July 2020 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Up to 6 PhD fellowships in Cognitive Neuroscience at SISSA, Trieste, Italy, to start Oct, 2020
by Alessandro Treves Oct. 12, 2022

Oct. 12, 2022

SISSA is an elite postgraduate research institution located in Trieste, Italy, and focused on Maths, Physics and Neuroscience. It operates in English: many among its students and faculty are not Italian. The Cognitive Neuroscience Department hosts 6 research labs that study the neuronal bases of time and magnitude processing, visual perception, motivation and intelligence, language and reading, tactile perception and learning, and neural computation. The Department is very inter–disciplinary; our approaches include behavioural, psychophysics, and neurophysiological experiments with humans and animals, as well as computational and mathematical models. Students with diverse backgrounds (physics, math, medicine, psychology, biology) are most welcome to apply. The Department has an exceptional track record with highly competitive funds (recent funding includes 4 ERC and 3 Human Frontiers grants) and publication in top journals (Nature, Science, PNAS, Current Biology). Recent placements after PhD include Harvard, MIT, Columbia and Princeton in the US; the NTNU, Manchester and Radboud in Europe; and Sydney University, Australia. Our alumni have been awarded 4 ERC grants, the 2015 Kandel Young Neuroscientist Prize and the 2017 ICTP Prize. More information about the Department is available at our website https://phdcns.sissa.it. The selection procedure is now open; to learn how to apply, please visit https://phdcns.sissa.it/admission-procedure. Please contact the PhD Coordinator (davide.crepaldi(a)sissa.it) and/or your prospective supervisor for more information and informal enquiries. -- Alessandro Treves SISSA, Cognitive Neuroscience, http://people.sissa.it/~ale/limbo.html if in, rm 241, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy: +39-040-3787623

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Postdoc in neural data analysis
by Mark Humphries June 26, 2022

June 26, 2022

A 3 year postdoc post is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries, at the University of Nottingham (UK) In this project, our aim is to test the overarching hypothesis that movement transitions are encoded by the same neural population reconfiguring its joint activity, for both rhythmic and discrete movements. We will tackle this question using newly-available population recordings during rhythmic movement transitions in Aplysia and discrete arm movement transitions in monkeys, The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes information about and actions in the world. For more see: https://www.humphries-lab.org Queries: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk Deadline: 5th September Full details, and to apply: https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2 [http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/org/images/socialmedia.png]<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Job Vacancy at the University of Nottingham: Research Associate/Fellow (Fixed term)<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research fellow to join the Humphries’ group on the MRC-funded project “Uncovering the neural basis of movement transitions”. The Humphries’ group researches fundamental... jobs.nottingham.ac.uk Professor Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Fellow | Chair in Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

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Explainable AI: Overcoming problems of Deep Learning problems with Adaptive Resonance
by Grossberg, Stephen April 9, 2022

April 9, 2022

Dear Colleagues, There's currently a lot of interest in AI, notably Deep Learning, and in achieving autonomous adaptive intelligence. The following new article summarizes foundational problems of reliability and trustworthiness of Deep Learning, explains how Adaptive Resonance overcomes them, and outlines a blueprint for achieving autonomous adaptive intelligence: Grossberg, S. (2020). A path towards Explainable AI and autonomous adaptive intelligence: Deep Learning, Adaptive Resonance, and models of perception, emotion, and action. Frontiers in Neurobotics, June 25, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbot.2020.00036 Best, Steve Grossberg

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Postdoc at the University of Leicester to work on human single cell recordings
by Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo (Prof.) Nov. 23, 2021

Nov. 23, 2021

The Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester, UK, offers a 3-years postdoc position to study single cell recordings in humans – performed in epileptic patients for curative surgery. The project will investigate concept cells (a.k.a. Jennifer Aniston neurons) – that means, neurons in the hippocampus and surrounding areas that selectively fire to specific concepts, like different pictures and the written or spoken name of a particular person (e.g. Quian Quiroga et al, Nature 2005; Quian Quiroga Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2012), which are involved in declarative memory functions. For more details see: www.le.ac.uk/csn The successful candidate will contribute to performing recordings with patients in collaborating hospitals and the analysis of the data to investigate the role of these neurons in memory. He/She should have very good quantitative skills (data processing, and programing e.g. in Matlab) and a strong background or interest in neuroscience. He/She should be able to work both independently and as part of a research team within the Centre for System Neuroscience at Leicester and with our external collaborators. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Paula Warrington, Research Centre Manager, csn(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. To apply, please use this link: https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/1393/research-associate.html The applications should include a curriculum vitae and a brief description of their scientific interests The closing date for the applications is 21st October 2019. Cheers, Rodrigo Rodrigo Quian Quiroga Centre for Systems Neuroscience University of Leicester www.le.ac.uk/csn

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Postdoc (3 yrs) in dynamical reconfigurations of neural populations during movement
by Mark Humphries March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021

A 3 year postdoc post is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries, at the University of Nottingham (UK) In this project, our aim is to test the overarching hypothesis that movement transitions are encoded by the same neural population reconfiguring its joint activity, for both rhythmic and discrete movements. We will tackle this question by developing new computational algorithms for dynamic systems, and applying them to newly-available population recordings during rhythmic movement transitions in Aplysia and discrete arm movement transitions in monkeys, The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes information about and actions in the world. For more see: https://www.humphries-lab.org Queries: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk Deadline: 10th January 2020 Full details, and to apply: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/SCI182819X1 Professor Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Fellow | Chair in Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

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Announcing the 1st Brain-Computer Interface Un-Conference (BCI-UC)
by Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Feb. 5, 2021

Feb. 5, 2021

Dear Colleagues: We cordially invite you to the 1st Brain-Computer Interface Un-Conference (BCI-UC)! https://bciunconference.univie.ac.at/ The 1st BCI-UC is an entirely virtual event that takes place on July 23rd 2020 from 3 pm to 9:30 pm (CEST). It differs in various ways from traditional conferences in our field: * All presentations are publicly streamed via Crowdcast. * Anybody can apply for a presentation slot by submitting an abstract. All registered attendees can up-vote their favorite abstracts. In this way, the whole community decides which presentations they would like to see presented at the conference. * Voting commences on Monday, June 29th at 8 am (CEST) and ends on Thursday, July 16th at 12 midnight (CEST). The authors of the top-rated abstracts are invited to present their work at the conference. * Registration (free of charge) is required for submitting an abstract and to up-vote submissions. In addition to the contributed talks, the 1st BCI Un-Conference features two keynotes presentations: 1. Mariska J Vansteensel (UMC Utrecht Brain Center): Towards the Daily Life Implementation of ECoG-BCIs 2. Christian Herff (Maastricht University): Decoding Speech from Invasive EEG Please join us in exploring this new way of disseminating research in our community! The BCI-UC Organizing Committee: Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Anja Meunier Philipp Raggam Anita Resch Jiachen Xu -- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Research Group Neuroinformatics Faculty of Computer Science University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6, A-1090 Wien, Austria moritz.grosse-wentrup(a)univie.ac.at +43-1-4277-79610 http://neural.engineering/

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Funded PhD and Data scientist positions
by Abhishek Banerjee Jan. 14, 2021

Jan. 14, 2021

Dear colleagues, Two funded *Ph.D. positions* are available in the newly established Adaptive Decision-making lab as a part of Neuroscience, Neurodisability and Neurological Disorders research theme, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK. The research carried out as part of th Ph.D fellowship will investigate the role of behaviourally relevant neural circuits in decision-making and its dysfunctions in neurological disorders using experimental and theoretical approaches (PNAS 2016; BRAIN 2019; bioRxiv 2020). Exciting local and international collaborations will ensure a high standard of training and mentorship. The position is funded (UK/EU rate) for up to 3.5 years and the application deadline is *6th January 2020*. Application details can be found here or by email provided below: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/mrc-dimen-doctoral-training-partnersh… . Additionally, the Banerjee Lab is also hiring a *Data Scientist* to be involved in projects that focus on understanding cortical computation during behaviour by combining large-scale recordings and imaging of neuronal populations. This person will be involved in analysing experimental data, developing software tools, and helping with data infrastructure. The application deadline is *31st January 2020*. Qualifications for the Data scientist position: - M.Sc. degree (or exceptional B.Sc.) in Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or related technical field. - Programming experience in MATLAB is required, and additional experience in Python and LABView is preferred. - Background in computational neuroscience, image analysis, or machine learning is a plus. For informal inquiry, or if interested in applying for the Data scientist position, please submit a CV along with names of 3 referees to: Dr. Abhi Banerjee <abhi.banerjee(a)newcastle.ac.uk>. More details here: https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/11499/overview and http://neuronic.mit.edu/ Best wishes, Abhi -- Abhishek Banerjee Senior Lecturer Head, Adaptive Decision-making Lab Biosciences Institute Newcastle University United Kingdom I neuronic.mit.edu Skype: amiappu I @abhii_mit

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Creating a list of important computational predictions
by Yiota Poirazi Jan. 4, 2021

Jan. 4, 2021

Dear all, I believe you would agree that, the greatest recognition of our computational work comes with the experimental verification of our computational predictions. To highlight the most important outcomes of our theoretical work and facilitate a closer interaction with experimental labs so as to increase the chances of our predictions being experimentally tested, I would like to encourage you to nominate your favorite prediction at the following google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJZ2RrXJ0nZonIuyNzN0Cl gXDKDb7xTzoJOiqZTGxm9Kh7ow/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link This effort started during the CNS 2017 meeting in Antwerp with the support of the OCNS Board. The resulting list will be posted on the CNS 2017 web site and disseminated in social media, as a reference for experimentalists. Thank you very much for supporting this important effort! Best wishes, Yiota Poirazi -- Panayiota Poirazi, Ph.D. Research Director Computational Biology Laboratory Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH) Vassilika Vouton, P.O.Box 1385, GR 70013, Heraklion, Crete GREECE Tel: +30 2810 391139 Fax: +30 2810 391101 Εmail: poirazi(a)imbb.forth.gr Lab site: www.dendrites.gr FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence <http://www.fens.org/Outreach/FENS-Kavli-Network-of-Excellence/> -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by *E.F.A. Project* <http://www.efa-project.org>, and is believed to be clean. Click here to report this message as spam. <http://mailgate1.imbb.forth.gr/cgi-bin/learn-msg.cgi?id=4BCD7A00A1.A57D7&to…> -- Panayiota Poirazi, Ph.D. Research Director Computational Biology Laboratory Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH) Vassilika Vouton, P.O.Box 1385, GR 70013, Heraklion, Crete GREECE Tel: +30 2810 391139 Fax: +30 2810 391101 Εmail: poirazi(a)imbb.forth.gr Lab site: www.dendrites.gr FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence <http://www.fens.org/Outreach/FENS-Kavli-Network-of-Excellence/>

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ANDA 2020 - G-Node Advanced Neural Data Analysis Course, April 14-30, 2020, Jülich, Germany
by Thomas Wachtler Dec. 23, 2020

Dec. 23, 2020

ANDA 2020 - G-NODE ADVANCED NEURAL DATA ANALYSIS COURSE April 14 - 30, 2020 Haus Overbach, Jülich-Barmen, Germany Techniques to record neuronal data from populations of neurons are rapidly improving. Simultaneous recordings from hundreds of channels are possible while animals perform complex behavioral tasks. The analysis of such massive and complex data becomes increasingly challenging. This advanced course aims at providing deeper training in state-of-the-art analysis approaches in systems neuroscience. The course is addressed to excellent master and PhD students and young researchers who are interested in learning advanced techniques in data analytics and in getting hands-on experience in the analysis of electrophysiological data. Internationally renowned researchers will give lectures on statistical data analysis and data mining methods with accompanying exercises. Students will define and perform their own analyses on provided data to solve a challenge. Participants are required to have a strong interest in data analysis, a background in a mathematical or related field, knowledge of algebra, matrix operations, and statistics, and need to have solid programming experience (preferably in Python). FACULTY · Moshe Abeles, Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem, Israel · Michael Denker, Jülich Research Center, Germany · Udo Ernst, Univ. Bremen, Germany · Sonja Grün, Jülich Research Center, Germany · Adam Kohn, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA · Jakob Macke, TU Munich, Germany · Luca Mazzucato, Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, USA · Martin Nawrot, Univ. of Cologne, Germany · Yifat Prut, Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem, Israel · Hansjörg Scherberger, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany · Thomas Wachtler, LMU Munich, Germany TOPICS COVERED Single neuron properties and statistics · Stochastic processes · Surrogate methods · Detection of spatio-temporal patterns · Unitary Events · Statistical analysis of massively parallel spike data · Higher-order correlation analyses · Elephant toolbox · Spike-LFP relationship · Population coding · State space analysis · Machine learning · Data mining · Research data management and reproducibility REQUIREMENTS Applicants should be familiar with linear algebra, probability, differential and integral calculus and experienced using Python or Matlab. Preparatory reading material will be provided. Students should bring their own laptops and should be able to install software on their system. Students that do not have a suitable laptop should indicate this immediately after acceptance to the course. We will be able to provide a small number of laptops for the time of the course. COURSE FEE A course fee of 1000 Euros will be charged to cover costs for accommodation and meals. Limited financial support may be available for students that otherwise would not be able to attend, which is to be indicated in the application. HOUSING Accommodation in 2-bed rooms for students will be provided at the course site. HOW TO APPLY The application should include · a letter of motivation (max 1 page) · curriculum vitae (please indicate the relevant courses you have taken) · description of programming experience · a letter of recommendation. Please send all documents as a single PDF file to <advanced-course(a)g-node.org>. APPLICATION DEADLINE Applications must be received by NOVEMBER 15, 2019. Early application is encouraged. For further information see http://www.g-node.org/anda

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Lecture video about brain mechanisms that cause mental disorders
by Grossberg, Stephen Oct. 17, 2020

Oct. 17, 2020

Dear Colleagues, I gave a pre-recorded keynote lecture on Zoom to the World Congress on Computational Intelligence on July 22 about how particular brain dysfunctions can cause symptoms of mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease, autism, amnesia, and neglect: http://sites.bu.edu/steveg/files/2020/07/Grossberg-WCCI-keynote-Glasgow-vid… The lecture can also be found on my web page sites.bu.edu/steveg along with a pdf of its powerpoint slides. Best, Steve Grossberg Stephen Grossberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBye6JQCh4 Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Director, Center for Adaptive Systems Professor Emeritus of Mathematics & Statistics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Boston University sites.bu.edu/steveg steve(a)bu.edu

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NEURAL COMPUTATION - February 1, 2020
by Terry Sejnowski Oct. 2, 2020

Oct. 2, 2020

Neural Computation - Volume 32, Number 2 - February 1, 2020 Available online for download now: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/neco/32/2 http://cognet.mit.edu/content/neural-computation ----- Article Face Representations via Tensorfaces of Various Complexities Sidney Lehky, Anh-Huy Phan, Andrzej Cichocki, and Keiji Tanaka Letters Transition Scale-spaces: A Computational Theory for the Discretized Entorhinal Cortex Nicolai Waniek From Synaptic Interactions to Collective Dynamics in Random Neuronal Networks Models: Critical Role of Eigenvectors and Transient Behavior Ewa Gudowska-Nowak, Maciej A Nowak, Dante Chialvo, Jeremi K Ochab, and Wojciech Mateusz Tarnowskic Synaptic Scaling Improves the Stability of Neural Mass Models Capable of Simulating Brain Plasticity Jure Demsar, Rob Forsyth Scaled Coupled Norms and Coupled Higher Order Tensor Completion Kishan wimalawarne, Makoto Yamada, and Hiroshi Mamitsuka Improving Generalization via Attribute Selection on Out-of-the-box Data Xiaofeng Xu, Ivor W. Tsang, and Chuancai Liu ------------ ON-LINE -- http://www.mitpressjournals.org/neuralcomp MIT Press Journals, One Rogers Street, Cambridge, MA 02142-1209 Tel: (617) 253-2889 FAX: (617) 577-1545 journals-cs(a)mit.edu ------------

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postdocs with Peter Dayan in Tübingen
by Peter Dayan Sept. 28, 2020

Sept. 28, 2020

Postdoc(s) in Neural Reinforcement Learning / Computational Psychiatry (m/f/d) 100% Peter Dayan is looking to hire one or more postdocs (100%) to work in the areas of neural reinforcement learning, computational neuromodulation, and computational psychiatry. These positions will start in the Faculty of Science, Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen, as part of an Alexander-von-Humboldt Professorship award. There are also targeted positions on the computational anatomy of cortico-striatal connections (funded by a collaborative NIH grant with Professor Suzanne Haber) and with the International Brain Lab (a large collaboration with 20 other investigators, funded by the Simons Foundation). Peter Dayan has an affiliation with the University of Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and collaboration is expected. The salary will be paid in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (salary at E13 TV-L, commensurate to experience and qualifications). The positions are available immediately, and are initially limited to two years (with the possibility of extension). Please direct scientific inquiries to dayan(a)tue.mpg.de and administrative inquiries to susan.fischer(a)tue.mpg.de. Responsibilities include: • Planning and carrying out research projects, for instance building theories and computational models of data from human and animal experiments, conducting experiments, analysing behavioural and neural data, writing and editing scientific papers/reports. • Helping to mentor and supervise student projects. • Participating in scientific conferences. • Helping to organize and conduct collaborations in Tübingen as well as nationally and internationally • Helping with building and running an effective academic lab environment at the intersection between the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and the science and medical faculties at the University of Tübingen. The successful candidate(s) should have a PhD in computational neuroscience or related fields. Proficiency in a high level mathematical or statistically-oriented programming language such as python, R, Julia or matlab, and intimate familiarity with advanced data analysis are essential. The candidate(s) should be able to work independently and troubleshoot and should show good capacity and value for teamwork and communication skills. The University of Tübingen is one of the Excellence Universities in Germany. It is home to a vibrant research community, with very strong research activity in Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology / Psychiatry as well as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. We offer an open research culture, where original thinking and academic merit are encouraged and nurtured, and encourage applications from all nationalities, backgrounds, and genders. The University of Tübingen is dedicated to increase the percentage of female employees in the field of science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications should include a CV, a list of publications, summaries of scientific achievements and research plans, the position for which the application is intended, and the names and contact details of three referees. Applications should be sent in a single PDF to: susan.fischer(a)tue.mpg.de Applications arriving before June 30th 2020 will receive full consideration.

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PhD position: Machine learning to record and enhance sleep and lucid dreaming
by Martin Dresler Sept. 3, 2020

Sept. 3, 2020

Hi, Arenar B.V. and the Donders Institute offer a joint PhD position combining data science/AI and wearable EEG technology with sleep/dream research. In this project, the wearable sleep EEG headband iBand+ will be further developed and applied in several experimental studies. First, we will develop automatic sleep stage detection algorithms using machine learning strategies. We will then implement closed-loop acoustic stimulation procedures to enhance sleep slow oscillations to improve deep sleep. We will further develop combined acoustic and visual stimulation procedures which will allow to enhance self-awareness during sleep (i.e. lucid dreaming) and subsequent mood in the morning. The validity and efficacy of these procedures will be tested experimentally in large longitudinal studies in naturalistic home-based settings. The successful candidate will be centrally involved in the development, will lead different research projects within this general framework; will be closely involved in daily supervision of MSc students assisting the project; and will participate in the vibrant Donders Graduate School. Job details • 4 years at Donders, extension to permanent position at Arenar possible • Deadline: 31 August 2019 • Starting date: October/November, but somewhat flexible • Salary: starting with € 40000 gross per year Candidate profile • MSc-level background in Data Science, ML, AI, computer sciences, or adjacent field; • Proficiency in Python, C, C++, statistics • Interest in sleep, lucid dreaming, meditation • The capacity to participate in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, international research environment; • Fluency in written and spoken English. Candidates who only partially meet this profile are nonetheless strongly encouraged to apply! Organization The PhD project is a collaboration between Arenar B.V. and the Donders Institute. Arenar B.V. is a Dutch technology start-up based in Nijmegen, founded in 2016 by a team of engineers/developers with a combined technical industry experience exceeding 40 years working at leading technology companies such as NXP, Philips, Texas Instruments. Work in Arenar’s small enthusiastic team offers plenty of flexibility, responsibility and lots of influence on the product development. In particular, Arenar develops the iBand+ ( http://www.ibandplus.com) and many more upcoming innovative products. The project is embedded in the infrastructure of the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, providing a unique and stimulating learning environment for young researchers, including a high-profile graduate school and in-house methodological expert courses. Sleep research is a vibrant and rapidly growing field at the Donders Institute, with several new research groups in human and animal sleep research. The project is further embedded in the Radboud University Medical Center. Radboud UMC strives to be a leading developer of sustainable, innovative and affordable healthcare to improve the health and wellbeing of people and society in the Netherlands and beyond. Application Please apply with a brief motivation letter explaining your interest and qualifications regarding the position, your prior research/work experience, a CV, and contact information of two professional references: https://www.radboudumc.nl/en/vacancies/70061-phd-candidate-machine-learning… For specific questions about this position, please contact martin.dresler(a)donders.ru.nl Cheers, Martin -- Donders Sleep & Memory Lab, Radboud University Medical Center Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, Netherlands https://dreslerlab.org

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DeepMath 2020: call for abstracts
by Kamesh Krishnamurthy July 30, 2020

July 30, 2020

Dear all, We are now accepting abstract submissions to the 2020 Conference on the mathematical theory of deep neural networks (DeepMath). DeepMath is a highly interdisciplinary conference focused on understand fundamental theory driving the empirical success of Deep Learning. We are excited for this year's diverse set of invited speakers (see https://deepmath-conference.com for more information) and invite additional contributions from the community. Due to ongoing concerns about Covid-19, this year’s DeepMath conference will be conducted virtually. We are presently working on finalizing an online format that will seek to capture the small, community-focused experience of past DeepMath events. Important updates related to submission and registration are included below: == Submissions == We are still accepting submissions for virtual “posters” consisting of a pre-recorded talk and Q&A session. Similarly to last year, a selected number of top posters will be invited to present their work live as contributed talks. == Registration == Participation in the conference will require registration costing a nominal fee. We are working to keep costs as low as we can given the online nature of the event. As with last year, all talks will be live-streamed for free. More information on submissions can be found at the DeepMath website at https://deepmath-conference.com/submissions Warmest regards, The DeepMath Organizing Committee

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Postdoctoral position to study the neural circuit of social behavior
by Hong, Weizhe July 30, 2020

July 30, 2020

The Hong Lab at UCLA (hong-lab.com) is looking for a new postdoc to study the neural circuit of social behavior in mice. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in systems and/or computational neuroscience. Social interactions between individuals and among groups are a hallmark of human society as we know it and are critical to the physical and mental health of a wide variety of species including humans. Impairment of social function is a prominent feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Nonetheless, many fundamental questions regarding the neural mechanisms underlying social behavior remain unanswered. The central goal of Weizhe Hong’s laboratory is to study general principles of how social behavior is regulated in the brain. We take a multi-disciplinary approach and uses a variety of experimental and computational technologies across molecular, circuit, and behavioral levels. We are interested in how neural dynamics regulates social behavioral decisions within a single brain as well as how emergent inter-brain neural properties arise from social interactions between individuals. For more information, please visit hong-lab.com. Recent publications: 1. Kingsbury L, Hong W. (2020) A multi-brain framework for social interaction. Trends in Neurosciences. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.06.008. (Review) 2. Kingsbury L, Huang S, Raam T, Ye LS, Wei D, Hu R, Ye L, Hong W. (2020) Cortical representations of conspecific sex shape social behavior. Neuron. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.06.020. 3. Chen PB, Hu RK, Wu YE, Pan L, Huang S, Micevych PE, Hong W. (2019) Sexually dimorphic control of parenting behavior by the medial amygdala. Cell. 176, 1206-1221. 4. Kingsbury L, Huang S, Wang J, Gu K, Golshani P, Wu YE, Hong W. (2019) Correlated neural activity and encoding of behavior across brains of socially interacting animals. Cell. 178, 429-446. 5. Chen P, Hong W. (2018) Neural circuit mechanisms of social behavior. Neuron. 98, 16-30. (Review) 6. Wu YE, Pan L, Zuo Y, Li X, Hong W. (2017) Detecting activated cell populations using single-cell RNA-seq. Neuron. 96, 313-329. -- Weizhe Hong, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biological Chemistry Department of Neurobiology David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles Graduate Program Affiliations: Neuroscience PhD Program at UCLA Bioengineering PhD Program at UCLA Bioinformatics PhD Program at UCLA Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology PhD Program at UCLA ________________________________ UCLA HEALTH SCIENCES IMPORTANT WARNING: This email (and any attachments) is only intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. You, the recipient, are obligated to maintain it in a safe, secure and confidential manner. Unauthorized redisclosure or failure to maintain confidentiality may subject you to federal and state penalties. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify us by return email, and delete this message from your computer.

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Online tutorial on Brian simulator: Aug 7th, 2-6pm BST
by Dan Goodman July 30, 2020

July 30, 2020

The Brian team will be running an online tutorial for Brian on August 7th, 2-6pm BST (=UTC+1). Please do come along or get your students/postdocs to come along. Registration is required but free (to prevent zoombombing), at the link below: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brian-online-tutorial-tickets-115336320038 You'll get an email with a link to an 'event details' page with the Zoom URL. Please don't share this online to help prevent zoombombing. This is an experiment for us, if it's successful we might turn it into a regular thing. For the moment, the content of the tutorial is not decided. Have your say here: https://twitter.com/neuralreckoning/status/1288768229591207938 And, if you're an experienced Brian user and would like to volunteer to help - get in touch! Thanks, Dan

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PhD position in network neuroscience at University of Sussex
by Luc Berthouze July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020

Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD scholarship to undertake research in network neuroscience at the University of Sussex. A number of conditions, such as Parkinson’s Disease, are referred to as ‘oscillopathies’ because there is evidence that some of their major symptoms are underpinned by pathological synchronisation of neurons in key networks. A promising form of treatment is that of online control of deep brain stimulation based on computational processing of brain signals. Therefore, new mathematical insights about how to detect and efficiently disrupt pathological processes can be rapidly translated to patient benefit. Using models of oscillations on networks, this project will seek to investigate the conditions (either on the oscillators themselves, or the connectivity, or factors that may frustrate the interplay between dynamics on and dynamics of the network) under which pathological oscillations in one small area of the brain can intermittently or otherwise ‘infect’ the wider network of the brain causing the pathological symptoms. This project will involve an active collaboration with Dr Simon Farmer at University College London (UCL). This 3-year studentship includes student fees and a tax-free stipend starting at £15,285 per annum. It also comes with a generous Research Training Support Grant. Start date is flexible. Eligibility All nationalities are eligible to apply for this studentship. You should have a first-class honour degree or equivalent, or an MSc degree (preferably), in Computer Science, Mathematics or Physics (or relevant disciplines). You will have (and enjoy using) strong analytical skills as well as excellent programming skills in at least one of C++, Python, Matlab. Applicants interested in the post, seeking further information or feedback on their suitability are encouraged to contact me. All applications must be made via http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply where you will find details of entry requirements. Please clearly state on your application form that you are applying for 'Dynamics on/of networks and oscillopathies'. Luc Berthouze Professor of Complex Systems University of Sussex

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2020 Big Data Neuroscience *free* Workshop Invitation
by Franco Pestilli July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020

Dear All. We are organizing the 2020 Big Data Neuroscience workshop as an online event. It will be a 1-day event with 4 keynote speakers, software demos, and a series of lightning talks. http://neurosciencenetwork.org/ACNN_Workshop_2020.html We would like to invite you to register for the FREE event and consider signing up for a lighting talk. You are welcome to share this announcement broadly. Best regards, Franco *FRANCO PESTILLI*, *Ph.D.* | *Associate Professor* he/him | pestilli(a)utexas.edu | web <https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psychology/faculty/fp4834> | github <https://github.com/francopestilli> | brainlife.io

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postdoc position in model-based fMRI at Harvard (Gershman/Buckner labs)
by Sam Gershman July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020

The Gershman (gershmanlab.webfactional.com) and Buckner ( https://cnl.rc.fas.harvard.edu/) labs at Harvard University are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on a longitudinal functional MRI project. The aim of this project is to understand how computationally defined phenotypes change across time, and how these changes map onto dynamic functional networks in the human brain. Candidates must have a strong background in fMRI research and statistical analysis. Experience with computational cognitive modeling is preferred but not required. The start date for this position is on or around February 1, 2021, but this can be flexibly adjusted as needed. The position is fully funded for 2 years, with a possible extension to a 3rd year contingent on funding. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law. Interested applicants should contact Sam Gershman (gershman(a)fas.harvard.edu) along with a CV and list of references.

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Tenure-track / tenure-eligible computational neuroscience PI position at NIMH
by Atlas, Lauren (NIH/NCCIH) [E] July 28, 2020

July 28, 2020

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/careers/job-vacancy-announcement-tenure-trac… Job Vacancy Announcement - Tenure-Track/Tenure Eligible Investigator, Computational Neuroscientist Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health Division of Intramural Research Programs Tenure-Track/Tenure Eligible Investigator Computational Neuroscientist The Division of Intramural Research Programs (DIRP) of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), invites outstanding individuals to apply for a tenure-track/tenure eligible position in computational neuroscience. The NIMH DIRP has one of the largest systems and clinical neuroscience research communities in the world. Research groups work across species including drosophila, mice, rats, monkeys and humans. Facilities include a state-of-the-art high-performance computing facility as well as a rodent behavior core and high-field neuroimaging. The DIRP is a highly interactive research environment, and there are numerous opportunities for collaborative research within NIMH as well as with the broader NIH community. The successful individual will create and direct an independent research program on theoretical models of brain mechanisms of behavior. Example areas of research include but are not limited to -- reinforcement learning; decision making; theoretical accounts of neuromodulatory systems including dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine; nonlinear dynamical systems; and neural plasticity and learning. We are particularly interested in individuals who have a demonstrated interest in computational psychiatry, developing models of human psychopathology, and collaborations with clinical groups focused on mental illness within the DIRP and broader research community. Research programs should focus on theory development but may also include experimental work that tests theoretical models. The unique investigator-based DIRP research support package encourages the development of a coherent, long time-horizon scientific program focused on generating deep insights into complex problems. Candidates must have earned a Ph.D. or M.D. and will have demonstrated experience as an outstanding independent investigator. An individual selected for the position is expected to build a dynamic and productive research laboratory, mentor and train scientists, and make use of the excellent opportunities for collaborative, translational, and high-risk/high-reward science available at the NIH. Laboratory space and startup funds, access to shared research facilities, and on-going research support are competitive with premier academic institutions. Salary is commensurate with experience and accomplishments and a full Civil Service package of benefits (including retirement, health, life and long-term care insurance, and a Thrift Savings Plan) is available. Applicants should send a curriculum vitae (CV), bibliography, statement of research interests, and three letters of reference to: Susan G. Amara, Ph.D., National Institute of Mental Health, c/o Jane Schriver via email to Jane.Schriver(a)nih.gov<mailto:Jane.Schriver@nih.gov>, indicating “ Computational Neuroscientist Recruit” in the subject line. Please include in your CV a description of your mentoring and outreach activities, especially those involving women and persons from racial/ethnic or other groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research. Applications will begin to be reviewed in August 2020 and continue until the position is filled.

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Postdoctoral researcher - Sleep expert for neurotechnology research project at Bitbrain (Zaragoza, Spain)
by Eduardo López-Larraz July 28, 2020

July 28, 2020

We are looking for a postdoctoral sleep researcher to join Bitbrain <https://www.bitbrain.com/> and work on an EU-funded neurotechnology research project. The main objective will be to exploit some of the most recent advances in sleep research to develop interventions based on cutting-edge wearable neurotechnology for sleep (and sleep-mediated cognitive processes) improvement. The candidate will join Bitbrain <https://www.bitbrain.com/>’s interdisciplinary R&D department of applied neuroscience and neurotechnology and will lead all the R&D activities related to sleep. The candidate will have to: 1) design the R&D strategy of this new area in the company, which will require attending and participating in international events and networks, and 2) design and carry out a feasibility study in sleep improvement using innovative and practical technologies that can be used outside the lab. The position is initially offered for 12 months and includes a relocation and training package. *Requirements*: Sleep expert with a PhD degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering or similar. Strong background in sleep research, understanding of EEG (required) and brain stimulation (desirable). Project management skills. Problem solving and potential of growth. English is required, Spanish is a plus. *Application Deadline*: 01.11.2020 More information and application procedure: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/545040

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Register now for Allen Institute Modeling Workshop - August 12-14
by Anton Arkhipov July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020

TOWARDS MULTIPURPOSE MODELS OF CORTICAL CIRCUITS - JOIN US VIRTUALLY AUGUST 12-14 Join us for a virtual workshop, August 12-14, 2020, to learn and discuss how we can move towards "multipurpose models" that incorporate the true biological complexity of cortical circuits and faithfully reproduce multiple observables in many different situations. Hear from nearly twenty speakers as they emphasize open and publicly accessible models and associated tools to explore models from the conceptual to the biologically detailed. Dissemination, reproducibility, and free sharing of models and modeling software will be discussed. https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/events-training/allen-i… Confirmed Speakers: Gaute Einevoll, University of Oslo & NMBU (Workshop Co-Chair) Anton Arkhipov, Allen Institute, MindScope Program (Workshop Co-Chair) Shawn Olsen, Allen Institute, MindScope Program Anna Devor, Boston University Keith Hengen, Washington University in St. Louis Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute for Biological Studies Andreas Tolias, Baylor College of Medicine Clay Reid, M.D., Allen Institute for Brain Science Nuno da Costa, Allen Institute for Brain Science Stephanie Jones, Brown University Michael Reimann, EPFL Li-Huei Tsai, MIT David McCormick, University of Oregon Sacha van Albada, Research Centre Jülich Stefan Mihalas, Allen Institute, MindScope Program Greg Handy, University of Pittsburgh Luke Campagnola, Allen Institute for Brain Science Chris Harvey, Harvard Medical School Christof Koch, Allen Institute, MindScope Program EVENT DETAILS This three-day workshop will be hosted virtually and will feature a mix of presentations from leaders in the field, and discussion sessions for all participants. Wednesday, August 12 - Friday, August 14 ~8:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific Time, daily Please register at the link above. The virtual conference login information will be sent to all registrants in advance of the event. Please contact events(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:events@alleninstitute.org> with any questions. Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator T: 206.548.8414 [cidimage001.png(a)01D5F0E2.E3F24C00] www.alleninstitute.org<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alleni…>

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Applications for prestigious La Caixa Junior Leader Fellowships
by Serafim Rodrigues July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020

To experienced postdocs, We are looking for candidates who have an interest in being hosted within our research group Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN) at BCAM (Basque Centre for Applied Mathematics): http://www.bcamath.org/en/ The La Caixa Foundation has announced 45 very competitive Junior Leader Fellowships.The Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships programme is aimed at hiring excellent researchers, of any nationality, who wish to continue their research career in Spain or Portugal in the STEM area (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The objectives of this programme are to foster high-quality, innovative research in Spain and Portugal and to support the best scientific talent by providing them with an attractive, competitive environment in which to conduct excellent research. The fellows can carry their research at any university or research centre in Spain or Portugal. For details please refer to the links below: https://fundacionlacaixa.org/en/investigacion-y-becas/becas-de-la-caixa/pos… Programme Rules: https://fundacionlacaixa.org/documents/10280/675659/programme-rules-junior-… If you are interested, please contact: srodrigues(a)bcamath.org regards Serafim -- Serafim Rodrigues Group Leader *BCAM - *Basque Center for Applied Mathematics Alameda de Mazarredo, 14 E-48009 Bilbao, Basque Country - Spain Tel. +34 946 567 842 srodrigues(a)bcamath.org | www.bcamath.org/srodrigues *(**matematika mugaz bestalde)*

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2 postoc positions
by German Sumbre July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020

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Open Position Computational Neuroscientist / Algorithm Engineer (100%) at MaxWell Biosystems
by david.jaeckel＠mxwbio.com July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020

Dear all I would like to announce the following open position at MaxWell Biosystems AG in Zürich, Switzerland: Computational Neuroscientist / Algorithm Engineer (100%) Our technology, which consists of a custom designed integrated circuit, an FPGA-based data acquisition platform and our software suite MaxLab Live, generates vast amounts of data while electrically imaging neuronal tissue. Such data needs to be processed, analyzed and visualized online during operation. At the same time, our customers in drug discovery and neuroscience want to focus on their pharmaceutical and scientific questions, which requires to abstract and hide most of the technical complexity, while still providing sufficient flexibility to adapt the application to specific needs. We are constantly innovating and improving algorithms to extract novel and more accurate multiparametric electrophysiology metrics, which enable faster and more reliable drug discovery. To strengthen our R&D team and to drive and implement this challenging task, we are now seeking for a highly motivated computational neuroscientist. Your Responsibilities * Develop and support our performance critical data acquisition and analysis software platform * Contribute to our Python toolboxes for data analysis and visualization * Develop and validate analysis methods to extract multiparametric electrophysiology metrics * Understand customer needs and continuously improve user experience Your Profile * PhD in computational neuroscience or related (awarded after December 31st, 2016) * Proven strong scientific achievements in the form of first-author peer-reviewed publications in computational neuroscience or related * Strong experience in Python and competency working in a Linux/Unix environment * Proficiency in other languages, e.g., R, MATLAB, C++ is a plus * Knowledge of neuron physiology and electrophysiology * Proficiency in multiparametric pharmacological assays is a plus * Experience in microelectrode array (MEA) technology data analysis is a plus * Skilled in analysis of large-scale dataset * Enjoy solving complex problems and working in a team * Excellent English language skills * The applicant must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity for more than a total of 12 months over the last three years in Switzerland Are you motivated, innovative and committed to delivering first-rate performance? Have you ever wanted to work with cutting-edge technology involving both engineering and biology? Do you enjoy working in an international, multidisciplinary, and interactive team? Then we might have a position for you. Join MaxWell Biosystems in innovating the future of electrophysiology for drug discovery and basic research. Michele Fiscella looks forward to receiving your application documents (cover letter, resume, letter of recommendation and degrees including transcripts) by email at <mailto:hr@mxwbio.com> hr(a)mxwbio.com. - Best Regards, David -- David Jäckel Ph.D. | Senior Product Manager MaxWell Biosystems AG | Albisriederstrasse 253 | CH-8047 Zurich | Switzerland main: +41 44 244 24 24 | direct: +41 44 244 24 16 | <https://mxwbio-ch.3cx.net/join/davidjaeckel> click2meet e: <mailto:%20david.jaeckel@mxwbio.com> david.jaeckel(a)mxwbio.com | w: <http://www.mxwbio.com/> www.mxwbio.com Meet us | at <https://www.isscr.org/meetings-events/annual-meetings/isscr-annual-meeting-…> ISSCR, Boston, USA, Jun 24 – 27 | at <http://www.isscr.org/meetings-events/international-symposia/shanghai-2020-s…> ISSCR Symp., Shanghai, China, Sep 11 – 13 | at <https://www.safetypharmacology.org/AM2020/index.asp> SPS 2020, Montreal, Canada, Sep 14 – 16 Follow us on <https://twitter.com/mxwbio> Twitter and <https://www.linkedin.com/company/maxwell-biosystems> LinkedIn The information contained in this email and any attached files is legally privileged and confidential intended only for the use of the addressee. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and promptly delete this email and any attachments. Thank you.

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