- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Brain Connectivity Workshop 2021

by Tanya Brown

After careful deliberation, and based on the latest public health authority information on COVID-19, along with swirling uncertainties regarding travel and gatherings, we have decided to host the next Brain Connectivity <https://bcw-2021.com/>Workshop <https://bcw-2021.com/> online. We are pleased to announce that it has been rescheduled for *MAY 25-28, 2021. *We a im to make this event accessible and inclusive and the timing of the schedule will aim to satisfy a global audience. Registration for the Brain Connectivity Workshop 2021 is Now Open <https://bcw-2021.com/register>. **Spots are limited in order to facilitate discussion throughout the workshop** This year we will revisit that primordial theme from a different perspective: *"What does the mind think of the brain?"* focusing the discussions around what we have learned about our mind over the last 20 years of brain connectomics. The topics will focus on *consciousness and cognition*, looking at the tripartite relationship between anatomical connectivity, brain dynamics and cognitive function. *SPEAKERS* | Dani Bassett | Gustavo Deco | Athena Demertzi | Andreea Diaconescu | Lisa Feldman Barrett | Emily Finn | Karl Friston | | Mike Halassa | Biyu Jade He | Sean Hill | Viktor Jirsa | Michael Mack | Randy McIntosh | Bratislav Misic | | Rosalyn Moran | Petra Ritter | Mac Shine | Enzo Tagliazucchi | Giulio Tononi | Brandon Turner | Please check the BCW website <https://bcw-2021.com/> for more details about the *program* and *speakers* <https://bcw-2021.com/details>. *REGISTER TODAY* <https://bcw-2021.com/register> We hope you can join us, along with leaders in the field of brain connectomics. The BCW 2021 Organizers www.bcw-2021.com

Nov. 11, 2020

Data scientist position in the Cardona lab at the LMB

by Andrey Stoychev

The lab of Dr Albert Cardona (https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/group-leaders/a-to-g/albert-cardona/) is seeking to recruit a junior data scientist -- for lack of a more appropriate name -- to work on connectomics in the Drosophila fly and in many other organisms at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. This is a 3-year, full-time position that's all about imagery: from electron microscopy volumes to laser-scanning microscopy. Duties include data handling, image registration, segmentation with machine learning, synapse detection, and more. More information can be found in the following ad, which is now closed, but will reopen soon: https://mrc.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-int/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/…. Please note that this ad claims that a PhD is necessary, but that's not at all a requirement. It also claims this position is for a postdoc, which is also not correct. Enquiries should be sent to Dr Albert Cardona at acardona(a)mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk. Applications should be either sent directly to Dr Albert Cardona, or submitted through the ad linked above (when it reopens).

Nov. 11, 2020

Postdoc positions in Computational/Systems Neuroscience at Washington University in St Louis

by Geoffrey Goodhill

POSTDOC POSITIONS IN THE NEW GOODHILL LAB AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY In 2021 I am starting a new Computational, Systems and Developmental Neuroscience lab at Washington University in St Louis (USA) and several postdoc positions will be available. The lab will primarily focus on the formation of neural circuits underlying behavior. This will include developing novel experimental, computational and theoretical methods, and applying them to domains including hunting behavior, social behavior and sleep. The lab will be fully integrated between experimental and theoretical work, performing behavioral and calcium imaging experiments with zebrafish models, and will also have collaborations with other labs working on a range of model systems. Besides questions in basic neuroscience, a particular area of focus will be the circuit perturbations that underlie Autism Spectrum Disorders. For a list of previous publications see www.goodhill.org/pubs.html<http://www.goodhill.org/pubs.html> For these positions particularly suitable backgrounds include computational neuroscience, systems neuroscience, zebrafish neuroscience, optical physics, or more generally physics, applied mathematics, engineering and computer science. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 globally for Neuroscience and Behavior, and offers an outstanding intellectual environment for neuroscience research. The lab will be based at the Medical School between the departments of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, but also expects to develop strong links with the Faculty of Engineering and departments of Mathematics and Physics. If you would like to discuss these positions further please contact me at my current address below, including a detailed CV and cover letter explaining your interest. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Queensland Brain Institute and School of Mathematics & Physics University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Email: g.goodhill(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:g.goodhill@uq.edu.au> http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/professor-geoffrey-goodhill

Nov. 11, 2020

postdoc position to study spike dynamics in the thalamus during sleep and memory

by Carmen Varela

We are looking for a talented and highly motivated postdoc interested in studying the *dynamics of thalamic cell ensemble activity during learning and memory in rodents. *One of the goals in the Varela lab is to investigate the spike dynamics and brain states that allow animals to learn and make sense of their environment. https://www.varelalab.org/ The postdoctoral researcher will gain expertise in systems and behavioral neuroscience using extracellular electrophysiology and behavior to study the spike dynamics associated with sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Possibility of contributing to additional collaborative projects. We are a small young lab and highly interactive; we love what we do and work closely to support and help each other succeed. The lab is located in the beautiful Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University, a rapidly growing neuroscience hub that also holds our partners, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Scripps Research Institute. *Requirements:* PhD with experience in electrophysiology and rodent models; outstanding interpersonal skills and motivation to work in a collaborative environment. Experience with MATLAB (or other programming languages) preferred. Candidates selected for an interview will be asked to provide contact information for three references. Start date flexible, January-May of 2021. *Interested applicants, please submit your curriculum to Carmen Varela: varelac(a)fau.edu <varelac(a)fau.edu>* FAU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veterans’ status or any other characteristic protected by law. -- *Carmen Varela, Ph.D.* Assistant Professor Psychology Department Florida Atlantic University MC-19, room 106 Jupiter, FL 33458

Nov. 10, 2020

Phd project in Brighton, UK, within SoCoBio's 4-year doctoral training program

by Sylvia Schröder

Within SoCoBio‘s 4-year doctoral training program <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/>, the labs of Sylvia Schröder <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/labs/schroeder-lab/index> and Leon Lagnado <https://lagnadolab.com/> are offering the following Phd project in collaboration with their industrial partner, Scientifica <https://www.scientifica.uk.com/>: * **“Integration of visual and behavioural signals in the early visual system”* In this project, you will discover how retinal, cortical and neuromodulatory inputs shape the responses of visual neurons in the superior colliculus. The goal of your Phd project is to understand the mechanisms of signal integration, i.e. which inputs to the superior colliculus shape its neural activity, and the advantages of this integration for visual processing. You will use two-photon imaging in awake mice to simultaneously record activity of neurons in the superior colliculus as well as of axons originating in the retina, visual cortex, or brainstem nuclei such as the dorsal raphe (serotonin). You will compare the responses of the axonal inputs to those in the neurons, and you will observe how these signals change depending on the visual input and the behaviour of the animal. In the beginning of your project, you will develop an advanced imaging technique in collaboration with our industrial partner, Scientifica. You will adapt the existing two-photon microscope to image two separate fields of view simultaneously. This technique, termed multi-region imaging, will enable you to record inputs and outputs of superior colliculus at sufficient detail, speed, and quantity. Application to the program: https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/ <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/> Project description: https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/project/integration-of-visual-and-mo… <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/project/integration-of-visual-and-mo…> For further information, contact sylvia.schroeder(a)ucl.ac.uk

Nov. 10, 2020

13 fully-funded PhD positions for "SmartNets"

by Fleur Zeldenrust

Dear all, The "SmartNets <http://www.smartnets-etn.eu>" consortium is looking for a total 13 PhD students studying network computation. The objective of SmartNets is to provide high-level training into the functioning of biological networks to a new generation of early stage researchers, to provide them with the skills necessary for thriving careers in a burgeoning area that underpins innovative technological development across a range of diverse disciplines. This goal will be achieved by a unique combination of “hands-on” research training, non-academic placements (industrial and non-profit organisations) and courses and workshops on both scientific and complementary -so-called “soft”- skills facilitated by the academic-non-academic composition of the consortium. SmartNets brings together neuroscientists, behavioural and cognitive scientists, physicists, computer scientists, and non-profit stakeholders in order to train the next generation of data scientists that will: 1) develop a fundamental understanding of the relationship between structure and function in biological networks and 2) translate this knowledge into novel technological solutions. The PhD students will develop a unique interdisciplinary set of skills that will make them capable of analyzing networks at many levels and for many systems. There are positions across 5 countries and institutes (Fleur Zeldenrust, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Tansu Celikel, Radboud University the Netherlands; Julijana Gjorgjieva, Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany; Iain Couzin, Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany; Yiota Poirazi, Foundation for Research and Technology, Greece; Georges Debrégeas, Sorbonne Université, France; Joni Dambre, Ghent University, Belgium). For more information, please refer to https://www.smartnets-etn.eu/vacancies/ Best regards, Fleur Zeldenrust -- Fleur Zeldenrust Assistant Professor Department of Neurophysiology Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Faculty of Science, Radboud University Heyendaalseweg 135, postvak 33, kamer 02.204 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands tel +31 24 36 53195 fleurzeldenrust.nl

Nov. 9, 2020

Master + PhD offer: A computational model of the retino-thalamo-cortical pathway

by Bruno Cessac

The new French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) project "ShootingStar" aims at studying the unexplored neuroscience and psychophysics of the visual perception of fast (over 100 deg/s) motion, and incorporating these results into models of the early visual system. This project involves the Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center (Paris), the Institut des Neurosciences de la Timone (Marseille), the vision Institute (Paris), NeuroPsi (Paris) and the INRIA Biovision team (Sophia-Antipolis). In this context B. Cessac (Biovision) and A. Destexhe (NeuroPsi) aim at developing a retino-thalamico-cortical mean-field model of the primary visual system. We have a funding for a PhD, that can be preceded by a 6 month Master 2 internship. We are seeking talented, curious and open-minded young scientists with strong backgrounds in physics or computer science, strong interests in neuroscience, and solid skills in programming (C++ and Python). The application deadline is 30th December 2020. For more detail please visit: [ https://team.inria.fr/biovision/files/2020/10/2020-internship-M2-shootingst… | https://team.inria.fr/biovision/files/2020/10/2020-internship-M2-shootingst… ] Bruno Cessac Directeur de Recherche Inria-Senior scientist Head of BIOVISION team 2004 Route des Lucioles 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex 2 Email: bruno.cessac(a)inria.fr Phone: +33-4-9238-5035 Fax: +33-4-9238-7845 Webpage: https://team.inria.fr/biovision/bruno-cessac/

Nov. 9, 2020

Free Online Seminar: How to build your own Connectome?

by Markus Butz-Ostendorf

Dear List, My apologies for cross-postings first of all! I would like to draw your attention to our second online seminar on Connectomics. We have invited our clinical neuroimaging specialist Dr Yong Li from Biomax Brain Science to demonstrate how brain tumors change the human Connectome and how the Connectome heals after tumor surgery. Abstract at the end of this message. The seminar takes place online on Tue, 10 Nov 2020 at 3pm (CET). Participation is free of charge but registration is kindly requested via this link https://www.biomax.com/webinar Explore NICARA yourself by registering a free demo account at https://ssl.biomax.de/nicara/ Kind regards, Markus == *Abstract* Brain damage such as tumors, traumatic brain injury or stroke alter the characteristics of the broader connectome—the map of all neural connections in the brain. A hot topic in ongoing research using the connectome approach is how brain rewiring can compensate for lesion-induced cognitive deficits before and after intervention. The site of a lesion within the connectome is critical. Damage of a node that acts e.g. as an integrator hub of several subnetworks is significantly more detrimental to cognitive functions than a damaged node with low connectivity or existing by-passes. Understanding brain rewiring in response to lesions is the major focus of clinical as well as computational neuroscience projects (such as The Virtual Brain) to pave the way for personalized medicine in neurology and related fields. In this online seminar we will focus on brain tumors and explore their effects on the connectome using NICARA™. A particular image processing pipeline in NICARA, employing the best available open-source tools for image preprocessing and probabilistic fiber tracking, enabled us to automatically extract full brain tractography based structural connectome data from DTI raw images. Besides the pipeline, we will discuss quality control mechanisms especially designed for the assessment of large cohorts. As an example, data set we used the Brain Tumor Connectomics Data (Aerts H et al. Modeling Brain Dynamics in Brain Tumor Patients Using the Virtual Brain. eNeuro. 2018 Jun 4;5(3): ENEURO.0083-18.2018.) and assessed alterations in major white matter fiber tracts before and after surgery. For quantification, provided not only the abstract presentation of digitalized connectome networks in MNI space by a 3D lattice graphs but also offered fiber density maps directly in the patient’s native T1w for a precise judgement of fiber pathway density distribution in the vicinity of, and remote to, a tumor. Our clinical neuroimaging specialist Dr. Yong Li will further show how he uses NICARA to explore, manage and compare extracted connectome networks for group comparisons, individual patient-matched controls comparisons and longitudinal assessments. NICARA is a novel neuroimaging tool created by clinical neuroimaging scientists for clinical and translational neuroscience users. A technical introduction by product manager Dr. Markus Butz-Ostendorf at the end of the seminar on how NICARA stores and retrieves connectome information using of knowledge models will complement the scientific presentation. The seminar will take place on November 10, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (CET) and will last about 45 minutes. Make use of this opportunity and register today at www.biomax.com/webinar. Next seminar for Pharmacologists : 1/12/2020, 3:00 pm To register, please go to https://www.biomax.com/webinar and request your access data via the webinar page. We are looking forward to meeting you. -- Dr. rer. nat. Markus Butz-Ostendorf Innovation Manager Brain Science Senior Product Manager Biomax Informatics AG Robert-Koch-Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, Germany Registergericht: Amtsgericht München, HRB 134442 Vorstand: Dr. Klaus Heumann Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Mewes Tel: +49 89 895574-862 Fax: +49 89 895574-825 Email:markus.butz-ostendorf@biomax.com Website:http://www.biomax.com PGP:https://ssl.biomax.de/pgp/

Nov. 6, 2020

COSYNE 2021: Abstract submission closes soon; Registration info

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2021 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING ONLINE 24 - 26 February 2021 www.cosyne.org ==================================================== The Cosyne abstract deadline is just one week away! Abstracts are due November 12, 2020 by 11.59pm PST. This year, because of the generous support of donors, we will be able to make registration low- or no-cost for a large number of attendees. Registration will open after final decisions are made on abstracts in January 2021. Registration rates will be $25 for students and postdocs, $100 for all other academics, and $150 for corporate attendees. We will have a fee waiver open for >1000 registrants. We will share additional details as support is finalized in the next few weeks. If you would like help revising your abstract before the deadline, or helping provide feedback to others, please consider joining the Cosyne Mentoring Forum! Rainer Engelken and Stephanie Palmer are organizing a google group to offer positive, constructive critiques of abstracts, along with "pro tips" for conveying the ideas and impact in your work effectively. Please sign up to review abstracts and submit your own for feedback. You can email sepalmer [at] uchicago.edu directly and also join the Cosyne mentoring group. Visit Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details on how to join the group. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE ---------------------------------------------------- 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 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. Cosyne 2021 will take place online, February 24 - 26, 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 chosen from submitted abstracts, and 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. 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. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE 2021 TUTORIAL ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne 2021 main meeting will be preceded by an online Cosyne Tutorial Session led by Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) on 23 February 2021. More details will be posted on www.cosyne.org. 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) Tutorial Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) PROGRAM COMMITTEE Athena Akrami (UCL) Demba Ba (Harvard) Omri Barak (Technion) Brice Bathellier (Paris) Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) Christine Constantinople (NYU) Saskia De Vries (Allen Institute) Victor de Lafuente (UNAM Mexico) Jan Drugowitsch (Harvard) Tatiana Engel (CSHL) Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Kevin Franks (Duke) Tim Hanks (UC Davis) Ann Hermundstad (Janelia) Andrew Leifer (Princeton) Sukbin Lim (Shanghai) Scott Linderman (Stanford) Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL Lausanne) Ida Momennejad (Microsoft) Cris Niell (U Oregon) Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Adrien Peyrache (McGill Montreal) Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) Robert Rosenbaum (Notre Dame) Christina Savin (NYU) Marshal Shuler (Johns Hopkins) Daniela Vallentin (Max Planck Munich) 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.

Nov. 5, 2020

Grant For Equipping Electrophysiology Labs

by Maryam

Dear researchers, We are happy to announce that in order to accelerate neuroscience researches, ScienceBeam, a designer and manufacturer of neuroscience applications including EEG/ERP, QEEG, Neuro-Biofeedback and animal electrophysiology systems, is providing limited number of grants (30% - 70%) for equipping the neuroscience/electrophysiology laboratories to any young researcher with a well-defined research proposal. We particularly want to encourage outstanding candidates to apply for the ScienceBeam grant. We are also very keen to invite graduate students, who are towards the end of their Ph.D. and desire to return to their country to promote research in the field of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience. This Grant is offered for the below equipment: ➢ Neuro-biofeedback device ➢ Animal electrophysiology system ➢ EEG/QEEG/ERP acquisition system Consider the below terms and conditions: • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of sensorimotor disorders (Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson) • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of psychological and cognitive disorders. • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of mental and nervous rehabilitation. To apply for any above grants please consider the following points: • Candidates should have a Ph.D. in neuroscience, physiology, pharmacology, psychology, medical engineering, and any related area. • Interested candidates must send an email request to grant(a)sciencebeam.com including their resumes and research proposal. • Candidates should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and a clear research proposal describing her/his research plan for two next year’s describing why they need our products. • Young candidates should arrange for two letters of recommendation sent on their behalf to grant(a)sciencebeam.com • All materials must be submitted to grant(a)sciencebeam.com until December 1st, 2020. For more information visit the link below: https://sciencebeam.com/mid-autumn-festival/ And submit your resume and research proposals to: grant(a)sciencebeam.com

Nov. 5, 2020