About
I'm a neuroscientist and physicist specializing in connectomics — mapping the complete wiring diagrams of brains using 3D electron microscopy. My research combines cutting-edge imaging technologies with computational methods to understand how neural circuits give rise to behavior.
Before returning to academia, I spent four years at Paradromics developing brain-machine interfaces for patients with paralysis and ALS, work that received FDA Breakthrough Device designation.
Research Interests
- Connectomics
- 3D Electron Microscopy
- Neural Circuit Mapping
- Brain-Machine Interfaces
- Photoemission Electron Microscopy
- Computational Neuroscience
Experience
Assistant Professor, Physics & Biology
University of Illinois Chicago
June 2025 – Present
Leading research in connectomics and 3D electron microscopy to map brain circuits.
Research Assistant Professor, Physics
University of Illinois Chicago
May 2022 – June 2025
Developed wide-field photoemission electron microscopy for connectomics (NIH Brain Initiative U01).
Director of Research & Hardware Lead
Paradromics Inc
April 2018 – May 2022
Led development of high-density brain-machine interfaces for clinical applications. The device received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in 2023.
Selected Publications
- Wildenberg G*, Boergens KM*, Lambert L* et al. (2025) Photoemission electron microscopy for connectomics. PNAS 122(48)
- Motta A*, Berning M*, Boergens KM* et al. (2019) Dense connectomic reconstruction in layer 4 of the somatosensory cortex. Science
- Gour A, Boergens KM et al. (2021) Postnatal connectomic development of inhibition in mouse barrel cortex. Science
- Boergens KM* et al. (2017) webKnossos: efficient online 3D data annotation for connectomics. Nature Methods
- Schmidt H, Gour A, Straehle J, Boergens KM et al. (2017) Axonal synapse sorting in medial entorhinal cortex. Nature
- Sahasrabuddhe K, Khan AA, ... Boergens KM et al. (2020) The Argo: A 65,536 channel recording system for high density neural recording in vivo. J. Neural Eng.
Education
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
Thesis: Connectomic analysis of mouse barrel cortex and fly optic lobe
Heidelberg University, Germany
Thesis: Development of FIB-SEM-based methods for neuroscience
Contact
🏢 Office
Department of PhysicsUniversity of Illinois Chicago
845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607