Master's Thesis Project: Dissecting Visually Guided Behavior through State-Space Analysis of Neural and Behavioral Data

12.08.2026, Diplomarbeiten, Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten

This project investigates the impact of internal states (e.g. arousal) on visual processing by applying computational and advanced statistical methods.

Understanding how the brain processes sensory information requires studying neural activity in behaving subjects. This project investigates how neural activity in the thalamus—a key sensory relay region—is modulated by ongoing motor behavior and internal states (e.g., arousal) in mice. Using high-density neural recordings collected alongside concurrent behavioral data, we aim to model the relationship between neural activity patterns and behavioral variables to gain insight into the computations underlying visually guided behavior. To this end, we will apply state-space and other probabilistic modeling techniques to jointly analyze neural and behavioral data, capturing latent state dynamics that may not be directly observable from either data stream alone. By building and comparing statistical models with and without these latent states, we will test whether accounting for hidden internal states improves our understanding of neural encoding processes and their link to behavior.

Responsibilities:
• Conduct a literature review on relevant state-space modeling approaches
• Preprocess and synchronize neural and behavioral datasets
• Implement and benchmark different statistical models
• Analyze model outputs to characterize inferred latent states
• Produce visualizations and write up findings in a thesis
Requirements:
• Enrollment in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Neuroscience, or a related field
• Solid programming skills in Python
• Strong motivation for quantitative modeling and data analysis
• Solid background in probability, statistics, and linear algebra is a plus
• Prior exposure to time series analysis or hidden Markov models is a plus

Who we are:
We are the Neural Dynamics and Behavior lab at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, led by Principal Investigator Dennis Nestvogel. Our research focuses on understanding how neural activity patterns give rise to behavior, using high-density electrophysiological recordings in freely moving animals. More information about our group can be found here: https://www.psych.mpg.de/2877720/nestvogel

Contact:
If you are interested, please send an application with your CV, transcript and a short letter of motivation (2-3 paragraphs) to berkutay_mert@psych.mpg.de.

Kontakt: berkutay_mert@psych.mpg.de