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[CFP, Deadline: March 15] IEEE T-MBMC - Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs

by Murat Kuşcu

(Apologies if you receive multiple copies.) IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs: Synergies between Bio/Nanotechnologies and Molecular Communications https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/cfp/bio-chem-icts-s… ----------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS Molecular Communications (MC) is a fundamental means of information exchange ubiquitously observed in nature. It has recently attracted the attention of researchers who have been working in information and communication technologies (ICT) and striving to create cooperative nanonetworks of artificial nanomachines, which can be interfaced with or immersed in natural biological systems. Application of ICT tools to this natural modality of communications has laid the foundations of bio-inspired, engineered MC systems, and also contributed to the understanding of natural MC networks. It is no wonder that such fundamental form of communications has been a topic of significant interest in many diverse research fields beyond ICT, such as synthetic biology, systems chemistry, micro/nanorobotics, network medicine, biophysics and physiology, biochemical sensing, lab- and organ-on-chips, bio-interfaces, molecular and biological computing, drug discovery, design and delivery. However, different languages are typically adopted by different fields to refer to the same phenomenon that the ICT researchers call molecular communications, such as chemical communications, biological/cell signaling, interaction networks, which all fundamentally denote information transfer via mass transport and/or biochemical reactions and interactions. Despite the significant overlap in the problem and the application domain, not only the language but also the research methodologies and the solution approaches are diverse, partly due to the apparent lack of strong links between different research communities. On the other hand, closer interactions between these disciplines can create important synergies that can help collaboratively target more challenging research problems and develop unprecedented applications, where the power of true interdisciplinarity is unleashed. These interactions can also help better identify the common motifs in the heterogeneous sea of molecular communication problems and scenarios comprising both biotic and abiotic systems, and help reframe and standardize the way we approach biological and bio-inspired communications in the hope of enabling a common scientific and engineering language. The aim of this Special Issue is to facilitate such interactions by bringing together the contributions of prominent researchers from diverse fields that share a common denominator with the ICT approach to MC. Reflecting different perspectives on natural and engineered molecular communications, and appreciating the diversity of approaches and methodologies, the Special Issue will ultimately help identify the potential interaction pathways between different research areas and communities, that can lead to fruitful collaborations and synergy. To this end, we solicit original contributions (technical or position/survey/tutorial/perspective articles) on a very diverse set of topics including but not limited to: ** Molecular communication among synthetic cells, and between synthetic and natural cells ** Molecular communication among nanoparticles, and between nanoparticles and natural/synthetic cells ** Collective micro/nanorobotic swarms and active matter based on molecular communications ** Physical limits to communication, sensing, and information processing in natural and synthetic bio/nano systems ** Network medicine, communication and network biomarkers of diseases ** Engineering of protein-protein and other molecular interactions, de novo design of proteins and artificial receptors for sensing and molecular communications ** Semantic information in biological networks ** Bio-interfaces (e.g., neural interfaces) relying on molecular interactions, redox reactions, and ionic carriers ** New sensing techniques and chemical & biosensor architectures targeting dynamic bio/chemical signals ** New nanomaterials and device architectures for bio-nano interfaces, and micro/nanomachines & molecular machines capable of molecular communications ** Drug design techniques exploiting molecular interactions, network-based approaches to drug discovery ** Smart drug delivery systems and techniques ** Biological and molecular computing ** Signaling aspects of lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, multi-organ-on-a-chip, body-on-a-chip, disease-on-a-chip applications --------------------------- IMPORTANT DATES Manuscript Submission Deadline: 15 March 2023 First Notification: 30 April 2023 Acceptance Notification: 30 May 2023 Final Manuscript Due: 30 June 2023 Publication Date: September 2023 --------------------------- GUEST EDITORS Murat Kuscu Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Koc University, Turkey Email: mkuscu(a)ku.edu.tr Pasquale Stano Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies University of Salento, Italy Email: pasquale.stano(a)unisalento.it Gregory F. Payne Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research University of Maryland, USA Email: gpayne(a)umd.edu Bige D. Unluturk School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Michigan State University, USA Email: unluturk(a)msu.edu Malcolm Egan University of Lyon, Inria, INSA-Lyon, CITI, France Email: malcolm.egan(a)inria.fr Michael T. Barros School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering University of Essex, UK Email: m.barros(a)essex.ac.uk --------------------------- SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE TMBMC guidelines ( https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/information-for-aut… ). Authors should submit a manuscript through Manuscript Central ( https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tmbmc) ---------------------------

Feb. 17, 2023

Registration open for ENCODS 2023

by Delamare, Geoffroy

Dear fellow students, This year the ENCODS conference will take place again! ENCODS 2023 Faro, Portugal, on 01-02 May 2023! The European Neuroscience Conference by Doctoral Students (ENCODS) is organised by PhD students for PhD students. During the two days you have the opportunity to present your current work in the form of a poster or talk to an international audience. This year's theme is "Labcoats and Laptops: Neuroscience through different lenses", and we're aiming to bring together different disciplines of neuroscience and how we can all work together. In which area of neuroscience do you work? We are sure that your work is a great match for our topic and will contribute to an exciting and interesting dialogue. Here are the important facts: The registration fee is 100 € for FENS members and students at the University of Algarve and 120 € for non-FENS members. Food is provided, we have organised a catering service for you. We are also happy to help you find suitable accommodation and organise a bus transport from the city centre to the venue. University of Algarve: Gambelas Campus Faro, Portugal Registration ends on the 3rd of March!! Register here: https://www.fens.org/news-activities/fens-and-societies-calendar/training-e… https://www.fens.org/careers/networks/encods 17th of March 2023: Arrival of the acceptance letters 31st of March 2023: Deadline to pay the registration fees Follow us across our social media platforms using this link: https://linktr.ee/encods2023 We are very much looking forward to seeing you at ENCODS!!! Your ENCODS 2023 Organizing Committee

Feb. 17, 2023

2 PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience at INRIA, Lyon, France, starting on September 2023

by Hugues Berry

Dear all, 2 PhD positions in computational neuroscience are available in the AIstroSight team, INRIA, Lyon, France (https://team.inria.fr/aistrosight/) starting on September 2023. Our interdisciplinary team aims at developing innovative numerical methods for the search of new drug candidates to treat brain diseases, targeting neurons as well as glial cells. We value diversity, trust, growth, equity and creativity. - Project 1: Modeling compartmentalized second messenger networks in the retinal growth cones. This project is part of an ANR grant, in collaboration with Xavier Nicol's lab in Paris: http://xaviernicol.toile-libre.org/ - Project 2: Modeling the neurovascular unit. This project will consist in developing a mechanistic model of astrocytic endfeet in the context of neurovascular coupling. The project will be carried out in strong collaboration with neuroscientists working on endfeet. The students will be co-supervised by Dr. Audrey Denizot (https://adenizot.github.io/) and Dr. Hugues Berry (https://www.inrialpes.fr/Berry/) We are looking for students who have some experience in programming/mathematical modeling and previous expertise or interest in cell biology/neuroscience. The students must be fluent in English, both speaking and writing. No knowledge of French is required. Most importantly, we are looking for future colleagues who are eager to learn and grow, and who are driven by scientific curiosity. Please reach out to audrey.denizot(a)inria.fr or hugues.berry(a)inria.fr with a one-page statement presenting your interests and goals as well as a CV. Best regards, Hugues BERRY ------------------------ Deputy scientific director of Inria for digital health and biology — Project-Team AIstroSight -- https://team.inria.fr/aistrosight Inria-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Hospices Civils de Lyon-Theranexus Inria Lyon research center Batiment CEI-2 56 Blvd Niels Bohr CS 52132 69603 Villeurbanne cedex France Tel. (Office): +33 (0)4 72 43 75 01 Tel. (Mobile): + 33 (0)6 70 77 63 39 www.inrialpes.fr/Berry

Feb. 16, 2023

Funded PhD Scholarship in Developmental Neurorobotics at Sheffield Hallam University (UK)

by Di Nuovo, Alessandro

About the Project This scholarship will support the PhD candidate to carry out frontier research in Developmental Neurorobotics, a combination of Neuromorphic Computing and Cognitive Developmental Robotics. The PhD candidate will work with the Professor Alessandro Di Nuovo and his team, who have been awarded funding by the EPSRC for his research in the field. We are looking for an outstanding student to work with the team of a new EPSRC project. The research will pioneer the new developmental neuromorphic paradigm, which will be a synergic combination that will go beyond the limitations of the individual paradigms: neuromorphic computing will provide efficient brain-like resources able to process a more accurate representation of the real world, meanwhile developmental robotics will deliver the missing learning mechanisms for complex applications of neuromorphic spiking neural networks. The short-term objective is to demonstrate feasibility and lay the foundation of a biologically plausible framework to simulate the human-like learning process of numerical and abstract cognition, a fundamental characteristic of human intelligence. The team long-term goal is to create an artificial mind for robots that 'grows up' like a child's brain. This will be underpinned by neuromorphic computing which emulates the deep-lying architecture of the brain and will allow it to interpret and adapt to situations. As well as enabling the creation of robots with a human-like ability to reason, behave and interact the creation of an artificial mind will boost research in life sciences disciplines such as neuroscience by allowing researchers to run biologically realistic simulations to test theories. By simulating information on the inner workings of the brain that could not otherwise be detected, it could enhance our understanding of neurodevelopmental and learning disorders and lead to new treatments. Eligibility Information on entry requirements can be found here<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147190&type=184&DID=6…> The ideal candidate should have a Masters degree in Neuromorphic Computing, Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning, or closely related disciplines in AI and Robotics, excellent programming skills and experience in interdisciplinary research. How to apply Your application should be emailed to industry-innovation-admissions(a)shu.ac.uk<javascript:void(0)> Any interested candidates must contact the lead academic, Prof. Alessandro Di Nuovo, a.dinuovo(a)shu.ac.uk<javascript:void(0)>, to discuss your application. The application should explain how the candidate knowledge, skills and experience are relevant to the project short and long-term objectives. For information on how to apply please visit https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/degrees<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147190&type=184&DID=6…> ________________________________ Funding Notes The PhD studentship provides tuition fees at UK level and a maintenance bursary at the UK Research Councils' national minimum doctoral stipend rate (£17,668 for 2022/23). The scholarship is available for three years of full-time. ________________________________ References Di Nuovo, A., McClelland (2019). Developing the knowledge of number digits in a child-like robot. Nature Machine Intelligence, 1(12), 594-605. Di Nuovo, A., & Jay, T. (2019). Development of numerical cognition in children and artificial systems: a review of the current knowledge and proposals for multi-disciplinary research. Cognitive Computation and Systems, 1(1), 2-11. Di Nuovo, A., & Cangelosi, A. (2021). Abstract Concept Learning in Cognitive Robots. Current Robotics Reports, 2(1), 1-8. Roy, Jaiswal, Panda, (2019). Towards spike-based machine intelligence with neuromorphic computing. Nature, 575(7784), 607-617. Krichmar (2018). Neurorobotics-A Thriving Community and a Promising Pathway Toward Intelligent Cognitive Robots. Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Vol. 12, p. 42. Furber (2016). Large-scale neuromorphic computing systems. Journal of Neural Engineering, 13(5), 51001. Sengupta, et al. (2019). Going deeper in spiking neural networks: VGG and residual architectures. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 95. Quax, D'Asaro,van Gerven, (2020). Adaptive time scales in recurrent neural networks. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 11360.

Feb. 16, 2023

Generative Episodic Memory conference - deadline for abstracts

by Vinita Samarasinghe

The deadline to submit abstracts for GEM 2023 - Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from neuroscience, psychology and philosophy - is fast approaching. The DFG-funded research consortium “FOR 2812 – Constructing scenarios of the past” https://for2812.rub.de is proud to announce a call for abstracts for its biennial conference *GEM 2023* (Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from neuroscience, psychology and philosophy), which will be held *in person*at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany from 12^th to 14^th June 2023. For more information on the conference please visit https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023. *Keynote speakers: * * Ali Boyle (LSE) * Felipe De Brigard (Duke U.) * Christian Leibold (U. Freiburg) * Kenneth Norman (Princeton U.) * Peggy St. Jacques (U. Alberta) * Maria Wimber (U. Glasgow) We invite submissions for symposia, talks and posters. *Please note that all presentations are in person.* *Funding for early career researchers is available *(visit https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023/early_career_researcher_program for more details). Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary conference therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. *Abstract* submission deadlines [GMT +1 (CET)]: Abstract submission – 15.03.2023 Notification of acceptance – 15.04.2023 Submission guidelines: Abstracts mustbe submitted in English and be no longer than 500 words.Submitted work must be original and unpublished andsubmitted electronically athttps://www.conftool.net/gem2023/. Types of submissions: * Talks * Symposia: In addition to submitting individual talks there is also the option to submit a set of talks (henceforth called symposium). Symposiamust be interdisciplinary in nature, i.e., they must contain talks from at least two of the following disciplines: computational neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and must comprise 3 talks. Please note that if one or more of the talks that make up the symposium are rejected the remainingtalks are not automatically rejected. They will be scheduled into the general program by the program committee. * Posters Please ensure that your files are in PDF format and are no larger than 10 MB. We look forward to welcoming you in Bochum. Vinita Samarasinghe Coordinator -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de

Feb. 16, 2023

Neuroscience PhD position at Newcastle, UK

by Andrej Bicanski

Dear Colleagues, Please circulate this to any students that may be interested in a neuroscience PhD project based in Newcastle University (UK), co-supervised by Dr. Quoc Vuong and myself. The Topic: We will explore the cross-domain function of the medial temporal lobe with fully immersive virtual reality and with eye-tracking, using new behavioural paradigms and fMRI. We may also incorporate some modelling. Funding: Funded for 3 years and international students are welcome to apply. Deadline: 2nd of March Link with more information: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/exploring-the-cross-domain-function-o… Happy to receive informal inquiries prior to application. Best wishes, Andrej Dr Andrej Bicanski School of Psychology & Biosciences Institute Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University www.andrejbicanski.com

Feb. 15, 2023

Special Issue: Machine Learning in Neuroimaging for Psychiatry

by Rogene Eichler West

Dear Colleagues, The journal Clinical EEG and Neuroscience is soliciting papers for a special issue on Machine Learning in Neuroimaging for Psychiatry. We especially encourage papers on the development or selection of medications for the treatment of mental health issues. Preference will be given to submissions where the authors include clinicians, rather than a team comprised entirely of data scientists. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/journal/clinical-eeg-and-neuroscience May1 First draft due July 1 Reviews done. Each invited author reviews 2 other invited submissions as this will be a collegial process. Oct 1 Revisions due The curation will be through guest editors of this issue [Martijn Arns, Sebastian Olbrich, and myself] rather than through the journal’s normal submission portal. Please contact me with any questions or potential submission ideas. We look forward to hearing from you. ____________________________________________ Rogene M. Eichler West, PhD, QEEGD Diplomate in Quantitative Electroencephalography Northwest Neuro Professionals, LLC Associate Editor, Sage Publishing Clinical EEG and Neuroscience Senior Research Scientist in Cognitive and Behavioral Modeling Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Feb. 13, 2023

Call for paper: Biological and Digital Markers in Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, and Epilepsy using Artificial Intelligence

by Sun Haoqi

Dear Comp-neuro mailing list members, We invite you to submit your work to Frontiers in Physiology: Biological and Digital Markers in Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, and Epilepsy using Artificial Intelligence. YES - I would like to participate: Click here to Confirm participation Frontiers average article review time: 61 days from submission to final decision NO - I am unable to participate in this project: Click here to decline participation Deadline: Manuscript Submission: July 9th, 2023 Kind Regards, Haoqi Sun Topic Editor, Computational Physiology and Medicine Section, Frontiers in Physiology

Feb. 13, 2023

PhD position in Computational Modelling and Machine Learning at IT University of Copenhagen (deadline March 20th)

by Stefan Heinrich

PhD position at IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark, starting in Summer 2023. Topic: Modelling hierarchical learning of music and speech processing. How does the human brain hierarchically process music or speech? It seems the brain is dynamically adapting to the timescales in the sensation in a way that components of music, such as melodies and low base lines are processed and integrated differently. Furthermore, it seems crucial that the brain is using a statistical learning scheme, thus learning this adaptation by how frequently these components occur. Despite a number of existing neuroimaging studies and scarce attempts to suggest underlying computational principles, research for detailed models is open. We plan modelling the learning of music by studying different computational mechanisms, both, more precise and w.r.t. its functionality close to specific biological neuron models, as well as more coarse, based on general computational principles such as hierarchical network structure, decoding schemes, and distributed activation. The computational research will be conducted side-by-side with a series of empirical EEG studies to verify the validity and further specify the models. The project is part of a cross-departmental initiative between the departments of computer science and digital design aimed at investigating machine-learning-based computational models of the human mind in relation to digital media interaction. Results from this project can enable understanding human information processing better, as well as applying derived computational principles in AI and machine learning approaches of the next generation. Application details: The ideal candidate should have a Masters in Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Science or related fields, as well as a strong interest in interdisciplinary research, at the intersection of Computational Modelling and Machine Learning. The salary scale will be in accordance with the Ministry of Finance’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for a full-time position. ITU is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, competent, and 160 diverse international faculty. Copenhagen has a strong educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and a well-functioning infrastructure. The city is also among the world’s most liveable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Candidates will work together with Stefan Heinrich (stehe(a)itu.dk) and Paolo Burelli (pabu(a)itu.dk) and are encouraged to get in contact to develop the project details together. Link to apply and further application details: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=181… Application deadline: 20 March 2023, at 23:59 CET. -- *************************** Dr. Stefan Heinrich Assistant Professor Computer Science Department IT University of Copenhagen https://stefanheinrich.net/ ***************************

Feb. 13, 2023

1ˢᵗ Advanced Scientific Programming in Python - Latin America in Mexico City, Mexico, 26 June – 1 July, 2023

by Jakob Jordan

ASPP-LatAm: 1st Advanced Scientific Programming in Python - Latin America ========================================================================= a Summer School by the ASPP faculty, the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Secretarı́a de Educación, Ciencia, Tecnologı́a e Innovación de la Ciudad de México. https://latam.aspp.school Scientists spend more and more time writing, maintaining, and debugging software. While techniques for doing this efficiently have evolved, only few scientists have been trained to use them. As a result, instead of doing their research, they spend far too much time writing deficient code and reinventing the wheel. In this course we will present a selection of advanced programming techniques and best practices which are standard in the industry, but especially tailored to the needs of a programming scientist. Lectures are devised to be interactive and to give the students enough time to acquire direct hands-on experience with the materials. Students will work in pairs throughout the school and will team up to practice the newly learned skills in a real programming project — an entertaining computer game. We use the Python programming language for the entire course. Python works as a simple programming language for beginners, but more importantly, it also works great in scientific simulations and data analysis. We show how clean language design, ease of extensibility, and the great wealth of open source libraries for scientific computing and data visualization are driving Python to become a standard tool for the programming scientist. This school is targeted at Master or PhD students and Post-docs from all areas of science. Competence in Python or in another language such as Java, C/C++, MATLAB, or R is absolutely required. Basic knowledge of Python and of a version control system such as git, subversion, mercurial, or bazaar is assumed. Participants without any prior experience with Python and/or git should work through the proposed introductory material before the course. We are striving hard to get a pool of students which is international and gender-balanced. Date & Location ============= 26 June – 1 July, 2023. Mexico City, Mexico. Application ========= You can apply online: https://latam.aspp.school Application deadline: 23:59 UTC, Sunday March 12, 2023. There will be no deadline extension, so be sure to apply on time. Be sure to read the FAQ before applying: https://latam.aspp.school/wiki/faq Participation is for free, i.e. no fee is charged! Participants however should take care of travel, living, and accommodation expenses by themselves. We are in the process of securing some funds for supporting students with accommodation and living costs. Program ======= • Version control with git and how to contribute to open source projects with GitHub • Best practices in data visualization • Testing and debugging scientific code • Advanced NumPy • Organizing, documenting, and distributing scientific code • Advanced scientific Python: context managers and generators • Writing parallel applications in Python • Profiling and speeding up scientific code with Cython and numba • Programming in teams Tentative Faculty ================= • Aitor Morales-Gregorio, Theoretical Neuroanatomy, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. • Carlos Cernuda, Data Analysis & Cybersecurity, Faculty of Engineering, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Bilbao, Spain. • Jakob Jordan, Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Switzerland. • Jenni Rinker, Department of Wind Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde, Denmark. • Lisa Schwetlick, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Universität Potsdam, Germany. • Pamela Hathway, GfK, Nuremberg, Germany. • Pietro Berkes, NAGRA Kudelski, Lausanne, Switzerland. • Rike-Benjamin Schuppner, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Germany. • Seetha Krishnan, Department of Neurobiology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA. • Tiziano Zito, Department of Informatics, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. • Zbigniew Jędrzejewski-Szmek, Red Hat Inc., Warsaw Poland. Organizers ========== Head of the organization for ASPP-LatAm and responsible for the scientific program: • Carlos Echeverria Serur, Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany Organization team in Mexico: • Cristina Muzquiz Fragoso, DGTIC, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico • Miguel Angel Villanueva Velez, DGTIC, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico • Patricia Garces Natera, DGTIC, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Website: https://latam.aspp.school Contact: latam(a)aspp.school

Feb. 13, 2023