Maximiliano Jose Nigro
Associate professor
I have always been interested in animal behavior. Since I was a kid, I was observing birds and their habits in my parent’s backyard. As a teenager I discovered the work of Charles Darwin and Konrad Lorenz and I started reading all their books. But it wasn’t until reading “Bright Air, Brilliant Fire” by Gerald Edelman that I fell in love with neuroscience. Since then I have worked in different fields from ion channel biophysics, cellular neurophysiology and neuronal diversity. During my training I had the privilege of working with amazing scientists: Jacopo Magistretti (PhD), Johan Storm (postdoc in cellular neurophysiology), Bernardo Rudy (postdoc in inhibitory circuits and diversity) and Menno Witter (systems neuroscience). In 2020 I received a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship and in January 2023 I was appointed associate professor at the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience to establish my own research group. At Kavli, I aim to study how the diversity of neurons in the cortex contributes to computations such as sensory and multisensory processing and ultimately to behavior.
Email me: maximiliano.j.nigro@ntnu.no
Grethe Olsen
Senior engineer
I have for a long time been interested in the biological aspect of behavior and disease, this has led me through a BSc in Psychology as well as a MSc and PhD in Neuroscience. I have as a histology lab manager in the Kavli Institute of Systems Neuroscience since 2013. I have extensive experience with injection surgeries in mice and rats, tissue slicing, immuno- and histological processing of tissue. In my spare time I practice tai chi, I also enjoy hiking and going to concerts.
Email me: grethe.olsen@ntnu.no
Rejwan Farhad Salih
PhD candidate
I completed my Bachelors and Masters in Mathematics and Physics at the University of Manchester. During this time, I discovered the field of Computational Neuroscience. Having always been curious about the brain, I decided to pursue a PhD in that field. This led me to the Roudi group in Trondheim, where I worked on simulating recurrent neural networks to evaluate storage capacity. In the Nigro lab, I will be analysing electrophysiological data along with neural network simulations to uncover the computational principles underlying multisensory processing.
Email me: rejwan.f.salih@ntnu.no
Katja Sluga
Master student in Neuroscience
I hold a BA and MA in Japanese Studies from University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and a BSc in Physiotherapy from University of Primorska (Slovenia), with clinical experience working with neurological patients. Through the BSc coursework and clinical work I became increasingly interested in the underlying intricate workings of the nervous system and decided to explore the field further by the means of a MSc in Neuroscience at NTNU. The integration of neuroscientific research and of clinical experience supports my development as a researcher and my further development of clinical reasoning.
In my free time I enjoy travelling, photography, reading books and running.
Theodora Kyriakou
Master student in Neuroscience
I hold an Integrated Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Patras, Greece, and am currently pursuing an MSc in Neuroscience at NTNU. I am interested in how neuronal circuits and their cellular properties contribute to complex cognitive functions, particularly memory. As part of the Nigro Lab, I am studying fast-spiking interneurons in association cortices for my Master’s thesis, focusing on the relationship between neuronal activity and their molecular properties. Outside the lab, I enjoy running along the fjord, doing ballet, playing the flute and reading.
Emma Josefin Linner
Master student in Neuroscience
I have a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Bergen. I am now doing a master’s degree in biological science with specialization in Neuroscience via the University of Oslo. I have long been interested in most aspects of biology and especially in that of the brain. This led me to pursue my master’s thesis at the Nigro lab in Trondheim.
In my free time I am passionate about nature and love to spend as much time as possible outdoors. I also love doing different creative projects, read about psychology and learn about the great mystery of existence.
Nigro lab 