Tobias Ackels awarded for pioneering research on scent perception and brain function

Dr. Ackels’ pioneering work has revealed that mammals can process olfactory information at an astonishing speed—up to 40 times per second, far exceeding their breathing rate. This challenges the long-standing belief that the sense of smell is slow and highlights the critical role of temporal dynamics in sensory perception. His findings not only advance our understanding of how the brain interprets sensory signals but also suggest potential applications in early dementia detection, as olfactory impairments are often among the first signs of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Ackels, who recently joined the University of Bonn from the Francis Crick Institute in London, leads the “Sensory Dynamics and Behaviour” research group at the Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognitive Science at UKB. His work, supported by an ERC Starting Grant, combines animal behaviour and advanced imaging and electrophysiological techniques with computational modelling to study neuronal activity in real time.

The award ceremony will take place on March 14, 2025, at 5 p.m. in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche, alongside the main Paul Ehrlich Prize 2025.

For more details, visit:

https://www.uni-bonn.de/de/neues/015-2025

https://www.ukbnewsroom.de/tobias-ackels-erhaelt-paul-ehrlich-und-ludwig-darmstaedter-nachwuchspreis/

https://www.research-in-germany.org/idw-news/en_US/2025/1/2025-01-28_A_gateway_to_memory__Paul_Ehrlich_and_Ludwig_Darmstaedter_Early_Career_Award_2025_goes_to_Tobias_Ackels.html

https://aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/english/a-gateway-to-memory-paul-ehrlich-and-ludwig-darmstaedter-early-career-award-2025-goes-to-tobias-ackels/

For inquiries: Prof. Dr. Tobias Ackels – tobias.ackels@ukbonn.de

Congratulations to Prof. Dr. Tobias Ackels on this outstanding recognition!

Written by: Michela Barboni, Ph.D