All posts tagged: award

Breaking Ground in Mental Health: New €6 Million Research Project led by Tobias Hauser

Published by Tobias Hauser

We are excited to share that our team has been awarded nearly €6 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust to investigate how the brain makes decisions—and why this process can become disrupted in mental illness. Every day, we make decisions both big and small. But for people with mental health conditions like schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), decision-making can become a major struggle. Some decide too quickly based on little evidence—a pattern known as “jumping to conclusions.” Others become stuck in doubt, unable to decide at all. Starting in February 2026, we will launch the largest study to date on these patterns. Using functional MRI, we will scan the brains of 150 people with schizophrenia and 150 with OCD to explore what happens in the brain when decisions go wrong. A key focus will be dopamine, a brain chemical that plays a crucial role in how we gather and process information before deciding. With both human data and mouse models, we aim to uncover how dopamine affects decision-making. This project brings together international experts …

Tobias Hauser Honored for Outstanding Science Communication on OCD

Published by Meng Gao

The University of Tübingen has awarded the Science Communication Prize to Professor Dr. Tobias Hauser for his exceptional efforts in raising awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Tobias’ research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying OCD, particularly why the disorder frequently develops during adolescence. His work examines how neural networks in young people evolve, how they influence decision-making, and how disruptions in this process may lead to OCD. The jury was impressed by his nomination because, in addition to his research, Tobias and his team developed an awareness campaign. “We were impressed by the modern communication approach, which utilizes multiple channels to reach both affected individuals and the interested public,” says jury chair Professor Dr. Monique Scheer, Prorector for International Affairs and Diversity at the University of Tübingen. The campaign includes: “What convinced us was Tobias Hauser’s and his team’s commitment to engaging in dialogue and fostering direct, immediate exchange,” says Prorector Monique Scheer. “They successfully communicate both research findings and an empathetic understanding of those affected.” For more information also see the press release from …

“OCD and the Brain” awarded the 2024 ERC Public Engagement with Research Award

Published by Meng Gao

Prof. Tobias Hauser from University of Tübingen and UCL was awarded the 2024 ERC Public Engagement with Research Award for the “OCD and the Brain” Project ‘for co-creating an accessible, interactive resource on obsessive-compulsive disorders, bridging neuroscience and community needs for real impact.’ The ‘OCD and the Brain’ project, led by Professor Tobias Hauser, aimed to bridge the gap between neuroscience research and the OCD community by co-producing an engaging, available online resource for young people living with OCD, their parents, and their caregivers. Recognising a disconnect between research and real-world experiences, the project brought together researchers, charities, public engagement specialists, and the OCD community in a series of creative workshops and focus groups. This collaboration resulted in a user-friendly website that conveys complex neuroscience tailored to the community’s needs. The project’s method of co-creation was praised for empowering the OCD community, with the jury stating, ‘This project elegantly bridges research and real-world needs through a bottom-up, inclusive approach.’ Beyond the resource itself, the project’s impact extended into influencing future research, driving new grant applications and projects that …

Professor Tobias Hauser Awarded FENS EJN Young Investigator Prize 2024

Published by admin

We are proud to announce that Professor Tobias Hauser has been honored with the prestigious FENS EJN Young Investigator Prize for 2024. This esteemed award, presented by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and the European Journal of Neuroscience (EJN), recognizes outstanding contributions to neuroscience research by early-career scientists. This accolade is a testament to Professor Hauser’s hard work and the impactful research conducted within the Developmental Computational Psychiatry lab. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him for this well-deserved recognition and look forward to his continued contributions to the field of neuroscience!