Research Program in a Nutshell
The retina, with its complex network of more than 100 different cell types, plays a vital role in early visual signal processing and in transmitting behaviourally relevant information to higher visual areas in the brain. However, these crucial first steps in vision demand a considerable amount of energy, making the retina the highest relative energy consumer in the human body. limits2vision is dedicated to investigating the delicate balance between energy consumption and visual information processing in the retina.
International Research Teams
limits2vision is driven by a unique team of experts in retinal neurobiology, physiology, pathology, metabolism, and genetics, as well as specialists for computational neuroscience and machine learning. This interdisciplinary approach ensures a comprehensive education for PhD students, as well as for junior faculty members aspiring to senior positions.
A total of 17 researchers from Tübingen are contributing to the program: twelve from the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (IOR), two from the Werner Siemens Imaging Center, and one each from the Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health, the University’s Department of Physiology, and the Pathology Department at the University Hospital. From Paris, eleven research groups from the prestigious Institut de la Vision (IDV) are involved. In addition, we have one Mercator fellow from the University of Chicago, MI, USA.
limits2vision’s primary objective is to dissect the mechanisms that enable the retina to manage its high energy demands while efficiently processing visual information. This unique capability allows the retina to function in a highly dynamic environment. For example, performing tasks such as light adaptation while simultaneously encoding behaviourally relevant, dynamic visual stimuli entails an exceptionally high and rapidly fluctuating energy demand, likely close to what is biologically possible. On the one hand, despite such challenges, a human retina can function perfectly well for a century or more. On the other hand, its intricate molecular machinery is vulnerable to singular genetic mutations that can lead to swift retinal degeneration and blindness. This intriguing dichotomy between retinal resilience and vulnerability remains poorly understood.
The long-term vision of limits2vision is to uncover the principles underlying this paradox. We expect insights that will not only deepen our understanding of how biological systems adapt to rapid changes and stressors, but which also inform the development of innovative therapies for retinal and central nervous system diseases.
Long-term Collaboration between Paris and Tübingen
A robust and enduring scientific partnership has developed over the past two decades between the researchers of the Institut de la Vision (IDV) in Paris and the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (IOR) in Tübingen, particularly in exploring the mechanisms underlying ocular diseases – including inherited and age-related retinal conditions – and in advancing translational research.
This collaboration is marked by joint participation in many European research consortia, academic symposia, and training programs, including EVI-GENORET, TREATRUSH, RdCVF, and EuroVisionNet.