Research

Scientific Focus: Structure and function of the cerebral cortex in human, non-human primate, and rodent brains as well as is transgenic animal models of neurological and psychiatric diseases

Beside the cytoarchitecture, Karl Zilles is interested in the regional expression of transmitter receptors in in vivo and postmortem brain, the connectivity within and between brain regions, as well as the functional and molecular in vivo neuroimaging using MRI and PET.

Karl Zilles is distinguished for many important contributions to the neuroanatomy of the human cerebral cortex, the regional expression of neurotransmitter receptors as well as the functional and molecular imaging of the human brain in vivo. Most of these studies were performed at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine of the Research Centre Jülich as well as in the C. & O. Vogt-Institute of Brain Research of the University Düsseldorf. He has been the director of both institutes from 1998-2012 and 1991-2012, respectively. Since 2012 he is JARA (Jülich-Aachen-Research-Alliance) Senior Professor At the department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics of the RWTH University Aachen and the Research Centre Jülich.

During this period, the institute in Jülich developed into a world-wide renowned institution equipped with unique imaging facilities for research on the living human brain. He made major contributions to the neuroanatomy of the human cerebral cortex in healthy and pathologically impaired conditions, neural mechanisms of perception, motion and cognition, and functional and molecular neuroimaging using MRI and PET to understand the mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders. He is best known for his seminal work on cyto- and receptorarchtectonics of the human cerebral cortex (“Human Brain Mapping”).

Career

• since 2012 JARA Senior Professor of the RWTH University Aachen and the Research Centre Jülich
• 1998-2012 Director of the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine of the Research Centre Jülich
• 1991-2012 Professor (C4) and Director of the C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research of the University Düsseldorf
• 1981-1991 Professor (C4) at the University Köln
• 1979-1981 Professor (C3) at the University Kiel
• 1977-1979 Prosector at the Anatomical Institute of the University Kiel
• 1977 Habilitation at the Medical School of the University Hannover
• 1971-1977 Post Doc at the Medical School of the University Hannover
• 1971 Dissertation at the University Frankfurt / Main
• 1964-1970 Medical Studies at the University Frankfurt / Main
• 1963-1970 Fellow of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
• 1963-1964 Medical Studies at the University Tübingen

Projects

• since 2013 Member of the European Flagship Project “Human Brain Project” (HBP) Task leader T2.1.  “ Distribution of receptors in the human cerebral cortex”
• 2013-2017 Task-leader in the Helmholtz Association Portfolio Grant „Supercomputing and Modeling for the Human Brain”
• 2012-2017 Co-PI of the NIH Grant “Postnatal development of cortical receptors and white matter tracts”
• 2012-2017 Co-PI of the DFG Project “Advanced Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) in Neurological, Psychiatric and Liver Diseases – BrainMet”
• 2007-2016 Member of the German Research Council (DFG IRTG 1328) „International Research Training Group: Brain-behavior relationship of normal and disturbed emotions in schizophrenia and autism”
• 2010-2013 Co-PI of the G.I.F. Project “Magnetic resonance imaging of cellular architecture of nervous tissues”
• 2008-2013 Co-PI in the Helmholtz Association Project “Mental health in an aging society”
• 2008-2013 PI of the Helmholtz Association Project “Systems Biology, Subproject The Human Brain Model”
• 2003-2012 Speaker of the Program „Function and Dysfunction of the Nervous System” der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft der Forschungszentren
• 1993-2008 Member in the NIBIB, NINDS, and NIMH Human Brain Project/Neuroinformatics Research “A probabilistic reference system for the human brain”
• 2001-2010 PI in theSFB 575 Project “Transmitter receptor systems and hepatic encephalopathy (HE): Positron emission tomography (PET) and quantitative receptor autoradiography in the human cerebral cortex”
• 1998-2002 Speaker of the SFB 194 „Function and Dysfunction in the Nervous System“
• 1997-1999 European Commission BIO4CT96-0177 Project “European computerized human brain database”
• 1991-2002 Member of the SFB 194 „Function and Dysfunction in the Nervous System“

Functions

• 2015-2017 President of the International Organization for Human Brain Mapping OHBM
• 2003-2006 Member of the Council and Meetings Liaison of the International Organization for Human Brain Mapping OHBM
• 1996 Vice-President of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland
• 1995-1996 President of the Anatomische Gesellschaft
• 1992-1997 European Federation of Experimental Morphology EFEM (1992-1997 Secretary General; 1998 President-Elect; 1999-2000 President; 2001 Past-President)

Honours and Memberships

• 2014 Glass Brain Award of the International Organization of Human Brain Mapping OHBM
• 2012 Visiting Professor at the Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
• 2011 Honorary doctoral degree of the University of Rostock, Germany
• since 2010 Fellow of the North-Rhine-Westfalian Academy of Science and Arts
• 2006 Dr. Robert Pfleger Research Award
• since 1997 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 1963-1970 Fellow of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes