Florian Schmidt
I am PhD student in the Joesch group, where I investigate the neuronal dynamics of attention. To study this well known, but usually too broadly defined phenomenon, I am focusing on a specific subtype called visual selective attention. In particular, I am performing functional imaging studies of the Superior Colliculus (SC). This is an evolutionarily conserved midbrain structure known to be involved in the integration of visual information for reflexive-like behaviour as well the guiding of attention. The recent proof that mice possess powerful attentional capacities (Wang & Krauzlis, 2018) opened up many possibilities to use this model system and its vast molecular/genetic toolbox to inspect the neuronal correlates of attention in the SC with great detail.