Close scientific partnerships connect our work in Vienna with complementary expertise in brain imaging, stimulation, cognition and mental health.
Core partnerships at MedUni Vienna
Close collaboration with the independent research groups led by Lena Nohava and Michael Woletz is a foundation of our work. Their scientific leadership and complementary expertise are integral to our research, from experimental development to reliable measurements and analysis.
Lena Nohava · Research group leader
MR hardware and RF engineering, electromagnetic simulation and MR safety. This partnership enables the technical development and implementation of our stimulation–imaging experiments.
Michael Woletz · Research group leader
Neuroimaging acquisition and analysis, TMS targeting and motion tracking. This partnership connects methodological development with the interpretation of stimulation-induced network responses.
Anna-Lisa Schuler · A long-standing scientific partnership
Anna-Lisa Schuler is a key partner across our work on language mapping, chronometric TMS-fMRI, prefrontal target engagement and network dynamics. Our collaboration combines her expertise in functional brain mapping and cortical excitability with the group’s stimulation–imaging methods.
Now based in the Cognition and Plasticity group at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, she also connects our work with the Riseup-PPD network and shared research on peripartum depression.
Hong Kong · Georg Kranz and the Kranz Group
With Georg Kranz and his group at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, we investigate individual variability in prefrontal excitability and integrate TMS, fMRI and fNIRS. Our collaboration includes experimental setup, hands-on training and shared work on modelled stimulation dose.
Milestones include the TMS-fMRI setup in 2024, a combined TMS/fNIRS/fMRI scan documented in 2025, and a further methods visit in 2026.
Visits and photographs → · Zhang and colleagues: joint dosimetry publication (2026) ↗ (PDF)
Toronto · Sean Nestor and the Harquail Centre
Our collaboration with Sean Nestor and his lab at Sunnybrook’s Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation connects interleaved TMS-fMRI methods with clinical research on personalised stimulation for treatment-resistant depression. Shared work with Maria Vasileiadi links the Vienna and Toronto teams; Martin Tik contributes as a collaborating co-investigator.
The PRISM-TRD work investigates target engagement during interleaved iTBS-fMRI and its relationship to subsequent clinical response to connectivity-guided accelerated iTBS. The current report is a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed.
University of Toronto research feature ↗ · PRISM-TRD preprint (2026) ↗ (Preprint (PDF)) · Harquail Centre team ↗
Stanford · Brain Stimulation Lab
Our long-standing partnership with the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab connects interleaved TMS-fMRI with research on personalised neuromodulation. Martin Tik is listed as a Visiting Scholar at the lab. Shared work examines individual stimulation dose, brain state and the measurement of network responses during accelerated stimulation.
The collaboration includes John Coetzee, Cammie Rolle and colleagues, with methods contributions from Adam Kerr at Stanford’s Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Lab. It builds on published work with Nolan Williams, whose scientific contributions remain an important part of this partnership’s history.
DLPFC dose–response mapping (2023) · Brain state and timing (2024) (PDF) · Accelerated-iTBS methods (2025)
Munich · Daniel Keeser, Frank Padberg and Lucia Bulubas
With Daniel Keeser, Frank Padberg, Lucia Bulubas and colleagues at LMU Munich, we develop and apply interleaved TMS-fMRI to investigate the immediate effects of clinical iTBS protocols. Shared work examines stimulation intensity, dose-dependent network engagement and the methods needed to measure these responses reliably.
This work includes studies led by Kai-Yen Chang and Martin Tik, and a technical review with Yuki Mizutani-Tiebel and colleagues. The dose-engagement study examined healthy participants; clinical application remains a further research question.
Full iTBS protocols during TMS-fMRI (2024) (PDF) · Dose-dependent target engagement (2025) (PDF) · Concurrent TMS-fMRI methods review (2022) (PDF)
Melbourne · Robin Cash and Andrew Zalesky
With Robin Cash and Andrew Zalesky at the University of Melbourne, we investigate how functional connectivity and target selection shape the circuits engaged by TMS. Shared work connects immediate stimulation responses with network changes and tests connectivity-informed target selection.
The collaboration includes our 2023 acute-network-response study and a 2025 meeting contribution involving Maria Vasileiadi, Onisim Soanca, Anna-Lisa Schuler and Martin Tik, alongside Christopher Ma and colleagues.
Acute and offline network effects (2023) · Target connectivity and circuit activation (2025 conference abstract)
Coimbra · Ana Ganho-Ávila and Riseup-PPD
Our work with Ana Ganho-Ávila at the University of Coimbra and Anna-Lisa Schuler connects neuroimaging with questions about peripartum depression. Within COST Action Riseup-PPD (CA18138, 2019–2023), Ana chaired the Action, Anna-Lisa led the neuroimaging and neurophysiology working group, and Martin Tik represented Austria on the Management Committee.
A shared 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis, also involving Maria Vasileiadi, compares the neural correlates of peripartum depression with major depressive disorder. The publication explicitly acknowledges the Action. Scientific exchange also includes the Coimbra Brain Stimulation meeting, where Ana and Martin contributed to the programme.
COST Action and roles ↗ · Shared publication (2025) ↗ (PDF) · Coimbra meeting programme ↗
Boston · Lucia Navarro de Lara
Long-standing methods collaboration with Lucia Navarro de Lara connects our work with the Martinos Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Our shared work includes early development of concurrent TMS-fMRI methods and continued scientific exchange through the MRI of Neuromodulation community.
Lucia and Martin co-chaired the 2026 MRI of Neuromodulation workshop, hosted and locally organized by our group in Vienna.
Shared TMS-fMRI methods paper (2017) · Workshop organizing committee ↗
Vienna · The EPICONN consortium
Led by Silvia Bonelli-Nauer at MedUni Vienna, EPICONN is an LBG Clinical Research Group studying epileptic networks, cognition and clinical outcomes. Our contribution links interleaved and chronometric TMS-fMRI with this wider programme in clinical neurology, multimodal imaging, neurosurgical research and computational modelling.
The consortium brings together Silvia Bonelli-Nauer and Gregor Kasprian for multimodal connectomics; deputy heads Gilbert Hangel and Roxane Licandro; Georg Langs for computational modelling; Ekaterina Pataraia and Tilmann Kluge for EEG biomarkers; Daniela Lötsch-Gojo and Christian Dorfer for genotype–phenotype research; and Tatjana Traub-Weidinger with Gilbert Hangel for metabolic imaging. Thomas Berger serves as mentor. Roxane Licandro also contributes to computational modelling.
Within the Tik Group, Verena Witz carries out much of the EPICONN work, with Minyan Huang contributing substantially to piloting and methodological implementation.
Our EPICONN research → · Consortium and project responsibilities ↗
Scientific community and exchange
Martin Tik serves as Austria’s country representative in the European Society for Brain Stimulation (ESBS).
In April 2026, the Tik Group hosted and locally organized the 2nd Workshop on MRI of Neuromodulation in Vienna. Martin served as host and co-chair, with Lena Nohava contributing to local organization alongside the international committee.
Workshop, programme and group photograph →
Our broader methods network also contributes to the international consensus guidelines for concurrent TMS-fMRI (Accepted manuscript (PDF)), led by Alexandra Woolgar, Eva Feredoes and colleagues. The publication list links to complete author records for shared studies.