What makes a great teacher? Do individual differences affect the way students learn? Does the structure and function of synapses, neurons and brain regions change as function of learning? How does the brain change over developmental time? Or when an individual suffers from a loss of smell or hearing? How do stress, anxiety and coping mechanisms influence the psychophysiology of students? How can learning in the human mind and brain be optimized?

The inter- and multidisciplinary research group “Learning, development and neural plasticity” addresses these and other questions by using a variety of methodological approaches—such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The acquisition and development of cognitive and emotional skills is crucial in this ever-changing, global and technological world. Not only does it have a sever influence on the lives of individuals and their family, but it also deeply impacts the economic growth and social integration of nations at large. A better understanding of how the human mind and brain changes as a function of learning and development is, therefore, crucial to develop new approaches that aim to foster the development and skill acquisition of individuals.

Current funded projects

• Steigerung der Awareness für nachhaltige und gesunde Beleuchtungslösungen mittels Serious Gaming. 2025-2027. Funded by FFG (Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft). PI: Manuel Ninaus.
• Dance and Brain. 2024-2026. Funded by  Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF). PI: Andreas Fink.
• Neurocognitive mechanisms of metacognition in arithmetic. 2023-2027. Funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). PI: Stephan Vogel.
• Encoding-specificity in bilingual content learning: Scrutinizing language switching costs in mathematical knowledge acquisition. 2023-2026. Funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). PI: Roland Grabner.
• PädagogInnenbildung Neu - Development and Implementation of a common selection procedure for teacher students, since 2013. Funded by: Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. PI: Aljoscha Neubauer.