Events for the Public

On November 6, 2025, the Berlin Excellence Clusters came together for a vibrant Science Slam as part of Berlin Science Week – and the evening was a great success! The event showcased the entertaining side of science, bringing together a full house of curious minds and an enthusiastic audience.

Researchers from the seven Clusters took the stage to present their work in creative and humorous ways, proving that cutting-edge science can also be fun and accessible. Around 200 guests gathered at Roadrunner’s Paradise to cheer on the slammers and enjoy the lively performances.

^{ScienceSlam 2025 at Roadrunner's Paradise}

Representing NeuroCure, Yangfan Peng impressed the audience with the talk “Soccer Tactics in the Brain: How Nerve Cells are Connected in the Human Brain.” All presentations were outstanding, but in the end, Anushka Ghosh from UniSysCat took first place with her winning performance “Who let the Hemes out? Who? Who? Who?”

A big thank-you goes out to all participants, the organizing teams from the Excellence Clusters, and everyone who joined us for an inspiring and entertaining night of science!

As part of the “NeuroTalk – Science meets Public” series organized by the Excellence Cluster NeuroCure, ReTune researchers Dr. Lucia K. Feldmann and Dr. Jeroen Habets, together with NeuroCure scientist Prof. Dr. Andrea A. Kühn, hosted an event focused on neuromodulation.

Prof. Dr. Andrea Kühn, spokesperson of the CRC and head of the Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation section, welcomed the approximately 40 participants and opened the evening with an overview of recent developments. Dr. Lucia K. Feldmann then presented the latest findings in electrophysiological research. The first discussion round covered experiences with non-motor symptoms, including neuropsychiatric challenges and multitasking, as well as initial insights into adaptive deep brain stimulation (DBS). This was followed by Dr. Jeroen Habets’ update on home monitoring approaches.

The concluding sessions fostered active exchange: patients provided valuable feedback on study organization and communication and jointly discussed unmet needs from their perspective with the researchers.

NeuroTalk created an inspiring and productive dialogue between science and practice. The positive feedback from patients underscored the vital importance of transparent science communication - not only as a responsibility of researchers but also as a unique opportunity to integrate the expertise and lived experience of patients directly into the research process.

The Berlin Brains lecture series is jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center, the Sonderforschungsbereich 1315 (SFB 1315) and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN Berlin).

If you missed the Berlin Brains talks in 2025, you can still watch them on YouTube:

Rauschen im Kopf - Entladungen unserer Nervenzellen treten nicht nur signalgesteuert, sondern auch spontan auf. Hat dieses Grundrauschen eine Funktion?
Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Benjamin Lindner - Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience & Institut für Theoretische Physik der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Jakob Stubenrauch - Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience & Institut für Theoretische Physik der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Exploring the Brain’s Cell Types and Communication Mechanisms
Speaker:
Dr. Melissa Herman - Institut für Neurophysiologie der Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Seulkee Yang - Institut für Neurophysiologie der Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Heißer Sand und Eis am Stiel - Wie unser Gehirn Temperatur erkennt
Speaker:
Dr. Svenja Steinfelder - Max-Delbrück-Centrum für molekulare Medizin in der Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (MDC)
Gamze Güney - Max-Delbrück-Centrum für molekulare Medizin in der Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (MDC)

Berlin Brains: Small Sounds, Big Impact
Speaker:
Prof. Claudia Männel, Leiterin der Forschungsgruppe Frühkindliche Sprachentwicklung der Klinik für Audiologie und Phoniatrie an der Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Clara Menze, Doktorandin der Forschungsgruppe Frühkindliche Sprachentwicklung der Klinik für Audiologie und Phoniatrie an der Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin

How memories are consolidated - A layered view of systems
Speaker:
Prof. Matthew Larkum, Head of Neuronal Plasticity at the Institute of Biology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Spokesperson for the Collaborative Research Center 1315 Mechanisms and Disturbances in Memory Consolidation: from Synapses to Systems
Dr. Timothy Zolnik, senior Postdoctoral Researcher in the Larkum Lab (Neuronal Plasticity), at the Institute of Biology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

On June 28, 2025, our Pub Quiz was a highlight of this year’s Long Night of Sciences, bringing together curious minds for an evening full of challenging questions and team spirit.

Teams enthusiastically tackled a diverse range of quiz questions inspired by cutting-edge research from Berlin’s Clusters of Excellence. From mathematics and artificial intelligence to chemistry, global literature, and political science, the quiz offered something for every inquisitive mind.

Pub quiz 2025 at LNDW

Participants formed creative teams, brainstormed late into the night, and competed for fantastic prizes. The atmosphere was vibrant, with plenty of fun and new knowledge gained. In the end, winners walked away not only with prizes but also with wonderful memories.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us and made this event so special. We are already looking forward to welcoming you again at next year’s Long Night of Sciences on June 6, 2026!

Organized by:
UniSysCat | Science of Intelligence | SCRIPTS Berlin | Matters of Activity I Temporal Communities | MATH+ & NeuroCure.

On June 18, 2025, for the second year in a row, researchers from NeuroCure and Soapbox Science Berlin teamed up for a schoolyard event for 10th graders at the Peter Ustinov School in Berlin to ignite curiosity among high school students from diverse backgrounds about science, and spark interest in science as a possible career.

At the event, students heard about scientific projects and career paths, tried their hand at typical lab tasks in a Lab Olympics (kindly loaned by the Max Delbrück Center), and performed a brief guided study showing the role of randomization and blinding to reduce bias in experimental design.

Find out more about the Soapbox Science in the Schoolyard project here.

On Sunday, June 15, 2024, Soapbox Science Berlin once again highlighted diversity in science with an event at Holzmarkt 25. Twelve scientists from various disciplines engaged with the audience through captivating talks about their scientific projects. Representing the neurosciences this year were Annu Kala (Schmitz Lab, Charité) and Augustina Aragón Draud (Forschungszentrum Jülich).

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsors of the event.

Speakers: Laura van Zantwijk, Annika Tjuka, Annu Kala, Ashton Laura Dickerson, Mónica Bárcenas Pazos, August Muller, Augustina Aragón Draud, Eleni Tzirita Zacharatou, Ray Urmimala Routray, Soniya Shende, Anika Sander, Sonia Kertalli

From March 10 to 16, 2025, NeuroCure, together with the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin and other partner institutions, participated in the international Brain Awareness Week. The week-long event aimed to make the latest findings in brain research accessible to the general public and to foster dialogue between science and society.

This year’s program offered a diverse range of activities:

In the “Visit the Lab” series, participants gained insights into the daily work of renowned Berlin neuroscientists through film presentations, learning how modern methods, from neuronal communication and optogenetics to clinical applications like deep brain stimulation—advance brain research.

A special highlight was the “Excellence Pub Quiz,” where Berlin’s Clusters of Excellence, including NeuroCure, invited audiences to join in entertaining and challenging quizzes based on their research fields.


^{BAW 2025}

Additionally, lectures, panel discussions, and film screenings covered topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, decision-making, and sensory perception.

NeuroCure has been actively involved in the Brain Awareness Week for many years and is pleased with the strong interest and enthusiastic participation. Further information and reviews of past events are available on our website.

On March 10, 2025, during the Brain Awareness Week, the quiz series “excellent pub quiz” of the Berlin Clusters of Excellence started at the Fahimi Bar in Kreuzberg.

Each cluster hosts a quiz evening (usually on the 1st or 2nd Monday of the month between March and November 2025), starting with NeuroCure.
In the quiz, participants were asked exciting, funny and surprising questions from all research areas of the Berlin Clusters of Excellence. From physics to literature, from biology to sociology - there was something for everyone.

Two half-twos were played. In addition to questions from the areas of all seven Clusters of Excellence, the focus of the questions in this quiz was on the neurosciences, including a “live contribution” from neuroscientist Laura Göschel.

The first pub quiz evening was a great success. We are already looking forward to the next ones.

The clusters focus on: application-oriented mathematics (MATH+), literary research (Temporal Communities), intelligent systems (Science of Intelligence), catalysis and green chemistry (UniSysCat), liberal order (SCRIPTS), materials research (Matters of Activity), and neuroscience (NeuroCure).

The brain is the most complex organ of our body. How does it work, how do you research it and how do you actually become a neuroscientist? These were the questions 15 girls aged 13-16 asked themselves at this year's Girls' Day on April 3, 2025.

To provide the girls an overview into everyday research, three NeuroCure scientists presented their research areas. In the lab, they demonstrated what flies have to do with brain research and how the brain hepls us to navigate a labyrinth.

They also talked about why they chose this profession, what they like about it and what they might have imagined to be completely different. We were delighted with the great interest and the many questions

The Berlin Brains lecture series is jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center, the Sonderforschungsbereich 1315 (SFB 1315) and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN Berlin).

If you missed the Berlin Brains talks in 2024, you can still watch them on YouTube:

Dein Gehirn hört immer zu
Speaker:
Dr. Livia de Hoz - Neurowissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum (NWFZ), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Carolin Gehr - Neurowissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum (NWFZ), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Nervennahrung - wie das Gehirn Appetit kontrolliert
Speaker:
Dr. Rachel Lippert - Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) I Leiterin der Nachwuchsgruppe Neuronale Schaltkreise
Dr. Robert Chesters - Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE)

Hirnschrittmacher - Eine Frage der Einstellung?
Speaker:
Dr. Lucia Feldmann, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Dr. Jan Roediger, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Unruhiger Blick, stabile Sicht: Die Kameraarbeit unserer Augen
Speaker:
Prof. Martin Rolfs, AG Aktive Wahrnehmung und Kognition am Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Dr. Nina Hanning, AG Aktive Wahrnehmung und Kognition am Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Sex and Gender in Mental Health: Why Sex Matters
Speaker:
Dr. Hanna Hörnberg - Research Group Leader of the "Molecular and Cellular Basis of Behavior" lab at the Max Delbrück Center 
Dr. Tobias Pohl - Max Delbrück Center 

On June 22, 2024, Berlin's scientific institutions opened their doors for the Long Night of Sciences. The varied, evening-long program attracted numerous visitors.

Our special highlight was the "Excellent Pub Quiz" - organized by the Berlin Clusters of Excellence - which was a lot of fun and very popular.

Participants were able to immerse themselves in the fascinating research worlds of the clusters, answer tricky questions and win exciting prizes. The quiz rounds were not only educational, but also entertaining and encouraged the exchange of ideas about different fields of scientific research.

The atmosphere during the pub quiz was lively and full of enthusiasm. Many teams formed spontaneously and the collaborative and competitive spirit contributed to the good mood.

We are already looking forward to next year and would like to thank everyone who took part in the evening's quiz with such enthusiasm.

On Saturday, June 8, 2024, 3-7 p.m. Soapbox Science Berlin once again highlighted diversity in science with an event at Holzmarkt 25. The event offered 12 scientists from various disciplines a platform to engage with the audience through captivating talks about their scientific projects. Representing the neurosciences this year was Fiona O'Donovan (AG Heim, Charité).

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsors of the event.

Speakers: Larissa Souza Arantes, Harihar Jaishree, Audrey Kahn, Maria Kallimani, Sarah Kramer, Ana Lomashvili, Annita Louloupi, Marjan Mirahmadi, Fiona O’Donovan, Isabela Recio, Eleftheria Saplaoura, Ahuvit Trumper

Speaker E. Saplaoura (Photo E. Martinez Ruiz)

This year Soapbox Science Berlin and NeuroCure teamed up on a new project to reach out to high school students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to foster curiosity about science and spark interest in science as a possible career.

More information you will find here.

The brain is the most complex organ of our body. How does it work, how do you research it and how do you actually become a neuroscientist? These were the questions 15 girls aged 13-16 asked themselves at this year's Girls' Day on April 25, 2024.

To provide the girls an overview into everyday research, three NeuroCure scientists presented their research areas. In the lab, they demonstrated what fish and flies have to do with brain research and what we can learn from our blood.

They also talked about why they chose this profession, what they like about it and what they might have imagined to be completely different. We were delighted with the great interest and the many questions.

The International Brain Awareness Week, held from March 12th to March 17th, was an inspiring celebration of neuroscience hosted by NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences in collaboration with other esteemed Berlin science institutions. The week-long event featured a diverse array of activities including captivating lectures, an enlightening exhibition, and the kick-off session of the NeuroTalk – Wissenschaft meets Öffentlichkeit series.

At the Charité Campus Mitte's CCO, attendees were treated to the visually stunning exhibition titled "The Beautiful Mind," showcasing captivating large-format photographs of microscopic images, including breathtaking depictions of neurons captured at leading neuroscience facilities worldwide, alongside remarkable images crafted by NeuroCure scientists.

The kickoff event for the NeuroTalk series, held on March 11th, focused on myasthenia gravis. Approximately 70 participants had the opportunity to delve into the latest research findings through informative presentations, laboratory tours, and interactive workshops. These workshops fostered valuable discussions on patient needs and solicited innovative ideas for potential research projects. Encouraged by its resounding success, plans are underway for future events in fall 2024, focusing on autoimmune encephalitis.

On March 12th, Chris Baldassano presented his talk titled "Using prior knowledge to construct neural representations, make predictions, and encode memories". Drawing from recent research in his lab, Baldassano showcased a blend of behavioral, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging techniques to elucidate the mechanisms underlying our ability to harness temporal structure for predictive processing and memory consolidation.

On March 14th, the BerlinBrains lecture titled “Nerve Food - How the Brain Controls Appetite” captivated audiences with presentations by Rachel Lippert and Robert Chesters from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam Rehbrücke (DIFE).

The resounding success of all events underscores the vibrant enthusiasm for neuroscience within our community.

The kick-off event for the NeuroTalk event series took place in March 2024. The focus was on the disease myasthenia gravis. Around 70 patients/relatives had the opportunity to listen to presentations on the latest research findings and take part in laboratory tours or workshops. In the workshops, needs from the patient's perspective were discussed and ideas for possible research projects were gathered. Due to the great success, further events are planned.

Link to the trailer