Neuronal input-output computation and mechanisms of cognition in health and disease

Prof. Heinz Beck

Principal Investigator

Phone: +49-228-6885-270

Email: heinz.beck@ukbonn.de

Address:

Life & Brain – Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Germany

Education
2001 Habilitation, Neurophysiology, University of Cologne
1994 Doctor of Medicine, University of Cologne, Summa cum Laude
1989-1994 Medical School, University of Cologne, Germany

Current Positions
2014- Chair, Program Project SFB 1089 ‚Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease‘ (20 PIs, Funding 11 Mio €, www.sfb1089.de)
2011- Professor of Experimental Epileptology (W3), University of Bonn, Germany
2005- Parallel appointment, Head, NeuroPlasticity Translational Research Unit, Life & Brain GmBH

Previous Positions
2004-2011 Professor of Experimental Epileptology (C3), University of Bonn, Germany
2001-2004 Heisenberg Fellow of the German Research Foundation (DFG), Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Germany
1995-2001 Junior Group Leader, Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Germany
1994-1995 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Germany

Honours and Awards
2017 Research Recognition Award of the American Epilepsy Society for Basic Research
2015 Cure Distinguished Lecturer, Boston, USA
2001-2004 Heisenberg Award of the German Research Council DFG, Germany
2001 Bennigsen-Foerder Prize for outstanding young scientists, Ministry of Education, Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany
2000 Alfred-Hauptmann Prize for Epilepsy Research, German League Against Epilepsy, Germany
1999 International Michael Prize for Outstanding International Accomplishment in Epilepsy Research
1995 Young Investigator Award, International League against Epilepsy

Teaching Activities (selection, only as responsible organizer)
2015- Vice Chair, International Max Planck Research School IMPRS ‘Brain and Behavior’, Bonn, Germany and Jupiter, Florida, USA
2012-2016 Founder and Chair, Bonn International Graduate School ‘BIGS Neuroscience’, University of Bonn, Germany
2010-2013 Founder and Chair, SciMed Doctoral College for Medical Students, University of Bonn, Germany

Institutional Responsibilities
2015- Steering Committee, Bonn Center for Neuroscience, Germany
2012- Member, Commission on Clinical Studies, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Germany
2011- Member, Finance Commission, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Germany
2010- Member, Research Commission of the Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Germany

Commissions of Trust (selection)
2013-2015 President, German Epilepsy Society
2013- Editor, Epilepsia
2012- Associate Editor, Journal of Neuroscience
2012-2013 Vice-President, German Epilepsy Society
2006-2010 Chair, Investigators Workshop Committee of the American Epilepsy Society
2006-2010 Member, Neurobiology Commission of the International League against Epilepsy

Organisation of Scientific Meetings
2016 Chair, Gordon Conference on Mechanisms of Epilepsy and Neuronal Synchronization, Girona, Spain
2016 Organizer, Bonn Brain3 Meeting, Bonn, Germany
2015 Co-Organizer, Annual Meeting of the German Epilepsy Society (DGfE), Dresden, Germany
2015 Organizer, Bonn Brain3 Meeting, Bonn, Germany
2014 Vice-Chair, Gordon Conference Mechanisms of Epilepsy and Neuronal Synchronization, West Dover, USA
2014 Organizer, International Meeting ‘Neuronal Micronetworks in Health and Disease’ Bonn, Germany
2014 Organizer, Annual Meeting of the German Epilepsy Society (DGfE), Bonn, Germany
2007 Organizer and Chair, ‘Ion channel mutations in epilepsy: The case of KCNQ channels’, Annual Meeting of the International League against Epilepsy, Singapore
2007 Organizer and Chair, ‘Homeostatic Plasticity in Epilepsy’, Investigators Workshop Symposium, Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society
2006-2010 Chair, Investigators Workshop Committee of the American Epilepsy Society
2004 Organizer (with A. Draguhn, A. Konnerth and H. Luhmann), International Symposium on hippocampal function and dysfunction, Berlin, Germany

Membership of Scientific Societies

German Neuroscience Society, German Epilepsy Society, International League agains Epilepsy, American Epilepsy Society, Society for Neuroscience

Funding, last 5 years, individual funding programs

SFB 1089 ‘Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease’ of the DFG, 2013-2017, Subproject B03 ‘Role of NMDA receptor coagonists in local dendritic integration in normal and epileptic hippocampus’, 382.000€ funded.
SFB 1089 ‘Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease’ of the DFG, 2013-2017, Subproject C04 ‘Global and local inhibition in the normal and epileptic dentate gyrus’, 472.000€ funded.
SFB 1089 ‘Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease’ of the DFG, 2013-2017, Central Services funded.
ERA-NET NEURON ‘DeCipher’ ‘Deciphering hyperexcitable networks associated with neurodevelopmental lesions’, PI. 6/2016-6/2018, 150.000€ funded.
German-French Collaborative Projects of ANR/DFG, with R. Cossart, Marseille, BE 1822/6-1, ebGLUNet ‘Network function of early-born glutamatergic neurons’, 2013-2016, 318.000€ funded.
ERA-NET NEURON ‘EpiNet’, ‘Development and advancement in methods and technologies towards the understanding of brain diseases’, PI. 6/2010-6/2013, 299.000€ funded.
DFG Clinical Research Group 177 ‘Innate immunity in chronic degeneration’, 2010-2012, Subproject ‘Mechanisms of microglia-mediated neuronal damage and functional impairment’ with A. Becker, 276.552€ funded.
Transregional SFB-TR3 ‘Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy’, Subproject C2 ‘Role of subthreshold Na+ conductances in epilepsy’ with Y. Yaari, Pl. 6/2008-6/2012, 535.060€ funded.
Transregional SFB-TR3 ‘Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy’, Subproject C7 ‘Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy Patients’ with U. Heinemann and C.E. Elger, Pl. 6/2008-6/2012, 623.700€ funded.
NGFNplus ‘Epilepsy and Migraine Integrative Network’ with C. Kubisch, Project P8 ‘Mechanisms underlying the development of cellular hyperexcitability in mouse models of human epilepsy’, PI. 6/2008-6/2012, 577.000€ funded.
EU Integrated Project LSH-CT-2006-037315 ‘Pharmacogenetics of Refractory Epilepsy, Mechanisms of Drug Resistance and New Therapeutic Strategies’, 148.000€ funded.

Funding, last 5 years, as co-ordinator

Program chair SFB 1089 ‘Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease’ of the DFG, 2013-2017, 11.000.000€ total funding.
Co-ordinator ERA-NET NEURON ‘EpiNet’ ‘Development and advancement in methods and technologies towards the understanding of brain diseases’, Pl. 6/2010-6/2013, 1.176.710€ total funding.
Co-ordinator NGFNplus ‘Epilepsy and Migraine Integrative Network’, Pl. 6/2008-6/2012, 5.965.000€ total funding.

Industry funding

Research Project BIAL, 5/2013-5/2016, 420.000€ funded.
Research Project UCB, 7/2012-7/2014, 546.000€ funded.
Research Project BIAL, 5/2009-11/2011, 530.000€ funded.