Born 1960 in Berkeley, California/USA. Study of physics, doctorate Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics (1988), Rockefeller University New York (1989-1990), Max Planck Institute for Brain Research (1991-1993), Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (1993-1998), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology (1998-2021). Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (since 2010), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, in foundation (since 2022).