008 Visiting Professor, Janelia Farm Research Campus, HHMI
• 2007-2010 Stiftungsrat , of Leibnitz-Institute for Neurobiology
• 2008-2012 Hochschulrat, Technische Universität Ilmenau

Memberships and Honours:

• 1976- European Molecular Biology Organization
• 1983 International Society of Neuroethology
• 1984 Gesellschaft für physikalische Biologie
• 1989- Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina
• 1998 Academia Europaea
• 1999 Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen
• 2001 Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften
• 2006 Karl-Ritter-von-Frisch-Medal
• 2009 Dr. h.c. Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
• 2007-2010 President, International Society of Neuroethology

Editorial work:

• 1983-1989 Editorial Board, J. Neurogenetics
• 1989- Associate Editor, J. Neurogenetics
• 1990- Editorial Board, Neuroscience Research
• 1993- Editorial Board, Learning & Memory
• 2001- Editiorial Board, Genes, Brain and Behavior

Research profile:

Since 1968 Martin Heisenberg investigates brain and behaviour of Drosophila, trying to make use of genetics in neuroethology. His early studies of the fly visual system are summarized in a book "Vision in Drosophila" (1984; with R. Wolf). He currently focuses on visual pattern recognition, the localization of memory traces, the role of initiating activity in operant conditioning, selective attention, and motivation. His goal is to establish a basic behavioral model of the brain.