November 2021 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

3rd BCI-UC: Submission closes on Friday, December 3rd

by Philipp Raggam

Dear Colleagues, The *abstract submission* for the 3rd Brain-Computer Interface Un-Conference (BCI-UC) *closes on Friday, December 3rd*, *at 11:59 pm (CET)* and the *voting period on submitted abstracts begins on Monday, December 6th* [1]. Abstract submissions are text-only. The length and format of the submissions are up to the authors - use whatever format you consider best for attracting up-votes! Important dates: - *Submission deadline: *December 3rd, 2021 at 11:59 pm (CET) - *Voting period:* December 6th, 2021 - December 12th, 2021 at 11:59 pm (CET) - *BCI-UC event:* January 27th, 2022, from 03:00 pm to 09:00 pm (CET) We will invite the *authors of the top-voted abstracts to present* at the un-conference. The 3rd BCI-UC will feature *keynotes* by *Cynthia Chestek* (University of Michigan) [2] and *Thorsten Zander* (TU Brandenburg) [3]. BCI-UC is an online un-conference that provides rapid dissemination of novel research results in the BCI community. Participants can *submit abstracts* to apply for *20 minutes presentation* slots. Abstracts are not reviewed by a program committee. Rather, all registered participants can vote on which of the submitted abstracts they would like to see presented at the un-conference. Because the BCI-UC does not publish conference proceedings, submitted abstracts can report novel as well as already published work. *Registration and attendance are free of charge*. Presentations of the 1st and 2nd BCI-UC can be re-watched at [4] and [5]. *All presentations will be streamed via Crowdcast* [6] and can be accessed free of charge. Join us in supporting this novel community-driven dissemination of research results! The BCI-UC committee: Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Anja Meunier Philipp Raggam Jiachen Xu Links: [1] https://bciunconference.univie.ac.at/3rd-bci-uc/ [2] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=36sxAZEAAAAJ&hl=de [3] https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=0E49HxYAAAAJ [4] https://bciunconference.univie.ac.at/past-events/1st-bci-uc/ [5] https://bciunconference.univie.ac.at/past-events/2nd-bci-uc/ [6] https://www.crowdcast.io/ -- DI Philipp Raggam, BSc Research Group Neuroinformatics Faculty of Computer Science University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6, A-1090 Wien, Austria

Nov. 30, 2021

Support open neuroscience this Giving Tuesday

by Heather Topple

[image: Giving Tuesday.png] Support INCF’s mission to push global neuroscience further and faster Scientific progress is critical for providing our global community with cures and treatments for illnesses that cause pain and disability in so many lives. Neurological diseases are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, and mental health issues are increasing every year. While neuroscience has made significant progress in the last couple of decades, there is still much to do. A major barrier is that neuroscience is time-consuming and expensive. One way to remedy this is through the reuse and pooling of data and sharing of tools, which speeds discovery and increases sensitivity to the subtleties of brain function and disease. INCF facilitates this process by endorsing practical approaches and solutions for the application of open, FAIR, and citable neuroscience, and ensures impact through advocacy and efforts in training the next generation of neuroscientists in FAIR research management approaches. You can support our efforts by making a direct donation, or by sponsoring a membership for a student or colleague. Your gift will enable us to support open science for the global neuroscience community! *DONATE <https://incf.org/donate>* [image: GivingTuesday logo.png] ---------------------------- Heather Topple, BSc *Project Assistant* *Development and Communications* International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility Secretariat Karolinska Institutet. Nobels väg 15A, SE-171 77 Stockholm. Sweden <https://www.google.com/maps/search/Nobels+v%C3%A4g+15A,+SE-171+77+Stockholm…> Email: heather(a)incf.org Phone: +46 085 248 70 65 incf.org neuroinformatics.incf.org

Nov. 30, 2021

Apply Now: Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Allen/UW at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience

by Adrienne L Fairhall

***Please forward** particularly to data scientists with a Ph.D. in quantitative fields such as computer science, statistics, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics* Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience Overview The *Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience* is a three-year fellowship program that aims to: · Integrate data scientists in neuroscience research · Challenge traditional approaches to neuroscience · Provide multidisciplinary, multi-organizational co-mentorship · Provide a network and community · Support career development in data science The fellowship is co-hosted by the Allen Institute and the University of Washington (through the eScience Institute and the Computational Neuroscience Center) and is directed by Dr. Christof Koch at the Allen Institute. *Neuroscience needs data scientists.* The brain represents one of the most complex challenges facing science today. And now with advances in our methods to study the brain—Neuropixel probes that can record from 1000 neurons at once, growing consensus on data standards across laboratories—the field is flooded with data that needs interpretation. The skills of data scientists are essential to springboard the field to the next stage of discoveries. Towards that end, the Shanahan Foundation Fellowship was created to bring fresh perspectives into the field, encouraging data scientists from outside neuroscience to come and work with leading investigators at the Allen Institute and UW. The Allen Institute is unique in its infrastructure and pipeline that enables the production of standardized, reproducible data on the brain (as evidenced by our vast *data banks* <http://www.brain-map.org/>*)*. Together with our collaborators at the UW computational Neuroscience Center and eScience Institute, we provide data scientists with the ideal opportunity and resources to mine for novel insights and discoveries. Details *You do not need experience in neuroscience to apply. *The goal of the fellowship is to provide opportunities to non-traditional applicants who would not typically be funded by the typical postdoctoral fellowships in neuroscience. The fellowship has been purposefully designed to give fellows the time and mentorship to get up to speed in a new field and new data collection techniques and methods*.* Fellows will be employed by the Allen Institute as either a Scientist I or a Scientist II (with a matching salary) and will receive an affiliate postdoctoral appointment at UW. During the three-year fellowship, fellows will identify a mentor at the Allen Institute, where the fellows will be based. Fellows will select a co-mentor at the University of Washington who will provide additional guidance on a project designed by the fellow, focused on quantitative analysis of neuroscience data available through the Allen Institute’s vast data banks <http://www.brain-map.org/> – ranging from molecular, genomic, transcriptional, physiological, morphological, anatomical and functional whole-brain level in the brains of mice, non-human primates and humans – or through ongoing laboratory work. Each fellow will have the opportunity to mentor a fully-funded UW undergraduate or postbaccalaureate research assistant who helps with their research for 3-12 months. Fellows will participate in the postdoctoral career development program at the University’s *e-Science Institute* and the *UW Computational Neuroscience Center*. The eSciences Institute offers regular workshops on key topics including cloud computing, python and reproducibility. New fellows will attend the annual Summer Workshop on the Dynamic Brain <https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/events-training/summer-…> where they will learn how to apply data science skills to neuroscience data and questions. Throughout the three years, fellows will be supported in developing a network in the neuroscience field and sharing their progress with peers at conferences. Up to three fellows will be selected to begin in Fall 2022. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be data scientists in a broad sense, with a Ph.D. in a quantitative field such as computer science, statistics, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics or biology with a background in statistical, computational and machine learning methods. Ph.D.’s should have been awarded in the last 3 years. One goal of the fellowship is to build a network of collaborators, as such, priority will be given to applicants who are not currently postdoctoral fellows or scientists at the University of Washington or the Allen Institute. We believe high-quality science can only be produced when it includes different perspectives. We are building an environment of diversity and inclusion and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for this fellowship. Application Instructions For full consideration, please submit your application by February 1, 2022. Applications may continue to be considered after this deadline on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Learn more and apply on the Shanahan Fellowship Website <https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/careers/shanahan-founda…> . Applications must include: · A curriculum vitae from the applicant · Two letters of support from advisors and other mentors · A one-page personal statement from the applicant describing their history, activities, and interests as an individual (especially those outside of science) which may give the committee a greater sense of you as a person and your ability to simultaneously interact with and challenge traditional scientific fields. · A two- to three-page research statement from the applicant describing their prior research, interests in applying data science to the field of neuroscience, potential research interests (including tools they are familiar with) and how this fellowship aligns with their career goals. · The choice of the final advisor/co-advisor will be accomplished during the first year of this fellowship. Questions? Email: shanahan.fellow(a)alleninstitute.org -- Sarah A. Stone, PhD Executive Director | eScience Institute Campus Box 351570 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 _______________________________________________ Escience_bbl mailing list Escience_bbl(a)u.washington.edu http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/escience_bbl

Nov. 29, 2021

Software Engineer position for International Brain Laboratory

by Hannah M Bayer

The International Brain Laboratory SOFTWARE ENGINEER <https://academic.careers.columbia.edu/#/85586> will work closely with our scientists to develop and deploy software and electronic hardware for experiment control, collection, storage, and data analysis. The experiments make use of complex control systems including video, audio, and fluidics, the data are processed by sophisticated algorithms including GPU-based deep networks, and then transferred automatically to a central database. The successful candidate will interface with scientists in our member laboratories (located in London, Lisbon, Geneva, Paris, New York City, Long Island, Princeton, San Francisco, and Ashburn VA) and with the core software development team based in Lisbon, to support experiments and ensure data is of high quality. The ideal candidate would have extensive experience with Linux, Python, Arduino systems, electronics, team programming, quality assurance, web design, and system administration. A flexible attitude, the ability to quickly adapt to new situations and learn new systems, and to work independently as part of a geographically distributed team, are essential. Experience with scientific research, networking, parallel computing, or relational databases would also be desirable. As this is a distributed collaboration, the candidate should be prepared to travel to all partner sites, with a home base in Lisbon, London or New York. RESPONSIBILITIES: - To develop and support software and hardware to collect and analyse neurophysiology recordings at worldwide partner sites - To help apply these algorithms to petabyte-scale data, to draw scientific conclusions about brain function. - To support the use of the resulting algorithms and software by laboratory members and by the worldwide scientific community. - To write online documentation and help author scientific publications describing the algorithms and discoveries made with them. Any questions prior to applying, please contact info(a)internationalbrainlab.org To apply: https://academic.careers.columbia.edu/#/85586 -- Hannah M. Bayer, PhD Executive Director International Brain Laboratory

Nov. 29, 2021

SCGB Virtual Postdoc/Student Meeting: Wednesday, December 1 by Olivia Gozel

by Laura Long

The Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) hosts postdoc/student meetings to bring together trainees interested in neural coding and dynamics to discuss ideas and data. In addition to regional meetings in New York, Boston, and the Bay Area, SCGB holds a virtual series to connect systems and computational neuroscientists independent of geography. We would love to see you at our next meeting! Please see event details and the Zoom link below. SCGB Virtual Postdoc/Student Meeting: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scgb-global-postdocstudent-meeting-tickets-209… Wednesday, December 1st, 12pm Eastern Time https://simonsfoundation.zoom.us/j/94767192583?pwd=TXBKNXJQYzdGTmRUZTFlUUYz… Passcode: 429535 *Olivia Gozel* Postdoctoral Researcher, Doiron Laboratory The University of Chicago *Between-area communication through the lens of within-area neuronal dynamics* Neuronal dynamics range from asynchronous spiking to richly patterned spatio-temporal activity and are modulated by external and internal sources. Numerous experimental datasets show that the shared variability can be well described by a small number of latent variables, indicating coordinated trial-to-trial fluctuations within the population. Besides, cortical areas are connected through long-range excitatory projections, and it has been shown that there exists a communication subspace between connected but distinct brain areas that predicts spiking activity in a downstream area using upstream activity. However, little is known about the effect of neuronal dynamics on interactions between brain areas. Using a layered spiking network with within- and between-layer spatially structured connectivity, we show that pattern formation decreases within-area dimensionality similarly when spatio-temporal patterns emerge within a population or when they are inherited from a connected population. Yet, the fidelity of communication from an upstream to a downstream area, as estimated by a linear reduced-rank regression measure, is affected by the origin of pattern formation. Specifically, downstream activity is poorly predicted by upstream activity when spatio-temporal patterns emerge downstream, while it is particularly well predicted when shared fluctuations are mostly inherited from the upstream area. Interestingly, examination of spiking activity reveals that, even in the scenario with apparent disrupted communication, the downstream area is effectively driven by upstream activity, as expected from the strong feedforward connection strengths between layers. A mismatch in within-area dimensionality between upstream and downstream areas appears to underlie the seemingly weak communication. These results expose the limitations of linear measures when analyzing the flow of information in brain circuits with diverse neuronal dynamics. *Please note that this meeting is open to all neuroscience postdocs and PhD students, regardless of location or SCGB affiliation (sorry, no PIs). *After Q&A with the speaker, we will open breakout rooms for anyone interested in staying to chat, network, or further discuss the talk. In addition to these breakouts, SCGB Scientific Staff will be available for "office hours" to chat and answer questions about SCGB programs and support. Registration on EventBrite is encouraged but not required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scgb-global-postdocstudent-meeting-tickets-209… Please contact Laura Long at llong(a)simonsfoundation.org with any questions.

Nov. 29, 2021

Post-doctoral position advertisement

by Zaghloul, Kareem (NIH/NINDS) [E]

Hi, I would like to post the following ad to the comp-neuro listserv. Would this be possible? I've attached a copy of the ad below. Thank you, Kareem Kareem A. Zaghloul, MD, PhD Surgical Neurology Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH Bldg 10, Rm. 3D20 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892-1414 O: 301-594-8114 F: 301-402-0380 Position Type Postdoctoral Position at the NIH Position Title Human memory and sequences of single unit spiking activity Position Description The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is seeking a full-time post-doctoral position focused on understanding the neural correlates of human memory. This position involves studies focused on analyzing recordings of population spiking activity captured from the human cortex in awake participants with drug resistant epilepsy who are receiving intracranial EEG (iEEG) electrodes to monitor seizure activity. Single unit spiking activity from populations of neurons are captured through implanted microelectrode arrays. Post-doctoral fellows will join a laboratory aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie human episodic memory formation and decision making. We are specifically seeking a candidate who has a strong interest in understanding neural coding as represented by sequences of single unit spiking activity in the human cortex. We are seeking candidates that are highly creative, motivated, and independent with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a related field. Candidates must have a strong research background, with a record of relevant publications. Candidates will be encouraged and expected to participate in independent laboratory research, and will be expected to write scholarly manuscripts. Candidates must be able to lead and work well in a team. Candidates should have strong computational, quantitative, and/or engineering skills, with proficiency in developing custom code (Matlab, Python, etc.) for data analysis preferred. Past medical research is not required, but candidates must be willing to perform experiments in a clinical setting. Candidates will interact with clinical staff, graduate students, research fellows, and must have excellent spoken and written English skills. Applicants should submit a brief statement of research activities and interests, a current CV, and names and contact information of at least three references. Salary will be commensurate with experience and accomplishments. To arrange a meeting with the PI and to send materials required for consideration for this appointment please contact Dr. Zaghloul at: zaghloulka(a)mail.nih.gov<mailto:zaghloulka@mail.nih.gov>. Employer Name Kareem A. Zaghloul, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Position Location Bethesda, MD Disclaimer NIH, an agency of DHHS, is an equal opportunity employer. All employees are subject to background investigation. The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs.

Nov. 29, 2021

Postdoctoral Researcher position at University of Göttingen, CIDBN, SPP 2205

by von Behren, Christina

Dear list, We would like to draw your attention to a postdoc opportunity at the Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), University of Göttingen: The Department of Data-driven Analysis of Biological Networks at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for a position as Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) This position is available starting from January 1st, 2022. It is a fulltime position and is fixed until 31.03.2024. Salary and working hours will be according to the German grade 13 TV-L (100%, currently 39.48 hours per week). The position will be associated with the group of Prof. Dr. Michael Wibral. We are recruiting a Postdoc for the interdisciplinary research project "Evolutionary Convergence of Hierarchical Information Processing" funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the research initiative SPP 2205 "Evolutionary optimization of neuronal processing"<https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/618311.html>. The project aims to establish the common information theoretic principles of computation in hierarchical neural systems that are conserved across species from drosophila, via rodents to primates and humans. We are looking for candidates with an excellent PhD/Master's Degree in neuroscience, cognitive science, physics, computer science or a related field who are committed to pursuing a career in research. The successful applicant will develop and apply novel information theoretic measures to electrophysiological neural recordings and calcium imaging signals to investigate signatures of predictive hierarchical information processing. The ideal candidate should have excellent skills in scientific writing, experience with the application of information theory to biological data, and should have demonstrated her/his ability to work independently. Prior experience with predictive coding theory and experiments are plus. Proven coding skills in a language relevant to data analysis (e.g. Python, Julia, R, Scala, Java), prior experience with research-data management systems (RDMS) are also considered as an advantage. We offer the opportunity to become a member of a vibrant community dedicated to innovative research and teaching at the frontier of the exact and biological sciences, and to connect to the latest developments in information theory, including partial information decompositions. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of biophysics and neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please submit your application in digital form only and send all relevant documents in one single PDF-document, including a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae with a list of publications, copies of your certificates and contact information of at least two references to Wibral_lab(a)uni-goettingen.de by December 13, 2021. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Michael Wibral via e-mail: michael.wibral(a)uni-goettingen.de. [cid:image003.png@01D7E52F.C6D6F9C0] Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo Best Regards, Christina von Behren ------ Goettingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience Goettingen Heinrich-Düker-Weg 12 37073 Goettingen Germany Tel.: +49-(0)551-39-26674

Nov. 29, 2021

Postdoc vacancy in A-eye (AI, eye, MRI) at CHUV - Lausanne, Switzerland

by Benedetta Franceschiello

Dear Colleagues, Dr. Meritxell Bach Cuadra and I are looking for a postdoctoral researcher interested in the field of large-scale analysis of eye MRI (MReye) data with AI. Please find here attached the call and the link for postulating: https://recrutement.chuv.ch/vacancy/post-doctoral-position-on-deep-learning… Informal inquiries are welcome. Thank you very much, Kind regards, -- Benedetta Franceschiello, Ph.D. Research Scientist CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, EEG CHUV-UNIL Section LINE, Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology <https://www.unil.ch/line/en/home.html> Radiology Department, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne Tel: +41 787409774 Rue Centrale 7, CH-1003, Lausanne, Switzerland https://sites.google.com/view/benedettafranceschiello-phd/ I work flexibly - so whilst it suits me to email now, I do not expect a response or action outside of your own working hours.

Nov. 29, 2021

Positions in modeling at the Allen Institute

by Anton Arkhipov

Dear colleagues, We are hiring for multiple positions in bio-realistic modeling at the Allen Institute. Please apply soon! For example, see this Scientist position: https://alleninstitute.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=1770679<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Falleninst…> If you don’t have a PhD (perhaps just finishing a BS or MS degree?), we would love to hear from you too. Please contact me at antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org>. We are developing biologically realistic models of cortical circuits in the mouse brain at the level of a cortical area and the whole cortex. In collaboration with the group of Dr. Li-Huei Tsai at MIT, we investigate the cell type and circuit mechanisms of neuronal entrainment to periodic sensory stimulation at different frequencies. The project leverages the Allen Institute’s unique multi-modal data: https://portal.brain-map.org. Additional relevant resources and publications: * https://portal.brain-map.org/explore/models/mv1-all-layers<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fportal.br…> * https://portal.brain-map.org/explore/connectivity<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fportal.br…> * Iaccarino et al., Nature (2016); Adaikkan et al., Neuron (2019); Martorell et al., Cell (2019) The Allen Institute believes that team science significantly benefits from the participation of diverse voices, experiences and backgrounds. High-quality science can only be produced when it includes different perspectives. We are committed to increasing diversity across every team and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for these roles. Best wishes, Anton. Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator T: 206.548.8414 E: antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org> alleninstitute.org<https://alleninstitute.org> brain-map.org

Nov. 29, 2021

Post-doc: biologically accurate computational models of thalamocortical circuitry

by Sean Hill

Are you Interested in thalamocortical circuitry and its functions? We are seeking an outstanding candidate for a fully-funded post-doctoral position at Blue Brain, EPFL - in Geneva, Switzerland - to develop biologically-accurate computational models of thalamocortical circuitry. Please follow the link for more details and to apply: https://recruiting.epfl.ch/Vacancies/1755/Description/2 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. AVIS DE CONFIDENTIALITÉ : Ce message électronique, ainsi que tout fichier qui y est joint, est reserve à l'usage exclusif du destinataire visé et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels et privilégiés. Toute lecture, utilisation, divulgation ou distribution non autorisée est interdite. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire visé, veuillez en aviser l'expéditeur par retour de courriel et détruire toutes les copies du message original.

Nov. 25, 2021