Schräge Slider Startseite

Schräge Slider Startseite

Get to know the Bernstein Network!

Get to know the Bernstein Network!

Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience

Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience

Schräge Slider Startseite

Schräge Slider Startseite

Search and find our scientists now!

Search and find scientists now!

Find a Scientist

Find a Scientist

Schräge Slider Startseite

Schräge Slider Startseite

Bernstein Conference 2026

Bernstein Conference 2025

Bernstein Conference

Bernstein Conference

Welcome

The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience connects experimental and theoretical scientists. It comprises more than 200 research groups and 450 individual scientists from all over the world who combine experimental neuroscientific approaches with theoretical models and computer simulations.

The Bernstein Network was launched in 2004 through a major funding initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) which aimed at advancing the transfer of theoretical knowledge to clinical and technical applications. The network is named after the German physiologist and biophysicist Julius Bernstein (1839-1917).

News

Freiburg, Germany – August 6, 2026

From planning to action: Fundamental insights on movement planning in the brain

Which neurons in the brain control movements, and how? This question was addressed by a team of researchers from the fields of neuroscience and artificial intelligence in a study conducted on an animal model at the interdisciplinary research centre BrainLinks-BrainTools at the University of Freiburg. The findings, now published in the journal Cell Reports, could help to improve the precision of mind-controlled prostheses.

Potsdam / Darmstadt, Germany – August 18, 2026

Decisive despite Parkinson’s

Dopamine regulates our motivation, mood, and drive — and thus also our learning and decision-making abilities. In Parkinson's disease, a progressive dopamine deficiency plays a central role. In a new study, researchers from HMU Health and Medical University and TU Darmstadt have now examined the connection between decision-making processes and the administration of dopamine-enhancing medications in more detail. Their findings have been published in the renowned journal Science Advances.

Göttingen, Germany – August 5, 2026

Beyond COVID-19: Fundamental principles that shape pandemics

Pandemics follow common fundamental principles despite their differences. The course of pandemics arises from the interplay of biological, mathematical, and social mechanisms. Understanding these principles can improve preparedness and response to future pandemics.

Bonn, Germany – July 17, 2026

Hunting for new angles: New Henriette Herz Scouts at the University of Bonn

New research questions often arise where different methods, mindsets and subject-specific cultures meet, and it is these kinds of encounter that Bernstein member Professor Tatjana Tchumatchenko and her Bonn colleague Professor Elvira Mass want to make happen in a targeted way in future. The two researchers have been picked as Henriette Herz Scouts by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Events



ASPP2026: 18th Advanced Scientific Programming in Python Summer School

30.08. – 06.09.2026

Prague, Czechia

Summer school

Scientists spend a significant amount of time writing, maintaining and debugging software. While techniques for doing this efficiently have evolved, only few scientists have been trained to use them. They end up being overwhelmed by the coding challenges they face and keep re-inventing the wheel. In the hope to free more time for research they increasingly rely on generative AI, which may produce runnable code without the need to fully understand it. Such code can neither be reused nor trusted to work correctly and, as a result, scientists are hesitant to share it and publish it. In this course we will present a selection of advanced programming techniques and best practices which are standard in the industry, but especially tailored to the needs of a programming scientist. Lectures are interactive and allow participants to acquire direct hands-on experience with the topics. Participants will work in pairs throughout the school and will team up to practice the newly learned skills in a real programming project — an entertaining computer game. We use the Python programming language for the entire course. This school is targeted at PhD students, postdocs and more senior researchers from all fields, who do a lot of programming in their academic life, but were never taught how to do so properly. Competence in programming and basic knowledge of Python and git is assumed. Participants are required to work through the proposed introductory material before.

Bernstein Conference

BC26_Registration_Web

Register Now

BC26_Schedule_web

Detailed Schedule

BC26_Announcement_Web

Bernstein Conference 2026

Become a Member

The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience supports science, research and education in computational neuroscience, and disseminates research themes and findings to the public. Everyone who is active in the field of computational neuroscience or related subjects can become a member of the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience.

Job Offers

Faculty positions

Professor and Head of Department – Physiology

Faculty positions

Professor in Artificial Intelligence (Computer Science)

Faculty positions

Professor in Artificial Intelligence (Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing)

Further Job Offers

Stay informed

As a quarterly digest, the public bulletin informs about exciting new topics in computational neuroscience and summarizes the news of the Bernstein Network for the scientifically interested public. The public bulletin is in German only. Register now!

Calls

The Brain Prize

The Brain Prize is an international award that recognises and celebrates highly original and groundbreaking advances in any area of brain research, from basic neuroscience to applied clinical research. The window for nomination is open from May 1 to September 1 every year.

Deadline: 01.09.2026

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

The objective of PFs is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The Postdoctoral Fellowships action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors.

Deadline: 09.09.2026

Hilde Domin Programme

The programme serves to support students and doctoral candidates from across the globe, who are at risk of being formally or de facto denied educational or other rights in their country of origin, and to provide these students and doctoral candidates with an opportunity to begin or complete a study or research degree at a higher education institution in Germany. Students and doctoral candidates funded under the programme will receive a scholarship for a degree course of personal choice and according to individual qualifications. The scholarship is sufficient to cover the necessary costs incurred during their study or research stay. The long-term goal of the scholarship programme is to enable students and doctoral candidates to complete their higher education studies / respective research project in a secure environment, to be able to contribute towards meaningful political, economic as well as social development in their countries of origin (respectively in Germany or third countries) upon completion of their studies in Germany. The beneficiaries of the scholarship programme will further be qualified through participation in interdisciplinary trainings.

Deadline: 15.09.2026