Team

Isabel Dziobek

Professor of Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction and Head of the University Outpatient Clinic for Psychotherapy and Psychodiagnostics

There are so many fascinating things to discover when researching questions about just how social interactions affect our ways of thinking and feeling that I still get very excited about my work in the field of social cognition and clinical neuroscience. As an experimental psychologist, neuroscientist and psychotherapist (CBT) I am interested in both understanding the bio-psycho-environmental mechanisms of order and disorder in social information processing and in the development of treatment options to address respective impairments. Many of the tools that we have developed in the group are technology-based and include elements from affective computing. One special area of interest and expertise of mine is autism. Most of what I have learned about autism is directly through the work with people with autism such as in the context of the participatory group autism-research-collaboration.

Outside of work I love spending time in the woods with my family and our dog, and I enjoy very much doing yoga, meeting friends for dinner, and travelling to remote place.

Publications

Mareike Bayer

I am interested in the impact of emotions and personal relevance on cognition and behavior. Furthermore, I investigate social and self-related processing in Autism, as well as special interests and their role for the autistic self. In my research, I combine multiple neurophysiological / imaging measures (e.g., EEG, fMRI, pupillometry, simultaneous EEG-fMRI) and behavioral / questionnaire data.

To learn more about my research, check out my google scholar profile here.

Publications

Muyu Lin

I am interested in the psychological processes of social interaction, particularly in the approach-avoidance behaviors towards social stimuli, attention bias in socially anxious individuals, school bullying, and related positive coping factors. Furthermore, I am curious about emotional episodic memories, especially traumatic intrusive memories.

Besides research, I like music concerts, CG painting, tea, and reading novels.

Publications

Simone Kirst

I am particularly interested in the effectiveness and therapeutic potential of technology-based interventions for people with limited social and emotional abilities, such as autism or social anxiety. For example, I developed the digital training "Zirkus Empathico" and demonstrated its effectiveness and feasibility in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial (RCT). I am currently focussing on the joint project "DIVAN Kids", which aims to develop a digital and gamified application for the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. I am also responsible for the clinical evaluation of the Selfapy online course "Chronic Pain". In all my projects, I collaborate with scientific and industrial partners, and I particularly enjoy the exchange with (game) designers and developers.

Outside of work, I cycle a lot, go on excursions into nature and enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also like travelling, preferably by train through Europe.

Publications

Simón Guendelman

I am a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and researcher in the laboratory of clinical psychology of social interactions. My research areas include emotion regulation, empathy and social cognition, and applications in mental health and psychiatry of mindfulness and compassion interventions. I use behavioral, psychophysiology and neuroimaging methods. Currently, I am investigating common transdiagnostic social deficits in autism and social anxiety conditions, tackling diverse behavioral, immunological and brain mechanisms, in the context of a Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure funded project. I also collaborate in various interdisciplinary projects on art and science. In my free time, I enjoy life, exercise and food.

Publications

Charlotte Küpper

Head of Research at the University Outpatient Clinic for Social Interaction

I am a clinical psychologist (CBT, individual and group-therapy) and head of research at the university outpatient clinic for social interaction. Within this framework, I am responsible for the organization, implementation and supervision of diagnostics, consultations and treatments for adults on the autism-spectrum and people with social interaction difficulties (e.g. depression, anxiety, personality disorders). My research focus lies on the different methods of autism diagnostics in adulthood as well as different psychotherapeutic approaches for adults on the spectrum (e.g., individual vs. group therapy approaches as well as technology-based trainings).

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, watching films, spending time with family and friends, and playing board games.

There is more information available on my University website or my researchgate profile

Publications

Renata Wacker

I am a clinical psychologist with a background in social psychology and current research focus on the abilities to understand as well as communicate mental states (feelings, intentions, thoughts) in relation to interpersonal functioning. I am passionate about evidence-based psychodynamic perspectives on mental health and integrative psychotherapeutic strategies. At the Outpatient Clinic for Social Interaction, I am currently developing and evaluating a new transdiagnostic group therapy approach that integrates transference processes with cognitive-behavioral strategies to target interpersonal difficulties in patients on the autistic spectrum, with social anxiety, or chronic depression. Furthermore, I am seeing patients at the Institut für Psychoanalyse, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik as part of my advanced clinical training. Outside the academic realm, I am fascinated by non-western traditions that include body-based, artistic and mystical practices exploring consciousness.

Publications

Silke Lipinski

My main interest lies in participatory research and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in clinical psychology and psychiatry. As a PPI consultant at the Berlin-Potsdam site, I coordinate the Center for PPI of the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG). I am currently leading the KOMMIT project: a Germany-wide survey of people with experience of mental health conditions.I am committed to autistic adults and their outpatient psychotherapeutic support. Together with the Autism Research Co-operation (AFK), I have conducted two care studies on access to psychological treatment for people with autism and the knowledge base on autism of outpatient sychotherapists.
When I'm not at work, I'm reading or spending time in my garden.
Publications

Kamila Borowiak

I work as a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist. My current interests focus on psychotherapy research, with particular emphasis on psychotherapy approaches for adults in the autism spectrum Currently, I am part of a large, multi-center clinical trial investigating the efficacy of two different treatments for people with ASD (FASTER/SCOTT study).

Beyond this, I am also interested in neural mechanisms of human social interaction. It is fascinating how fast and accurately our brain can process communication signals when we interact with other people (e.g., facial and vocal cues, gestures). To better understand how these processes are represented in the brain, I have applied neuroimaging, eye-tracking and behavioral methods.

To learn more about my work, see my Research Gate profile here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kamila-Borowiak-2

Publications

Björn Elsner

I work as a psychological psychotherapist (cognitive behavioral therapy) at the outpatient clinic for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and as a researcher in the clinical psychology unit. I am especially interested in the prediction of individual therapy courses and in approaches to optimize cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with OCD. I investigate effectiveness and mechanisms of action of cognitive behavioral therapy using psychophysiological, experimental and behavioral methods as well as routine data accessed during therapy. Moreover, I am interested in pharmacology and pharmacotherapy for mental disorders. I mainly teach medicine and pharmacology in the bachelor psychology program.

Publications

Lena Matyjek

My research interests oscillate around social cognition: how we learn and understand social situations and how we interact with others. I am particularly interested in autism: the strengths and difficulties related to it. For this, I use behavioural, physiological, and neuroimaging methods. To learn more about my work and activities, please visit my personal website: lenamatyjek.com

I carry out my research through a DAAD PRIME Fellowship.

Orcid profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4546-6480

Publications

Barbara Breitenstein

In my scientific work, my focus lies on the bio-psychological basis of mental illness and its treatment. How can psychotherapy and psychopharmacological treatment be better adjusted to the individual? What are opportunities and challenges that innovative treatment alternatives present in this context? In our current research project, I am interested in the effect and the bio-psycho-social correlates of altered states of consciousness in people with a history of trauma. In my work as a psychological psychotherapist (cognitive behavioral therapy), I am experienced in the field of ketamine-augmented psychotherapy.

Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, preferably to the mountains, and spending time with my family and friends.

Publications

Eva Kischkel

I have been a psychological psychotherapist since 1999 and have been qualified in behavioural therapy since 1998. I specialise in the treatment of unipolar affective disorders (since 1997), obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders (since 2003) and all the problems that life in a neurotypical world brings for people with autism spectrum disorders (since 2023). I am particularly interested in processes that go hand in hand with "growing up".

I am also responsible for the organisation and implementation of the practical part of the students' Master's degree course in our university outpatient clinic ("outpatient BQT-III") and offer supervision and counselling.

In my private life, I enjoy reading and watching good stories, cooking, going for walks and being creative.

Christian Kaufmann

Thomas Pinkpank

Als Laboratory manager of the psychophysiological and EEG laboratory I am responsible for:

Set-up, procurement, and maintenance of laboratory equipment.

Setup and supervision of experiments in the clinical psychology laboratories.

Procurement and support of the IT structure of the institute.

Procurement and maintenance of the IT structure of the outpatient clinic for psychotherapy and psychodiagnostics.

Jennifer Kirchner

As lead coordinator of clinical teaching and internships, I am responsible for the planning and organization of all clinical courses in the Bachelor of Psychology and Master of Psychology: focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy.
I am also the contact person for all questions regarding clinical internships for both our students and the partner clinics.

Sandra Polfuls

Katharina Bögl

My main interest lies in researching cognitive and morphological differences in neurotypical vs neurodivergent individuals. During my PhD I want to investigate whether reading others’ and own mental states is based on the same cognitive and neural process. Further, I am interested if sensory processing might be a potential candidate for explaining neurodiversity. At the moment I am working on a behavioral study on mindreading in self and others. Further, I am part of different projects related to the better understanding of autism spectrum conditions.

When not working on my projects, I am a very social person that loves to meet with friends and to go to the movies.

Publications

Simon Kirsch

University Hospital Freiburg, Project Neurobiological Correlates of Psychotherapy in Autism

As a cognitive scientist trained in psycholinguistics, my interest in autism research evolved via questions regarding the linguistic processing of irony. In my current PhD-project I am investigating neural correlates of emotion recognition and how these might be affected by autism spectrum disorders.

When not in the lab, I enjoy spending time with my bike and my family.

See also my ResearchGate profile here!

Publications

Mahlet Kassa

I’m broadly interested in the relationship between our sense of bodily self and social
cognition i.e. how we interact with others. Specifically, how interoception (the perception
of signals from within the body) contributes to one’s concept of self and how this in turn interacts and influences affective and cognitive empathy.

I attempt to answer these scientific questions using both behavioral and neuroimaging
techniques and looking at both neurotypical groups as well as clinical populations who
demonstrate alterations or impairments in the relevant dimensions of perception or
cognition.

See my Research Gate profile here!

I’m a cinephile, I love cooking and I have a spot for dystopian science fiction.

Publications

Paula Alarcón

My main interest lies in understanding how sure we are of what we feel at a given moment, i.e. metacognition of affective states.
Studies on metacognition of emotion recognition have shown that we do know when we correctly recognise particular emotional states in others, but it remains unknown whether we are similarly able to do it for our own emotions. My aim is to investigate metacognitive monitoring of our own affective states, whether this ability can be trained via meditation practices, and whether it is impaired in autistic individuals. I plan to do that by comparing subjective reports of emotion to brain (EEG) and peripheral activity recordings, indicative of emotional responses.

Besides neuroscience, I have a thing for visual art, Japanese culture, and indie music.

Josh Hindmarsh

I am interested in social motivation and social decision-making. My research explores approach and avoidance tendencies towards social stimuli. In particular, I am interested in states where our drive to pursue reward conflicts with our instinct to avoid harm (so-called approach-avoidance conflict). It remains to be seen how social parameters (e.g., facial expressions, interaction cues) relate to these conflict states, and whether differences can be seen at the trait level and between neurotypical and neurodivergent populations. I am a member of the Max Planck School of Cognition doctoral program.

Outside of research, I savour spicy curries, delicate electronica and humour in all its forms.

Nina Hartter

My scientific interests centre around the investigation of altered states of consciousness induced by contemplative traditions and practices such as mindfulness meditation and breathwork in order to understand if and how different populations – clinical and non-clinical - can benefit from these. In my research project I’m investigating the effects of a breathwork intervention on the wellbeing and socio-emotional functioning of people with traumatic childhood experiences.

Outside of the lab, I like to dance, create music or spend time in nature.

Daniya Charrabé

My main interest in researching lies in autism spectrum conditions with a particular focus on the importance of special interests and therapeutic interventions. I am also interested in research of the role and potential benefits of altered states of consciousness in psychotherapy.
In my research, patient and public involvement - i.e. the participation of patients and their relatives as experts in the research process - is particularly important to me. I believe that research should be designed not just about those affected, but with them. Only by engaging in genuine dialogue and including their perspectives can research become truly impactful and sustainable.

In my free time, I love to immerse myself in fantasy literature and to develop new vegan recipes.

Borja Rodríguez de Santiago

My research interests focus on investigating the efficacy of breathwork practices as interventions for childhood trauma and their subsequent effects on physiological measurements and brain activity patterns.

Some activities I enjoy outside of research are rock climbing, health optimisation and science communication.

Borja´s breathwork study is funded by the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation.

Andreea Tapuc

My main interest is social cognition, in particular empathy and its disruptions within different neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. In my PhD I aim to explore the relationship between empathy and social reward through an integrated approach, combining neuroimaging, behavioral analysis, and genetic perspectives. I am also part of the Max Planck School of Cognition doctoral program.

In my free time, I love immersing myself in the fictional world of books, movies, and games - and occasionally, I dabble in writing myself.