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PhD/post-doc opening on Neuro-AI in Montreal, Canada

by Muller Eilif

I'm happy to announce the Architectures of Biological Learning Lab is Hiring! I'm looking for exceptional candidates at the MSc, PhD or post-doc level to work on "Dendritic Algorithms for Perceptual Learning". The project will employ simulations of pyramidal neurons and plasticity, and deep convolutional networks to study representation learning in the neocortex. Prior experience with Python, NEURON, and/or PyTorch would be an asset. This project will be undertaken in collaboration with Profs. Yoshua Bengio (UdeM, Mila), Roberto Araya (UdeM, CRCHUSJ), and Blake Richards (McGill, Mila). Montreal, Canada is a thriving international hub for Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience research, with a booming AI industry. It's where Donald O. Hebb originally formulated Hebbian Learning. It's also a vibrant, funky, cosmopolitan yet affordable city of over 4 million, referred to as "Canada's Cultural Capital" by Monocle magazine. In 2017, Montreal was ranked the 12th-most liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit in its annual Global Liveability Ranking, and the best city in the world to be a university student in the QS World University Rankings. For more details and instructions how to apply, please visit: https://bit.ly/3l1PGFH --- Eilif B. Muller, Ph.D.<https://research.chusj.org/en/Axes-de-recherche/Bio?id=a7716033-22af-49a0-8…> IVADO Assistant Research Professor Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal Associate Faculty Member - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila) Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal QC H3T 1C5, Canada

Oct. 1, 2020

POSTDOC POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE IN PARIS AND BASEL

by Rava A. da Silveira

*Several postdoctoral openings in the lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira **(Paris & Basel)* The lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira invites applications for *Postdoctoral Researcher* positions at ENS, Paris, and IOB, an associated institute of the University of Basel. Research questions will be chosen from a broad range of topics in theoretical/computational neuroscience and cognitive science (see the description of the lab’s activity, below). One of the postdoc positions to be filled in Basel will be part of a collaborative framework with Michael Woodford (Columbia University) and will involve projects relating the study of decision making to models of perception and memory. Candidates with backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, physics, computer science, engineering, biology, and psychology are welcome. Experience with data analysis and proficiency with numerical methods, in addition to familiarity with neuroscience topics and mathematical and statistical methods, are desirable. Equally desirable are a spirit of intellectual adventure, eagerness, and drive. The positions will come with highly competitive work conditions and salaries. *Application deadline:* For full consideration, please apply by 30 October 2020. *How to apply:* Please send the following information *in one single PDF, to * *silveira(a)iob.ch* <silveira(a)iob.ch>*:* 1. letter of motivation; 2. statement of research interests, limited to two pages; 3. curriculum vitæ including a list of publications; 4. any relevant publications that you wish to showcase. In addition, please arrange for three letters of recommendations to be sent to the same email address. In all email correspondence, please include the mention “APPLICATION-POSTDOC” in the subject header, otherwise the application will *not* be considered. *** *ENS,* together with a number of neighboring institutions (College de France, Institut Curie, ESPCI, Sorbonne Université, and Institut Pasteur), offers a rich scientific and intellectual environment, with a strong representation in computational neuroscience and related fields. *IOB* is a research institute combining basic and clinical research. Its mission is to drive innovations in understanding vision and its diseases and develop new therapies for vision loss. IOB is an equal-opportunity employer with family-friendly work policies. *The Silveira** Lab* focuses on a range of topics, which, however, are tied together through a central question: How does the brain represent and manipulate information? Among the more concrete approaches to this question, the lab analyses and models neural activity in circuits that can be identified, recorded from, and perturbed experimentally, such as visual neural circuits in the retina and the cortex. Establishing links between physiological specificity and the structure of neural activity yields an understanding of circuits as building blocks of cerebral information processing. On a more abstract level, the lab investigates the representation of information in populations of neurons, from a statistical and algorithmic—rather than mechanistic—point of view, through theories of coding and data analyses. These studies aim at understanding the statistical nature of high-dimensional neural activity in different conditions, and how this serves to encode and process information from the sensory world. In the context of cognitive studies, the lab investigates mental processes such as inference, learning, and decision-making, through both theoretical developments and behavioral experiments. A particular focus is the study of neural constraints and limitations and, further, their impact on mental processes. Neural limitations impinge on the structure and variability of mental representations, which in turn inform the cognitive algorithms that produce behavior. The lab explores the nature of neural limitations, mental representations, and cognitive algorithms, and their interrelations.

Sept. 30, 2020

COSYNE 2021: Meeting announcement and call for abstracts

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2021 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING ONLINE 27 February - 01 March 2021 www.cosyne.org ==================================================== ---------------------------------------------------- MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. Cosyne 2021 will take place online, February 27 - March 1, 2021. The goal of this year’s meeting is to promote early stage investigators. Therefore, there are no invited talks from established researchers. The format will include featured contributed talks and an interactive poster-like presentations (short recorded presentation + live interactions). More details to follow. All abstract submissions will be reviewed as in previous years, but reviewing will be fully double blind. The deadline for Abstract submission will be November 12, 2020. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission opens: 11 October 2020 Abstract submission deadline: 12 November 2020 When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General & Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Diversity Chairs: Eva Dyer (Georgia Tech, Emory) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Publicity Chair: Adam Calhoun (Princeton) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

Sept. 29, 2020

(on behalf of Loren Frank) faculty position @ UCSF

by Peter Dayan

The Department of Physiology at UCSF is seeking a visionary neuroscientist to join our vibrant and collaborative discovery research community. This open-rank, tenure-track faculty position is part of a multi-year UCSF institutional initiative that began in 2018 to foster equity and inclusion in biomedical research and to promote the success of our diverse student population. Since launching this effort, UCSF has tripled the number of underrepresented faculty in our basic sciences departments and this critical mass will continue to grow. Candidates are expected to hold a Ph.D. and/or M.D., to have demonstrated significant research accomplishment and potential, and to be committed to the mentorship of students, with a particular emphasis on candidates with demonstrated success mentoring students from groups that are historically underrepresented in biomedical science. We encourage outstanding candidates who are early in their postdoctoral research training to apply, even if their main findings are not yet published. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a dynamic and interactive research program focused in the field of integrative neuroscience, which could include molecular, genetic, cellular, systems, behavioral, computational, and engineering approaches. The candidate would become a member of the Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, the Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and the Weill Institute for Neuroscience at UCSF. The candidate would be expected to join the UCSF Neuroscience Graduate Program and, if so desired, one or more of our other top-ranked interdisciplinary graduate programs (see https://graduate.ucsf.edu/list-programs) The candidate, like all faculty at UCSF, will also be expected to contribute to graduate teaching, to be a leader in inclusive mentoring practices, and to participate in activities that promote equity and inclusion at our institution and in the broader scientific community. Service and teaching expectations are comparable to those of any other UCSF tenure-track faculty position. Faculty appointment will be made at a professorial rank commensurate with current academic standing. UCSF offers competitive salaries, research set-up funds, and recruitment allowances, and has numerous opportunities for faculty development and further training in mentorship. Applications must be submitted online and include the following documents in a single PDF: (1) cover letter briefly describing how the candidate fits the position; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) 1-page summary of research accomplishments demonstrating the candidate’s scientific leadership through their contribution to their project(s) and describing the potential impact of their work on the field of neuroscience; (4) 2-page description of future research plans that includes both high risk / high reward projects and an NIH-fundable program; and 5) a statement of personal experiences with, and contributions to, issues related to social and racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, with particular attention to demonstrated success with formal and informal mentoring of individuals from historically underrepresented groups. We encourage candidates to describe specific mentoring strategies to support the success of all trainees in their research group. Copies of major publications that demonstrate the candidate’s ability to carry out creative and impactful work should be included. Applicants should request three to five letters of recommendation describing how the candidate meets the criteria in this job description. We encourage recommenders to provide explicit examples to illustrate their statements. We expect candidates to provide a letter from their postdoctoral and graduate advisors but will consider candidates who can provide justifications when these will be lacking. Review will begin on December 1, 2020 and continue until the position is filled. Please direct inquiries about the position and suggestions of potential candidates to Dr. Loren Frank (loren(a)phy.ucsf.edu) As an institution that values diversity, UC San Francisco especially encourages application from historically excluded groups, including but not limited to racially underrepresented individuals, women, and individuals with a commitment to mentoring historically excluded groups in the sciences. UC San Francisco seeks candidates whose experience, teaching, research, or community service that has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. Please apply online at https://aprecruit.ucsf.edu/JPF03083.

Sept. 29, 2020

postdoc/PhD students needed

by Alexey Kuznetsov

*POSTDOCTORAL POSITION* *Indianapolis, Indiana, United States* A postdoctoral position and/or PhD student positions are available for a cutting-edge project on computational modeling of habit formation. The project takes place in the excellent collaborative environment of the Indiana Alcohol Research Center and studies the influence of alcohol on habits. The post-doc will develop a model of the cortico-striatal brain circuitry affected by alcohol. The post-doc will work with Prof. Kuznetsov (Mathematics Dept. IUPUI) and collaborate with experimentalists Prof. Atwood (IUSM) and Prof. Lapish (Psycology Dept. IUPUI). The position is available beginning December 2020 for one year. The continuation is contingent upon the availability of funds. *Qualifications*: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Mathematics, Physics, or a related field, a background in Dynamical Systems, programming experience and working knowledge in Computational Neuroscience. Experience in modeling the basal ganglia is desirable. *How to Apply:* Send your CV, list of publications, research statement, and contact information for three references to Prof. Alexey Kuznetsov via e-mail: askuznet(a)iupui.edu. IUPUI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application process must notify Cindy Ritchie at 402 N. Blackford Street, LD 270, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 or call (317) 274-6920, a reasonable time in advance. IUPUI strongly encourages applications from women and underrepresented minorities. Additional information about IUPUI and the Department is available at www.iupui.edu and www.math.iupui.edu. -- Alexey Kuznetsov Associate Professor Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, IUPUI Science Building, LD 270, 402 N. Blackford St., Indianapolis, IN

Sept. 28, 2020

Postdoctoral position at BU (Nancy Kopell) and MIT (Emery Brown)

by McCarthy, Michelle M

Dear Comp-Neuro Community, The Kopell lab at Boston University has an open position (2 years with the possibility of renewal) for a postdoctoral associate to work on computational models concerning mechanisms of anesthesia, with experimental work to be done in the labs of Emery Brown, Earl Miller and others. The models are physiologically detailed (Hodgkin-Huxley based), linking anesthetic-mediated changes in physiology to changes in brain rhythms and their coordination both locally and across the brain; the models further link the brain rhythms to changes in consciousness. The work is relevant to sleep and brain disorders. Programming proficiency and modeling experience is necessary and some neuroscience training is desirable. Please send inquiries and applications to Xiaoshi Shi (xiaoshi(a)bu.edu<mailto:xiaoshi@bu.edu>) and nk(a)bu.edu<mailto:nk@bu.edu>. Nancy Kopell Department of Mathematics and Statistics Boston University, Boston MA 02215

Sept. 28, 2020

Two Cardiac Simulation/Computational Neuroscience postdoc computer modeling positions are available for development of a novel ICNS (intrinsic cardiac nervous system) simulation project.

by Salvador Dura

Our new NIH SPARC Initiative ICNS project aims to build and establish a new model of RAGP (right atrial ganglionic plexus) The work is being done as a collaboration between SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn, NY), and Jefferson University (Philadelphia, CT) under the auspices of a 2-year NIH SPARC Initiative grant. The two new postdocs will work closely together - one focusing primarily on cell-level modeling and the other primarily on network but with both expected to work in both areas. Candidates should have a strong background in computer programming, with demonstrated proficiency in Python. Strong interest, though not necessarily research experie nce, in neuroscience is a must. Some experience with NEURON and NetPyNE is desirable. Job Types: Full-time or Contract contact: bill.lytton(a)downstate.edu<mailto:bill.lytton@downstate.edu> -- William W. Lytton, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY bill.lytton(a)downstate.edu; http://neurosimlab.com ________________________________________________________________

Sept. 28, 2020

Postdoc with Sonia Bishop in Computational Psychiatry at UC Berkeley

by Peter Dayan

Postdoc in Computational Psychiatry at UC Berkeley The UC Berkeley Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute is looking to hire a postdoctoral researcher to work on an exciting, newly funded, five-year NIH project. This project brings together researchers with expertise in computational psychiatry, computational and cognitive neuroscience and clinical science from the Psychology Department and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at UC Berkeley and from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. Faculty involved include Professor Sonia Bishop (Psychology & HWNI, UC Berkeley), Professor Anne Collins (Psychology & HWNI, UC Berkeley), Professor Sheri Johnson (Psychology, UC Berkeley) and Professor Peter Dayan (MPI, Tübingen, Germany). This provides an exciting opportunity for a postdoctoral candidate to work at the cutting edge of computational psychiatry research and to take on a pivotal role in this team. The aim of the project is to use a computational approach to delineate component processes contributing to probabilistic decision-making across positive and negative valence domains, to investigate their neural substrate (using fMRI), and to relate abnormalities in these processes and alterations in associated neural function to dimensional measures of psychopathology. In addition, we aim to develop tasks and models that can be shared with the broader computational psychiatry and RDoC community. For pertinent theoretical and empirical work by team members please see: http://bishoplab.berkeley.edu/bishop_2018.pdf http://bishoplab.berkeley.edu/Browning_et_al_NatNeuroscience_2015.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32710256/ The successful applicant will have the opportunity to take an early lead on studies conducted as part of this 5-year project and to contribute intellectually to their development and direction. The postdoc will be based within the Computational Psychiatry and Affective Cognitive Neuroscience laboratory at UC Berkeley (please note, given Covid, there may be an opportunity for remote working in year 1 - feel free to inquire). The CPACN lab is located within the new Berkeley Way West (BWW) building which houses the Department of Psychology and multiple cognitive neuroscience, computational and clinical research groups, providing a rich and stimulating scientific community. BWW is within a 2 minute walk of the H. Wheeler Brain Imaging Center, located within the Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences which is home to two 3T MRI scanners and one 7T scanner. There will also be the opportunity for annual collaborative trips to the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. We are looking for an individual who is strongly motivated to pursue an academic career and is excited by the opportunities for personal and career development this position can provide. In addition to regular interactions with, and training by, members of the project team, the successful applicant will be able to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by the broader scientific community at UC Berkeley, including participation in weekly seminars and advanced computational modelling and fMRI courses provided by the HWNI and Psychology Department. There are also many opportunities for more informal interactions with members of the local scientific community. We seek postdoctoral applicants with established computational modelling skills and a PhD in cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience or a related discipline. Experience with fMRI is preferred but not required. Strong programming skills (ideally in python or matlab) are required. Candidates should have a track record of productivity and show potential for success in working in a team environment. Good knowledge of the computational psychiatry, decision-making, or computational neuroscience literatures is desirable. Qualified postdoctoral applicants should submit a current CV, a personal statement describing their experience and interests, and contact information for three references to sbishop(a)berkeley.edu (informal enquiries also welcome). At UC Berkeley, postdoctoral salaries start at $50,760/year depending on prior post-doctoral experience, and the University offers medical insurance and benefits. The position is available at this time but a delayed start is also negotiable. An initial appointment for a one-year period will be made with potential for extension for a further two years (or longer) depending on successful performance. UC Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to excellence through diversity.

Sept. 28, 2020

Join us at the NMC 3.0 conference, Oct 26-30, submissions open now

by Brad Wyble

Dear Neuroscience Community, We are excited to announce the launch of Neuromatch Conference (Oct 26-30). The Neuromatch team has been working hard to bring a virtual conference that accepts submissions from all areas of neuroscience, and where all relevant submissions are accepted as a talk! Our goal with this conference is to provide a place where neuroscientists from all over the world get to share research ideas and come together as a community! We’re working hard to make it the most inclusive neuroscience meeting that has ever existed. The deadline for submissions is October 2, 2020, so we encourage you to get your abstracts ready now! There is a $25 registration fee but this is waivable (no validation required) for anyone who cannot pay to attend for any reason. Please view our website for more information regarding submission and registration: neuromatch.io <http://neuromatch.io/>j The conference will be organized by themes, tailored to fit your area of research best. These themes will be: Theme A: Developmental Disorders and Injury Theme B: Excitability, Synapses, and Glia Theme C: Sensory & Motor Systems, and Physiology & Behavior Theme D: Cognition, Motivation and Emotion Theme E: Computation and Techniques Theme F: History, Education, and Society We developed algorithms that will allow us to place you in a virtual room with other scientists and attendees who are interested in similar topics, therefore ensuring an audience that is excited about your talk. The talks will have two formats, and you will be able to choose which one you prefer - Traditional Talk: 12-minute talk plus 3-minute Q&A - Interactive Talk: 5-minute talk plus 10-minute Q&A (this talk is focused on discussion) We hope that you will attend the Neuromatch Conference and consider submitting your abstract for presentation! We would love to hear from you and see everyone’s latest results.. Best wishes, The Neuromatch Team Please follow our social media and visit our website for regular updates @Neuromatch <https://twitter.com/neuromatch?lang=en> @Neuromatch <https://www.instagram.com/neuromatch/> neuromatch.io -- Brad Wyble Associate Professor Psychology Department Penn State University http://wyblelab.com

Sept. 27, 2020

2 postdoc positions in computational neuroscience

by Alain Destexhe

Dear Colleagues, Please pass on these two positions that we have for postdocs in computational neuroscience at the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience - many thanks. best, Alain ---------------- 2 POSTDOC POSITIONS AVAILABLE Two postdoc positions are available for computational and theoretical studies in the framework of the Human Brain Project. The theoretical work associated to these two postdoctoral positions consists of (1) investigating models and mathematical techniques to model decision making phenomena (in collaboration with Rubem Moreno-Bote in Barcelona), and (2) investigate models of sensory perception, up to consciousness (in collaboration with Fanis Panagiotaropoulos and Stan Dehaene at NeuroSpin). Both postdocs will be supervised by A. Desyexhe and will work in tight collaboration with the European Institute for Theoretical Neuroscience (EITN). DETAILS OF THE FIRST POSTDOC POSITION: We are seeking for a postdoc position in the framework of a project called "COREDEM", and which was recently integrated in the Human Brain Project European flaghsip. COREDEM aims at conceiving decision making models based on electrophysiological recordings in human and monkey, and ultimately test these models on neuromorphic and neuro-robotic applications. The project comprises a significant computational neuroscience component consisting mainly of two laboratories, Alain Destexhe at the CNRS and Paris-Saclay University, and Ruben Moreno-Bote at the UPF in Barcelona. We will consider spiking models that will compare parallel and sequential strategies to decision making, in a way constrained by unit recordings in monkey and human. Mean-field models will be derived from the spiking models, and such mean-field models will be incorporated in large-scale models of interacting brain areas. Both spiking and mean-field models will be integrated in neuromorphic SpiNNaker computers to be simulated in real time, to open the possibility of being used in real-time applications such as neuro-robotics. The postdoc can begin as early as January 2021, and latest on March 2021, and will be for a 2-year period. We expect that candidates have prior experience either in computational neuroscience, or in decision making. The working environment is the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI) of the CNRS, which comprises 22 research labs in experimental and computational neuroscience, mixed in the same environment. The postdoc will thus interact on a daily basis with experimentalists and theoreticians, and regular visits to the experimental labs of COREDEM (Stefano Ferraina from Rome and Tom Theys from Leuven) are planned. The postdoc will also interact strongly with the researchers and staff of Destexhe's lab at NeuroPSI, and will actively participate to the activities of the EITN. DETAILS OF THE SECOND POSTDOC POSITION: We are seeking for a postdoc position in the framework of a project called "BRICON", and which was recently integrated in the Human Brain Project European flaghsip. BRICON aims at investigating mechanisms of sensory perception and consciousness based on a strong interaction between computational models and experiments on human and monkey. The model will consider how the state of the brain interacts with external input and allows neural activity related to external input to propagate (or not) between brain areas. We will constrain the model based on unit recordings obtained in awake monkey collected by the experimental teams (Fanis Panagiotaropoulos and Stanislas Dehaene, NeuroSpin center). Models will start with conventional spiking neural networks, which then will be converted into population models using mean-field techniques. These mean-field model will then form the basis of whole-brain models simulated using The Virtual Brain platform of the HBP. The postdoc can begin as early as January 2021, and latet on June 2021, and will be for a 20 month period. We expect that candidates have prior experience either in computational neuroscience, or in sensory perception. The working environment is the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI) of the CNRS, which comprises 22 research labs in experimental and computational neuroscience, mixed in the same environment. The postdoc will thus interact on a daily basis with experimentalists and theoreticians, and regular visits to the experimental labs of BRICON (Panagiotaropoulos and Dehaene), who are working next-door in the NeuroSpin center. The postdoc will also interact strongly with the researchers and staff of Destexhe's lab at NeuroPSI, and will actively participate to the activities of the EITN. Interested candidates should send a CV and two recommendation letters at Alain Destexhe or email for more details. alain.destexhe (at) cnrs.fr Alain Destexhe Department of Integrative and Computational Neuroscience (ICN), Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI), CNRS, Bat 33, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.

Sept. 26, 2020