Neurosciences and behavioural sciences
The Neurosciences and Behavioural Sciences spearhead focuses on acquiring proximate and ultimate insights into (1) various aspects of sensory perception and proprioception, (2) the direct links between perception and movement, and (3) the resultant behaviour of individuals in both their abiotic and biotic environments. The aim is to unravel the cause, function and development of behaviour (in both proximate and evolutionary contexts).
In practice, this requires the application and possibly also integration of various disciplines, including neurophysiology and behavioural physiology, biomechanics and neuromechanics, neuroendocrinology and evolutionary neurobiology, behavioural biology and behavioural sociology.
In practice, this requires the application and possibly also integration of various disciplines, including neurophysiology and behavioural physiology, biomechanics and neuromechanics, neuroendocrinology and evolutionary neurobiology, behavioural biology and behavioural sociology.
Reputation
The scientific research being carried out into sensory perception, movement analysis and control in the Faculty of Science is recognised worldwide, as evidenced by our scientific output and the significant funds raised (both nationally and internationally) for research in the fields mentioned above, but also for supporting participation in international programmes (e.g. ESA, FET). In the Faculty of Science, over 20 researchers (ten members of the Tenured Academic Personnel and ten post-doctoral researchers) in the Departments of Biology and Physics are conducting research related to this theme.
Collaboration
This research and the related expertise is clearly complementary to and highly compatible with the neuroscientific research being performed in other University of Antwerp faculties (Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Applied Economics and Medicine) and in various Artesis University College departments belonging to the Association (e.g. Health Sciences, Applied Engineering and Technology). This has led to various joint projects (e.g. PHYS-MED, BIO-Artesis, BIO-PhBioVet) such as the Hercules M²OCEAN project, which included supervisors from the University of Antwerp's Biology, Physics and Medicine departments and Artesis.