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Brain Criticality 2022 Hybrid Meeting - Deadline October 23rd for virtual registration

by BATTAGLIA Demian

*** LAST DAYS TO REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION AND SUBMIT VIRTUAL POSTER ABSTRACT*** We are happy to announce that the next conference on “Criticality in Neural Systems 2022: Collective Behavior, Synchronization, and Complexity” will take place at the Porter Neuroscience Research Center (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) from Nov. 7 – 9th, 2022 (shortly before the SFN Meeting, San Diego) The conference will be held in a hybrid format, both in presence at NIH Bethesda and via Zoom. Presentations by the invited speakers, with ample time for discussions, including with online participants, will be complemented by a poster session (in presence and online) and by a selection of contributed spotlight presentations. Keeping line with previous editions of the Brain Criticality conferences series, this conference will present the latest experimental and theoretical advancements in the study of critical phenomena in brain activity and their functional relevance. While preserving emphasis on criticality, this edition will feature as well communications about general collective behavior and dynamic complexity in the brain (and other biological systems). REGISTRATION IS OPEN AND FREE ON https://braincriticality.org/ Deadline for virtual registration: October 23rd Deadline for abstract submission (with spotlight oral preference): October 9th Deadline for abstract submission (poster only): October 23rd Confirmed Speakers Ad Aertsen (Freiburg, Germany) Dante Chialvo (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Karin Dahmen (Urbana-Champaign, IL) Irene Giardina (Rome, Italy) Michelle Girvan (College Park, MD) Moritz Helias (Jülich, Germany) Henrik Jensen (London, UK) Arvind Kumar (Stockholm, Sweden) Anna Levina (Tübingen, Germany) Klaus Linkenkaer-Hansen (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) Simona Olmi (Sesto Fiorentino, Italy) Orit Peleg (Boulder, CO) Pawel Romanczuk (Berlin, Germany) Woodrow Shew (Fayetteville, AR) James Shine (Sidney, Australia) Samir Suweis (Padova, Italy) Enzo Tagliazucchi (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Bradley Voytek (La Jolla, CA) Ralf Wessel (St Louis, MO) Changsong Zhou (Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China) Organizers Dietmar Plenz (Bethesda, MD) Lucilla de Arcangelis (Caserta, Italy) Miguel Angel Munoz (Granada, Spain) Mauro Copelli (Recife, Brazil) Demian Battaglia (Marseille & Strasbourg, France) For more information visit our website https://braincriticality.org/ or contact us over email.

Oct. 21, 2022

Computational Neuroscience and Computational Neurology

by André Fabio Kohn

Computational Neuroscience has shown a tremendous development in the last decades, and we think it is ripe to contribute substantially to computational neurology. In selected cases, large-scale and multi-scale models encompassing sensory receptors, neurons, muscles, bones, joints and other structures can be modeled to represent different degrees of dysfunction of a specific subsystem associated with a given neurological pathology. The model simulations can shed light to early signs of the disease (earlier detection than with current diagnosis techniques) and provide estimates of the progression of disease as a function of different treatment courses. We show in a recent paper published in the Journal of Neural Engineering [ https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1741-2552/ac91f8/pdf] how neuropathies associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome can affect functional aspects of the control of foot movement in a controlled setting, which is suitable for clinical evaluation. Muscle electrical activity also was shown to be a useful quantifier of the demyelination process. The multi-scale model encompasses neuronal ionic channels of spinal cord neurons up to a model of the foot and its muscles acting around the ankle joint when controlling force and foot position in a controlled lab experiment. The extension of such an approach to other peripheral nervous disorders or to spinal cord related pathologies (e.g., motoneuron diseases) seems quite feasible, provided that parameter data from patients are available to realize a biologically compatible model. Andre Fabio Kohn, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Sao Paulo

Oct. 20, 2022

Postdoc positions in nanoscale modeling of neurons, synapses or astrocytes

by Erik De Schutter

The Computational Neuroscience unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (https://www.oist.jp <https://www.oist.jp/>), Japan has been spearheading nanoscale stochastic modeling of astrocytes, neurons and synapses (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu <https://groups.oist.jp/cnu>). We have two postdoctoral positions open and Japan is issuing visa for such positions. The selected candidates will build on previous work in modeling of cerebellar or hippocampal neurons, synapses or astrocytes, neurons and synapses using our STEPS software (http://steps.sourceforge.net <http://steps.sourceforge.net/>), research project depending on experience and interests of the candidate. Previous experience in neural modeling required, preferentially as subject of PhD. Competences: A recent PhD in a relevant discipline such as neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics or biochemistry. Experience in programming in Python. Fluent English conversation and writing skills. Benefits / Offer: A competitive salary and relocation package are offered with an initial 2 year contract. This an ideal position to gain experience in a prominent computational neuroscience lab and take part in our international collaborations. Please contact Prof. Erik De Schutter (erik(a)oist.jp <mailto:erik@oist.jp>) for inquiries.

Oct. 20, 2022

SNUFA22 spiking neural network workshop program (Nov 9-10)

by Goodman, Daniel F M

We are delighted to announce the finalised program for the SNUFA22 spiking neural network workshop. It's free to attend but you do need to register in advance: http://snufa.net/2022/ 9-10 November 2022, European afternoons. (Subscribe to the Google Calendar<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=OTYzMGJmOWIyZmJjZjNmNjE0ZDMzN2…>.) Invited speakers. * Charlotte Frenkel<https://chfrenkel.github.io/> (TU Delft) * Priya Panda<https://intelligentcomputinglab.yale.edu/> (Yale) * Yiota Poirazi<http://dendrites.gr/> (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology IMBB) * Yonghong Tian<https://www.pkuml.org/> (Peking University) Contributed talks: Thomas Limbacher, Ozan Özdenizci, Robert Legenstein (TU Graz) Memory-enriched computation and learning in spiking neural networks through Hebbian plasticity M. Nardin, J. W. Phillips, W. F. Podlaski, S. W. Keemink (IST Austria) Nonlinear computations in spiking neural networks through multiplicative synapses A. Subramoney, K. K. Nazeer, M. Schöne, C. Mayr, D. Kappel (University of Bochum) Beyond Biologically Plausible Spiking Networks for Neuromorphic Computing A. Galloni, A. Peddada, A. Milstein (Rutgers) Behavioral Timescale Synaptic Plasticity (BTSP) for biologically plausible credit assignment across multiple layers via top-down gating of dendritic plasticity W. F. Podlaski, C. K. Machens (Champalimaud) Universal function approximation in balanced spiking networks through convex-concave boundary composition B. Yin, F. Corradi, and S. M. Bohte (CWI) Training Dynamic Spiking Neural Network via Forward Propagation Through Time Z. Liao, D. Hadjiabadi, S. Terada, I. Soltesz, A. Losonczy (Columbia) A biologically plausible inhibitory plasticity rule for world-model learning in SNNs C. B. Currin, K. Stecher, C. Pfeffer, G. Novarino, and T. P. Vogels (IST Austria) Bridging the gap between artificial models and cortical circuits Plus around 30 posters. Many thanks! Dan Goodman, Friedemann Zenke, Katie Schuman, Tim Masquelier

Oct. 19, 2022

PhD openings in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, machine learning

by Rava A. da Silveira

*PhD openings in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and interfaces with machine learning* The lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira invites applications for *Doctoral Student* positions at IOB, University of Basel. Research questions will be chosen from a range of topics in theoretical/computational neuroscience and cognitive science, involving either data analysis or theory, and drawing on recent machine learning approaches. 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. For details, see https://www.silveira-lab.com/openings. *Application deadline:* For full consideration, please apply by 15 November 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. In all email correspondence, please include the mention “APPLICATION-PHD” in the subject header, otherwise the application will *not* be considered. Please also arrange for three letters of recommendations to be sent to the same email address.

Oct. 18, 2022

Postdoc openings in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, machine learning

by Rava A. da Silveira

*Postdoctoral openings in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and interfaces with machine learning* The lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira invites applications for *Postdoctoral Researcher* positions at IOB, University of Basel. Research questions will be chosen from a range of topics in theoretical/computational neuroscience and cognitive science, involving either data analysis or theory, and drawing on recent machine learning approaches. 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. For details, see https://www.silveira-lab.com/openings. *Application deadline:* For full consideration, please apply by 15 November 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 all email correspondence, please include the mention “APPLICATION-POSTDOC” in the subject header, otherwise the application will *not* be considered. Please also arrange for three letters of recommendations to be sent to the same email address.

Oct. 18, 2022

Fully-funded computational neuroscience PhD at the University of Manchester

by Caroline Lea-Carnall

Link to project: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/bbsrc-dtp-neural-network-models-to-in… About the Project Neuroplasticity is the mechanism that underpins the brain’s ability to learn. It is an umbrella term that encompasses multiple processes occurring at different spatial and temporal scales (1, 2). The most commonly discussed type of plasticity is long-term potentiation (LTP) which is defined as an increase in efficacy between synapses of two neurons. Experiments designed to measure LTP are often done in cell slices or cultures using patch-clamp techniques. However, we often want to promote (and measure) plasticity in humans but its not clear how changes in synaptic efficacy manifest in macroscopic imaging measurements such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), or electroencephalography (EEG) that are available for use in humans. This project aims to link our detailed cellular-level knowledge of plasticity processes with systems-level observations in humans and is focussed on answering the following 2 questions: 1. How can we modulate plasticity non-invasively in the brain? 2. How can we measure plasticity in vivo? To answer these questions you will combine computational modelling of biophysically realistic large-scale neural networks that exhibit plasticity with cutting edge neuroimaging techniques to test the model predictions. The model will be adapted so that its output can be compared to the three major imaging techniques described above and you will determine how changes in connectivity between and within regions in the model predict changes in our imaging metrics. There will be a particular focus on developing an EEG marker of plasticity as this currently does not exist. Finally, you will test the model predictions in an imaging study combining stimulation, EEG, MRI and MRS in a proof-of-concept experiment in humans. This will provide us with a deeper understanding of how to modulate and measure plasticity that can be deployed in the future for medical applications of brain stimulation such as in Parkinson’s disease, depression and pain control. Eligibility Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a First or Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science, engineering or technology. Before you Apply Applicants must make direct contact with preferred supervisors before applying. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to meet with potential supervisors, prior to submitting a formal online application. How To Apply To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form - full details on eligibility how to apply can be found on the BBSRC DTP website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/bbsrc-dtp/<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147611&type=184&DID=1…> Your application form must be accompanied by a number of supporting documents by the advertised deadlines. Without all the required documents submitted at the time of application, your application will not be processed and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you have any queries regarding making an application please contact our admissions team admissions.doctoralacademy(a)manchester.ac.uk<javascript:void(0)> Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/equality-diversity-in…<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147611&type=184&DID=1…> ________________________________ Funding Notes Studentship funding is for 4 years. This scheme is open to both the UK and international applicants. We are only able to offer a limited number of studentships to applicants outside the UK. Therefore, full studentships will only be awarded to exceptional quality candidates, due to the competitive nature of this scheme.

Oct. 18, 2022

Imbizo Deadline approaching fast----> Apply NOW/

by Tim Vogels

Dear all, The DEADLINE for the next IMBIZO is approaching very quickly. Don’t let this opportunity slip by if you are hoping to join the most diverse neuroscience summer school at the most beautiful beach in the world! If you know anyone who would benefit from an extraordinary computational neuroscience summer school, please distribute this information as widely as you can: IBRO-SIMONS COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE IMBIZO #Imbizo2023 12 April - 7 May 2022, Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town, South Africa http://imbizo.africa/ <http://imbizo.africa/> Application deadline: 20th October 2022 The #Imbizo2023 is a southern hemisphere summer school aiming to promote computational neuroscience in Africa. It will bring together international and local students under the tutelage of the world's leading experts in the field. Like its international sister courses, this four-week summer school aims to teach central ideas, methods, and practices of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. Mornings will be devoted to lectures on topics across the breadth of computational neuroscience, including experimental underpinnings and machine learning analogues. The rest of the day will be spent working on research projects under the close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Individual research projects will focus on the modelling of neurons, neural systems, behaviour, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data, and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. New this year is a week focused on neuroscience-inspired machine learning! Who should apply? This course is aimed at Masters and early-PhD level students though Honours or advanced undergraduates may also apply. Postdoctoral students who can motivate why the course would benefit them are also encouraged to apply, Students should have sufficient quantitative skills, (e.g. a background in mathematics, physics, computer science, statistics, engineering or related field). Some knowledge of neural biology will be useful but not essential. Experimental neuroscience students are encouraged to apply, but should ensure that they have a reasonable level of quantitative proficiency (i.e. at least second-year level mathematics or statistics and have done at least one course in computer programming). Essential details * Fee (which covers tuition, lodging, and meals): 1200 EUR Thanks to our generous sponsors, significant financial assistance is available to reduce and waiver fees for students, particularly for African applicants. We also hope to provide some travel bursaries for international students. If you are in need of financial assistance to attend the Imbizo, please state so clearly in the relevant section of your application. The Imbizo is planned to be hosted in person, with everyone following our COVID policy <https://imbizo.africa/covid-policy/>. If it is unsafe to hold the summer school, we will follow up with further information at the appropriate time. * Application deadline: 20th October 2022 * Notification of results: Early December 2022 Information and application https://imbizo.africa/ <https://imbizo.africa/> Questions? isicn.imbizo(a)gmail.com What is an Imbizo? \ɪmˈbiːzɒ\ | Xhosa - Zulu A gathering of the people to share knowledge. Incl. FACULTY such as... Demba Ba - Harvard University Adrienne Fairhall - Washington University Aza Allsop - Yale University David Sussillo - Google Leyla Isik - Johns Hopkins University Peter Latham - University College London Timothy Lillicrap - DeepMind Joseph Raimondo - University of Cape Town Mackenzie Mathis - EPFL Lausanne Evan Schaffer - Columbia University Henning Sprekeler - Technical University of Berlin Thomas Tagoe - University of Ghana Tim Vogels - Institute of Science and Technology Austria Blake Richards - McGill University Xaq Pitkow - Baylor College of Medicine Bianca Jones Marlin - Columbia University TUTORS Mohamed Abdelhack - Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics Annik Carson - AI Redefined Spiros Chavlis - IMBB-FORTH Christopher Currin - Institute of Science and Technology Austria Nina Kudryashova- University of Edinburgh Marjorie Xie - Columbia University ORGANISERS Demba Ba (Harvard University) Christopher Currin (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) Peter Latham (Gatsby Unit for Computational Neuroscience) Joseph Raimondo (University of Cape Town) Emma Vaughan (Imbizo Logistics) Tim Vogels (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) Sponsors The Imbizo is made possible by the generous support from the Simons Foundation <https://www.simonsfoundation.org/> and the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) <https://ibro.org/> Organizational Affiliates University of Cape Town, University College London, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, TReND in Africa <http://trendinafrica.org/>, Neuroscience Institute <http://www.neuroscience.uct.ac.za/>, Gatsby Foundation <http://www.gatsby.org.uk/>, IBRO African Center for Advanced Training in Neurosciences at UCT

Oct. 18, 2022

Survey of user experiences in neuronal network modeling

by Anton Arkhipov

Dear Colleagues, Our NIH BRAIN Initiative-sponsored project (1U24NS124001) – a collaboration between teams at the Allen Institute and University of Illinois – focuses on disseminating tools for neuronal network modeling and supporting users. Would you be so kind to help us understand the needs and experiences of users in this field? We will very much appreciate it if you can fill out this brief survey: https://forms.gle/jFw6hFhY9dyDd25w5 It will take only 5 minutes, and the results will help guide future development of software and documentation for the community. Whether you use our tools or not, an expert or novice in modeling, we’d love to hear from you! Thank you so much. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out by email. Best regards, Anton. Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator T: 206.548.8414 E: antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org> [Text Description automatically generated] alleninstitute.org<https://alleninstitute.org> brain-map.org

Oct. 18, 2022

Application for ION Fellow independent position at University of Oregon

by Luca Mazzucato

We are announcing an open search for our new members of the inaugural *Institute of Neuroscience Fellows Program*, co-sponsored by the University of Oregon and the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. This program is aimed at recruiting *exceptional postdoctoral scholars whose interests lie at the interface between Systems and Computational Neuroscience*. The ION Fellow will have intellectual freedom to develop their *independent research* on the neural mechanisms of brain function across the entire range from experiments to theory, leveraging resources and mentorship from multiple labs participating in the Program. Research funds to support the independent project will be available to the Scholar to spend at their discretion. ION Fellows will play a central role in our intellectual community and will be encouraged to pursue collaborative projects that span the interests of multiple labs and faculty mentors. Our Institute has a strong culture of theory/experiment collaboration, which has been powered by the interdisciplinary approach of our trainees. The faculty will provide extensive training in both scientific aspects and career development with the goal of charting a successful path to independence for the ION Fellow. Our Institute features a wide range of expertise including sensory processing (visual, auditory and olfactory), motor control, naturalistic behavior, neuronal development, neural engineering, and brain-computer interfaces. Our newly established NeuroAI Center combines data science and computational approaches for modeling large neural and behavioral datasets and developing the new generation of brain-inspired Artificial Intelligence. While our main experimental labs participating in the program use mice as a model system, the ION Fellow will also have opportunities to work with laboratories working with humans, Zebra fish, fruit fly, and c. e*legans**.* We expect ION Fellows to establish a mentoring team including multiple faculty mentors. The Fellow will be a member of the NSF-funded Accelnet consortium "International network for brain-inspired computation," fostering collaborations between a large-network of computational neuroscience/AI labs. *Mini**mum qualifications* for this position include a PhD in Neuroscience, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Human Neurophysiology, Statistics or a related discipline; and a track record of productive research, including publications. A competitive salary and benefits arrangement will be provided including travel funds. To apply please send your CV, a 1-2 page summary of research accomplishments, and a 1-2 page statement of research interests, to “lmazzuca at uoregon dot edu” with subject line “ION Fellow application”; please arrange to have 3 letters of reference sent to the same email address. Our Institute strongly advocates for inclusivity in science and we encourage applications from underrepresented groups. Application reviews will start on Nov. 1st and will continue until the position is filled. Participating labs include: Tim Gardner, Santiago Jaramillo, Michelle Marneweck, Luca Mazzucato, David McCormick, James Murray, Cris Niell, Matt Smear, Emily Sylwestrak

Oct. 18, 2022