Mikhail Votinov is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, and also holds a position at the Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics at RWTH Aachen University Hospital in Germany. He earned his Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging at Kyoto University, Japan, boasting a rich background in the field of social neuroscience. His research endeavors are focused on gaining a deeper understanding of the reward system, social interactions, the role of emotions in decision-making, and their associated pathologies.