Personalization of Subcortical Circuitry for Clinical Applications (B07*)

• Subject Area: Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 431549029

The project B07 develops a novel methodology for high-precision mapping of subcortical fiber pathways. The SUBMARINE pipeline will personalize an existing normative atlas (FOCUS) by integrating patient-specific diffusion MRI signals. In a second step, the FOCUS atlas will be expanded to include cerebellar and pontocerebellar connections. Finally, the approach will be applied and validated in clinical cohorts of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, essential tremor). The overall aim is to generate individualized wiring diagrams of the brain, improving our understanding of disease mechanisms and enabling safer, more precise neurosurgical interventions.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1451: Key mechanisms of motor control in health and disease
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Andreas Horn, Ph.D., since 1/2026