Magnetoreception and navigation in vertebrates: from biophysics to brain and behaviour

For centuries, humans have been fascinated by migratory animals being able to find their way over thousands of kilometres with a precision unobtainable for unaided human navigators. The central aim of SFB 1372 is to achieve a comprehensive and multidisciplinary understanding of magnetoreception and vertebrate navigation all the way from the biophysical mechanisms to the natural behaviour of navigating animals, covering every step in between.



Writing retreat for female scientists on Langeoog


March 2024 For four days, female junior researchers from our SFB were able to concentrate on writing papers at a self-organised writing retreat on the East Frisian island of Langeoog. The weather was glorious and we were able to go for a walk on the beach to clear our heads for new creativity. 



Craving for ornithology - especially when songbirds migrate: Heiko Schmaljohann in the Oldenburger science podcast


December 2023 You can listen to Heiko from December 22 on in the most recent episode 34 of  "Hirn gehört: Oldenburger Wissensschnack" (in German). 


You will also find an interview with Karl-Wilhelm Koch about his research on phototransduction and why calcium is his favourite element of the PSE (episode 23).


Migratory mosquito bats can perceive the Earth's magnetic field


December 6, 2023 - Oliver Lindecke and his colleagues from Bangor University and University of Latvia found that the these bats seem to be sensitive to the inclination angle of the field, similar to birds (published in "Biological Letters" of the Royal Society).


Please check out the UOL press release (only in German) and the original article!


The SFB subsidised bike trailers for Pauline's "For Woman in Science" award


November 2023 The SFB 1372 has increased Pauline's prize money to purchase a total of four trailers. Interested parties from Faculty V of the UOL can contact mobile.gleichstellung.fk5[at]uol.de. Allocation is on a first-come, first-served basis, with female students and doctoral candidates having priority due to their financial means. More information here



PhD day in Wilhelmshaven 


July 5, 2023 The PhD Day in Wilhelmshaven was marked by stormy winds and cheerful minds. Highlights for the doctoral students of the SFB 1372 were the team-building activities, the input on mental health and the guided tour of the Wadden Sea Visitor Centre. Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, we had to forego the trip to the colony of common terns at Banter See.


Kick-off meeting of the second funding period


March 20 & 21, 2023  Our two-day kick-off meeting took place at the Thülsfelder Talsperre near Garrel. We particularly enjoyed the discussions about the newly founded iRTG and a workshop on "Feedback Culture" led by Birgit Keydel (coach for team development). During a "Walk & Talk" along the lake, old and new members were able to get to know each other and exchange.


Renewal for a second funding period


25 November 2022 - We are pleased to announce the renewal of our SFB 1372 for a second funding period. Thanks to the brilliant team - we are excited about the next four years!


See also the press release of the UOL.


SFB 1372 goes Nature


June 23, 2021 - With a great interdisciplinary team effort Xu et al. were able to add another piece to the puzzle of how quantum mechanics help birds find their way. Xu and colleagues were able to show the magnetic sensitivity of Cryptochrome 4 in migratory songbirds.


Congratulations to all the scientists involved! Read the full paper here.


Appointment of Miriam Liedvogel 


September 2020 - Miriam Liedvogel was appointed professor of Ornithology at the Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Oldenburg. She is also the new director of the Institute for Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland" in Wilhelmshaven. Congratulations Miriam!


New PI - Ilia Solov'yov


Since July 2020, Ilia Solov'yov strengthens our SFB as PI with his project Sig05 - Structural and dynamical traits of avian cryptochromes. Welcome Ilia!


Writing retreat for female scientists


The central currency for a successful scientific career are publications and third-party funding applications. In November 2019, the Royal Society of Chemistry in Nature published that there are still structural hurdles for women scientists to publicise. Therefore, the SFB 1372 invites all female scientists to a Writing Retreat from 2nd to 6th of March 2020 in the Seminarhaus Pegasus. The Scientific Writing Retreat offers female scientists a framework in which they can devote themselves to writing publications and third-party funding applications undisturbed and intensively.


Opening Lecture Zugvogeltage 


Vortrag: Wie finden Zugvögel ihren Weg?

Prof. Dr. Henrik Mouritsen, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

Donnerstag, 12.09.2019, 19:00 Uhr

Landesmuseum Natur und Mensch

Damm 38-44, 26135 Oldenburg


SFB 1372 Kick-off Meeting 


April 15 & 16, 2019 Our two day kick-off meeting took place in Aerzen. We especially enjoyed the teambulding measures and the possibility to get to know all new SFB members. Welcome on board!



Beer Coaching - Road to a FH professorship


with guest speaker Prof. Dr. Liane Haak (Business informatics, HS Osnabrück)


Are you looking for a casual opportunity to meet other PostDocs and explore career options? 


Join the Beer Coaching on Feb 26, 2019!

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