Start |Forschung|Abteilungen / AGs / Institute|Klinische Psychologie|Arbeitsgruppen|AG Psychology and Neurobiology of Sleep and Memory|MEEP-Summerschool

MEEP – Heidelberg Summer School on Memory and Sleep

From May 31 to June 3, 2026, the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim and the Marsilius Kolleg Heidelberg hosted a summer school on memory, sleep, and neural replay at the Marsilius Kolleg in Heidelberg, Germany. The intensive program brought together PhD students and postdocs with an interest in understanding the complex interplay between sleep-dependent memory consolidation, synaptic plasticity, and neural replay mechanisms. Over four days, participants explored how memories are consolidated and transformed during sleep, from neural replay mechanisms to cognitive map formation, and developed approaches to apply these insights to their own research.

A big thank you to all participants and speakers for making MEEP 2026 such an inspiring and memorable event. You can browse impressions from our four days together in Heidelberg in our photo gallery, where the images are also available for download.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Maria Wimber

Professor, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, University of Glasgow

Research Focus
Professor Wimber's research investigates how the human brain reconstructs and adaptively modifies memories. Her work focuses on tracking the neural dynamics of memory recall using multivariate neuroimaging approaches (fMRI, EEG, MEG, iEEG), examining how memories are reactivated step-by-step and how they qualitatively change over time. A key interest is the dual nature of remembering: while retrieval strengthens memories, it can also induce adaptive forgetting of competing information. Her research is supported by an ERC Starting Grant.

To the research profile of Prof Maria Wimber

Prof. Mona Garvert

Junior Professor for Neuroscience, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

Research Focus
Professor Garvert investigates how the brain builds and uses cognitive maps to represent abstract knowledge structures and guide decision-making. Her work combines computational modeling with neuroimaging to understand how the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex represent value spaces, enable reward generalization, and adapt to complex learning environments. Key research areas include spatial and non-spatial cognitive maps, reinforcement learning, and the neural mechanisms underlying flexible decision-making in naturalistic contexts.

To the research profile of Prof. Mona Garvert

Prof. Daniel Bendor

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London

Research Focus
Professor Bendor's research investigates how the neocortex and hippocampus encode information and communicate with each other during sleep to consolidate memories. Using a combination of behavioural, computational, electrophysiological, and molecular-genetic tools, his lab explores the neural mechanisms underlying memory consolidation, perception, and predictive coding. A key contribution is his pioneering work demonstrating that task-related auditory cues presented during sleep can bias hippocampal replay toward specific associated memories — providing fundamental evidence for targeted memory reactivation (TMR) and the role of sleep replay in memory consolidation.

To the research profile of Prof. Dan Bendor

 

Heidelberg also has a lot to offer in terms of sightseeing. Photo: stock.adobe.com © eyetronic

Program and Objectives

Date: May 31 to June 3, 2026

The four-day summer school offered an intensive and interactive program that combined theoretical foundations with hands-on learning opportunities. The schedule included:

  • Three keynote lectures by leading international experts on memory consolidation, neural plasticity, and replay mechanisms
  • Nine thematic sessions covering core topics in sleep and memory research, including experimental methods, computational approaches, and clinical applications
  • Interactive formats such as poster presentations, short talks by participants, panel discussions, and method-focused workshops
  • Networking opportunities, including a social evening and the chance to connect with local researchers from the Mannheim and Heidelberg neuroscience communities
  • Practical components such as lab tours and demonstrations of state-of-the-art techniques in sleep and memory research

The program fostered exchange between participants and experts, encouraged critical discussion of current research questions, and provided practical skills for investigating sleep-dependent memory processes.

Organized by the Research Group Psychology and Neurobiology of Sleep and Memory

 

Sponsors

Mentalab is a Munich-based company developing mobile, research-grade EEG systems. Their portable ExG amplifiers enable high-precision neuroscience studies in laboratory and real-world settings.

 

Questions?

For general inquiries about the MEEP Summer School, please contact us at heidelberg-summerschool zi-mannheim.de


Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit (ZI) - https://www.zi-mannheim.de