Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Blick über den Tellerrand Mai 2026
© freepik / Fraunhofer ITWM
Blick über den Tellerrand Mai 2026

Blick über den Tellerrand (Thinking Outside the Box)

Our look beyond the horizon in May 2026, is entitled »How Our Brain Ages – and What We Can Do About It«. The speaker is Prof. Dr. Dr. Svenja Caspers, Professor of Anatomy and Director of the Institute of Anatomy I at the University Hospital and Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf.

© freepik / Fraunhofer ITWM

Series of Talks »Blick über den Tellerrand«

Our series of lectures is held in German.

Once every month, the Fraunhofer ITWM opens its doors and invites everyone who is interested to broaden their horizon. The interdisciplinary lecture series »Blick über den Tellerrand« of the Felix Klein Center for Mathematics presents different perspectives on a wide spectrum of topics in the area of science and technology.

Exciting experts from a wide range of fields will speak and discuss with the guests. Everyone is cordially invited and admission is free. The event will take place on site at the Fraunhofer Center and will also be broadcast virtually.

»Blick über den Tellerrand« (Thinking Outside the Box) in May 2026 »How Our Brain Ages – and What We Can Do About It« 

 

Thursday, May 7, 2026
5pm – 6:30pm

The lecture will be held in German.

The aging of our brain is governed by fundamental mechanisms. Nevertheless, there is considerable variability in how the brain ages in individual people. Environmental and lifestyle factors influence these processes alongside genetic determinants. These patterns can be identified in population studies using modern analytical methods such as machine learning. Building on this, personalized predictive models (digital brain twins) are intended to enable preventive approaches to maintaining brain health.

About the Speaker

Prof. Dr. Dr. Svenja Caspers (University of Düsseldorf & Jülich Research Centre, Department of Systems Neuroscience)

Svenja Caspers is a professor of anatomy and director of the Institute of Anatomy I at the University Hospital and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, as well as head of the »Connectivity« research group at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1) at Forschungszentrum Jülich. She studied medicine, business administration, and economics. In 2008, she earned her doctorate in medicine from the University of Düsseldorf and in 2012, a doctorate in business administration from the University of Cologne. In 2013, she completed her habilitation in neuroscience at the University of Düsseldorf. In 2015, she became a board-certified specialist in anatomy. She was also appointed to a W2 professorship in connectivity in the human brain at the University of Düsseldorf and became a research group leader at Forschungszentrum Jülich. In 2018, she was appointed to the W3 professorship in anatomy at the University of Düsseldorf and took over as director of the Institute of Anatomy I, while continuing her work in Jülich. Since 2020, she has served as Vice Dean for Teaching and Academic Quality at the University of Düsseldorf’s Faculty of Medicine and was elected to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2021 and to the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) in 2024.

The event will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Küfer. He is the speaker for the Felix Klein Center for Mathematics and head of the »Optimization« division and »Optimization in the Life Sciences« department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM.

Participation Options:       

  1. On site in the lecture hall of the Fraunhofer ITWM,
    Fraunhofer-Platz 1, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany  
  2. By video conference via Microsoft Teams: https://s.fhg.de/tellerrand-2026-05

More Information: https://www.felix-klein-zentrum.de/BudT-2026-05-EN

 

Technical Hints

After you have clicked on the Microsoft Teams link, a browser window will open – if you are not yet using Microsoft Teams – and you will be asked How would you like to join your Microsoft Teams meeting? You can use Microsoft Teams via a browser (e.g. Chrome) or you can download the Windows app to your desktop or install the Microsoft Teams app on your smartphone or tablet.

»Blick über den Tellerrand« (Thinking Outside the Box) is an interdisciplinary lecture series of the Felix Klein Center for Mathematics with changing topics. 

If you have any questions, please contact Sylvia Gerwalin, e-mail: sylvia.gerwalin@itwm.fraunhofer.de, telephone: 0631-31600-4424.