Steffen van Heijningen
As a trained behavioral neuroscientist, I share my expertise with Noldus and in this way contribute to the scientific community. I write blogs, white papers and give talks during webinars. I live on the beautiful island of Curaçao, my home town, where I enjoy my free time on the water with my familiy and friends.
The social interaction test: effortless and dependable with EthoVision XT
What is the social interaction test? This blog dives into this topic for fish and rodents. Why is social interaction important to measure, and how do we go about doing it?
Guest blog: Having a look at operant behavior
Scientists from Idorsia Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland provide an expert view on operant behavior, and how we can improve our understanding of this complex behavior with the help of video tracking.
Behind the scenes at MARIN: research into human decision making
One of the world's leading maritime research institutes: MARIN, took us on a tour in their ship bridge simulator. A great customer success story that highlights the importance of human factor research.
Behavioral neuroscience in the circular economy: the contribution of Zebrafish
What do Zebrafish and sewage sludge have in common? In this blog their use as a screening tool is highlighted to asses the ecotoxicity in soil.
3 high impact papers about measuring anxiety in the Elevated Zero Maze
The elevated zero maze (EZM) is a variation on the elevated plus maze (EPM) and was created to eliminate the center region of the EPM. This blog highlights 3 studies that use the EZM to test for anxiety-like behavior
What is the Barnes maze? A dry-land environment for testing learning and memory
The Barnes maze is a behavioral paradigm for testing learning and memory in rodents models for autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and ageing. How does it compare to the Morris water maze?
Citizen science in research: studying contaminated drinking water with zebrafish
Local residents, students and scientists joined forces to investigate harmful contaminants in drinking water wells in New England. Behavioral effects of these contaminants were studied in zebrafish.
Advancing the novel object test: 3D printing and deep learning
To improve standardisation and consistency in the novel object test, Spry et al designed the 'CapTouch' system: capacative objects that can automatically register interaction. But what about deep learning in EthoVision XT?
Using the Observer XT to measure aggressive behavior in Dolphins
The Observer XT is often used in the field to score complex ethograms. This blog touches upon a study of the 'Wild Dolphin Project' that investigates aggresive behavior between two species of dolphins.
The open field test: A staple in behavioral batteries
The open field test is a locomotor, exploratory and/or anxiety test. Can we measure all these behaviors in a simple enclosed arena? This is exactly what we talk about in this blog, and the discussion surrounding this.