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PhD position available at VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam

by Andre Marquand

Please see below for a PhD Vacancy at the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam for employing pattern recognition methods for neuroimaging data analysis. ----------------------------------------------------------- The project The focus of the proposed PhD project is two-fold; First, the PhD student will will employ advanced computational and statistical methods to evaluate the prognostic value of neuroimaging modalities, biomarker, genetic, environmental and clinical characteristics and their combination to classify the course of depression and anxiety. A second part of the project focuses on employing these methods to disentangle phenotypic heterogeneity of depression by identifying different subtypes based on a rich set of neuroimaging and clinical data and biological protein information, and by exploring the genetic basis of different subtypes and their association with course of depression and treatment response. For these purposes, you will work with data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (www.nesda.nl) in which an extensive battery of detailed longitudinal clinical, biomarker, neuroimaging and genetic data have been collected in a large cohort. You will also work with similar data from other international cohorts, and with data from the MOTAR study (www.motar.nl) in which the effects of antidepressant and running treatments are examined. This project will integrate across these data-sources using a variety of methods, including the application of supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques. You will be involved in the processing of neuroimaging data (structural MRI, functional MRI), associating these data with biomarker, clinical and genetics information and using machine learning methods to classify the patients. You will be working in a multidisciplinary team with young and enthusiastic researchers, who have expertise in psychiatry, genetics, neuroimaging, statistics/engineering and epidemiology. Your challenge As a PhD Student your main tasks and responsibilites are: • Help examine predictors of the naturalistic course and treatment response in depression and anxiety; • Identifying subtypes of depression and anxiety based on multimodal data sources; • Apply unsupervised and supervised machine learning methods, such as Support Vector Machine and/or probabilistic methods, to genetic, multi-modal neuroimaging, clinical and environmental data from the NESDA study, the MOTAR study and other international cohorts; • Write various scientific papers on the above topics, and complete your research with a PhD thesis. Your profile We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic researcher with a strong interest in psychopathology who has the following background and experience: • A strong numerate background (i.e. a Master's degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering, medical image analysis or related discipline), preferably with emphasis on machine learning, pattern classification, and/or multivariate image analysis; • Experience with neuroimage analysis or with (bio) statistics is desirable; • You have excellent statistical and strong computer programming skills (good command of LINUX, scripting, and Matlab); • You have excellent communications skills in English, both written and verbal; • Having experience in writing (international) publication(s) is a plus. Benefits Salary Scale: OIO (EUR 2.200 in the first year that increases to EUR 2.818 gross per month in the fourth year, based on 36 hours per week). We also offer a set 8.3% end-of-year bonus and 8% holiday pay. For more information about our fringe benefits, please visit http://www.werkenbijvumc.nl/vumc/arbeidsvoorwaarden/ (Dutch version). The PhD position is for four years, you will start with a contract for 12 months. Additional information The Department of Psychiatry of the VU University Medical Center (VUMC) and GGZ inGeest collaborately conduct research, education and academic patient care. The main focus is on depression and anxiety disorders, two common psychiatric disorders with high public health impact. Psychiatric research is embedded in two VU research institutes: EMGO+ and Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam. In this research area more than 150 persons from different disciplines (e.g. psychiatry, psychology, health science) collaborate. Interested? For more information you can contact dr. Lianne Schmaal, via telephone number: +31(0)20 – 788 4592. For more information about the application procedure you can contact mr. Wessel Haytink, recruiter, via telephone number: +31(0)6 – 1066 7718. Please submit your candidacy by latest September 7, 2014 with reference number D2.2014.00077WH via the following link: http://bit.ly/PhDMachineLearning

Aug. 21, 2014

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Brain Modeling and Neural Engineering

by Mark Kramer

A multi-year postdoctoral researcher position in computational neuroscience is available immediately through a collaboration of Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston University. The fellow will be tasked to build neural models capable of simulating and predicting human neural dynamics within and among a network of cortical and subcortical areas. These models will inform the design of adaptive “closed loop” stimulation to treat psychiatric disorders. The researcher will work with an interdisciplinary team of clinical and computational researchers at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Boston University to focus on three central aims: 1) Develop a mean-field computational model of human cortical and subcortical regions, 2) Simulate the impact of electrical stimulation on the model dynamics, 3) Implement data assimilation procedures to link in vivo brain voltage recordings from individual patients to the computational model variables and parameters. Experience in statistics (e.g., parameter estimation, Kalman filtering, particle filtering) and computer programming in MATLAB and C-like languages are required. Knowledge of neuroscience and models of neural population activity are preferred, and we will preferentially interview candidates with prior work in neural simulation or experimental neuroscience. This opportunity is available immediately, and candidates currently available to begin work will be preferred. However, we are happy to negotiate start terms for outstanding candidates. To apply, or for more information about the position, please send an email to Drs. Mark Kramer (mak(a)bu.edu) and Alik Widge (awidge(a)partners.org) Please include an updated CV, names and contact information of three references, and a brief statement of your interest in the position and relevant qualifications. Applications from women and representatives of minority groups are encouraged. See also: http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/jobs/446865-postdoctoral-research-… -------- Mark A. Kramer Prof. Math & Stats, BU http://math.bu.edu/people/mak/

Aug. 20, 2014

[COSYNE2015] Call for workshop proposals

by Tomas Hromadka

================================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience (Cosyne) 2015 MAIN MEETING WORKSHOPS Mar 5 - Mar 8, 2015 Mar 9 - Mar 10, 2015 Salt Lake City, Utah Snowbird Ski Resort, Utah http://www.cosyne.org ================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------ CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ------------------------------------------------------------------ PROPOSAL DEADLINE: November 21, 2014. PRE-PROPOSALS: In an effort to coordinate submissions, the organizers are encouraged to submit a pre-proposal by October 31, 2014. Pre-proposals will be shared among submitters. Pre-proposals are requested but not required. The organizers may submit the full proposal by its deadline. A series of workshops will be held after the main Cosyne meeting (http://www.cosyne.org) The goal is to provide an informal forum for the discussion of important research questions and challenges. Controversial issues, open problems, comparisons of competing approaches, and alternative viewpoints are encouraged. The overarching goal of all workshops should be the integration of empirical and theoretical approaches, in an environment that fosters collegial discussion and debate. Preference will be given to proposals that differ substantially in content, scope, and/or approach from workshops of recent years (examples available at http://www.cosyne.org/c/index.php?title=Workshops) Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: sensory processing; motor planning and control; functional neural circuits; motivation, reward and decision making; learning and memory; adaptation and plasticity; neural coding; neural circuitry and network models; and methods in computational or systems neuroscience. Please note that in an effort to enhance the distinctions between workshops, speakers will be asked to commit to only 1-2 workshops. If need be, workshop chairs will work with overcommitted speakers prior to final workshop acceptances to reduce overlap. WORKSHOP DETAILS: - There will be 4-8 workshops/day, running in parallel. - Each workshop is expected to draw between 15 and 80 people. - The workshops will be split into morning (8:00-11:00 AM) and afternoon (4:30-7:30 PM) sessions. - Workshops will be held at Snowbird, a ski resort located 30 miles (typically less than an hour) from the Salt Lake City airport. Buses from the main conference will be provided. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Deadline for pre-proposals: October 31, 2014 Deadline for proposals: November 21, 2014 Format: plain text only -- please no attachments, email to: cosyne15workshops(a)googlegroups.com (Claudia Clopath, Robert Froemke) PRE-PROPOSALS should include: - Name(s) and email address(es) of the organizers (no more than 2 organizers per session, please). A primary contact should be designated. - A title. - A brief description of 1) what the workshop will address and accomplish, 2) why the topic is of interest, 3) who is the targeted group of participants. - Names of potential invitees, with indication of confirmed speakers. Preference will be given to workshops with the largest fraction of confirmed speakers. - Proposed workshop length (1 or 2 days). Most workshops will be limited to a single day. If you think your workshop needs 2 days, please explain why. - A brief resume of the workshop organizer along with a short list of workshop-relevant publications (about half a page total). PROPOSALS should include the list of confirmed speakers in addition to components required for a pre-proposal. Workshop organizer responsibilities include coordinating workshop participation and content, scheduling all speakers and submitting a final schedule for the workshop program, and moderating the discussion. Organizers can be speakers but need not speak depending on scheduling constraints. SUGGESTIONS: Experience has shown that the best discussions during a workshop are those that arise spontaneously. A good way to foster these is to have short talks and long question periods (e.g. 30+15 minutes), and have plenty of breaks. We recommend fewer than 10 talks. WORKSHOP COSTS: Detailed registration costs, etc., will be available at cosyne.org. Please note: Cosyne does NOT provide travel funding for workshop speakers. All workshop speakers are expected to pay for workshop registration fees. Participants are encouraged to register early, in order to qualify for discounted registration rates. One complementary (free) organizer registration is provided per workshop. For workshops with 2 organizers, the free registration can be given to one of the organizers or split evenly between them. COSYNE 2015 WORKSHOP CHAIRS: Claudia Clopath (Imperial College London) and Robert Froemke (New York University). QUESTIONS: email: cosyne15workshops(a)googlegroups.com

Aug. 20, 2014

Postdoc Position in Sleep and Cognition Lab

by Sara C. Mednick

The Sleep and Cognition (SaC) Lab of the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside has an open position for a postdoc researcher. This researcher will be investigating mechanisms of memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval by using event-related potential (ERP/EEG) during waking and sleep. Successful candidates should have experience in memory research and EEG methodologies, as well as programming skills. Experience in sleep research is not essential. Position is available immediately. Researchers must possess a doctoral degree. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. The initial appointment is for 1 year with a possibility of extension. Please send your CV, statement of research interests and the names of three references or make inquires to Sara C. Mednick smednick(a)ucr.edu. -- Assistant Professor University of California, Riverside Department of Psychology Sleep and Cognition (SaC) Lab www.saramednick.com www.sleepandcognitionlab.org TEDx Talk <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MklZJprP5F0> Amandla awethu!

Aug. 20, 2014

[meetings] Australasian Conference on Artificial Life and Computational Intelligence (ACALCI 2015)

by Stephan Chalup

CfP: Australasian Conference on Artificial Life and Computational Intelligence (ACALCI 2015), 5-7 February 2015, The University of Newcastle, Australia http://www.newcastle.edu.au/ACALCI2015<http://newcastle.edu.au/ACALCI2015> PAPER DEADLINE: 12 September 2014 (extended) NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: 15 October 2014 PAPER FORMAT: 6-14 pages in Springer LNAI style PUBLICATION: Springer-Verlag LNAI are indexed by Scopus, Zentralblatt MATH, IO-Port, MathSciNet, ACM Digital Library, dblp, EI Engineering Index (Compendex and Inspec databases), and the ISI Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science (CPCI-S), included in ISI Web of Science. A special issue in the journal Connection Science will invite authors of some of the best papers to submit extended versions of their articles. CONFERENCE TOPICS: ACALCI 2015 will be organised in broad technical sessions that bring together experts from many different fields related to Artificial Life and Computational Intelligence. The forum also encourages associated applied research in domains as diverse as health, the creative arts and finance (to name a few). In this context ACALCI encourages presentations, demonstrations, performances and discussions on innovative research and interdisciplinary projects. WORKSHOPS, TUTORIALS and PERFORMANCES: If you would like to organise a workshop, tutorial or performance in connection with ACALCI2015 please contact the organisers as soon as possible. CONFERENCE WEBPAGE: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/ACALCI2015<http://newcastle.edu.au/ACALCI2015> ----------------------- Stephan Chalup, PhD http://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/stephan-chalup

Aug. 20, 2014

Databrary.org seeks web developer for open source data sharing project

by Rick Gilmore

** Web Developer for Databrary.org ** About Databrary Databrary is a first-of-its-kind web-based data library where scientists who collect and analyze video can store and share their data openly with other researchers. The project is based at New York University (NYU) and Penn State. It has grant support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The overall goal is to accelerate the pace of discovery, improve scientific transparency and accountability, and transform research practices in psychology and developmental science. We are growing a team to design and build new open source solutions for science using the latest technologies. Web Developer position description The Databrary project seeks a motivated and flexible developer to help build a unique web-based data library. You will work with users and a small group of developers to design and build the front end UI and back end tools to enable behavioral researchers to collaborate, store, explore, and access research datasets in ways not possible with any existing tool. The ideal candidate will relish the challenge of building a uniquely powerful set of research tools while working on a small team in a diverse and intellectually stimulating academic environment. Responsibilities - Implement dynamic, modular, and responsive web interfaces to organize, present, and manipulate research materials. - Design, implement, test, and validate JavaScript across browsers and platforms. - Integrate feedback from UI experts and researchers (users) to identify and prioritize new features. - Learn, understand, and reorganize research data as needed for better integration with the site. Qualifications - Background in CS or other relevant field and 3+ years programming experience. - Knowledge of AngularJS or other modern web application frameworks. - Extensive experience with jQuery, JSON, HTML5, and CSS3. - Familiarity with standard UNIX development tools such as git. - Understanding of security and ethical concerns around sensitive data. Preferred - History of contributions to open source projects. - Comfortable with discussing and addressing UX/UI design issues. - Experience using RESTful interfaces for structured data. - Sensitive to performance considerations building big data interfaces. - Basic understanding of scientific practices and research tools, such as Matlab, SPSS, or R. To apply - Send the following to jobs(a)databrary.org: - One page cover letter (PDF). - Resume (PDF). - Links to your open source contributions or other samples of your work.

Aug. 19, 2014

IU Cognitive Science Faculty Search

by Olaf Sporns

Assistant Professor - Embodied Cognitive Science Cognitive Science Program Indiana University The Cognitive Science Program at Indiana University seeks a tenure track junior level appointment in the area of embodied cognitive science. Successful applicants will take a leadership role in the ongoing development of embodied cognition as a research and teaching focus of the program. Indiana University has a strong history in this area, ranging from theoretical foundations to computational and robotics modeling, to experimental approaches in developmental psychology and neuroscience. Although the emphasis of the position is on computational and/or robotic modeling approaches to problems in embodied cognition, candidates are expected to engage with the breadth of experimental programs and philosophical discussion that make up this interdisciplinary research area. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science, Computer Science or a closely related field and will join the faculty of a department or school on the Bloomington campus appropriate to their specific background. Applicants are expected to have a record that demonstrates an excellent potential in the areas of research and teaching. Interested candidates should review the application requirements and submit their applications athttps://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/1006. Questions regarding the position or application process can be directed to Randall Beer, Cognitive Science Search Committee, 819 Eigenmann, 1900 E. 10th St., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47406-7512 orcogsrch(a)indiana.edu. Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2014 and will continue until the position is filled. Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Applications from women and minority group members are especially encouraged. Information about the program and the university is available athttp://www.cogs.indiana.edu/. -- Olaf Sporns -- @spornslab Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Programs in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405

Aug. 19, 2014

Tenure-track faculty position in computational neuroscience

by Adam Kohn

The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the leading medical schools in New York City, is seeking to fill multiple tenure track faculty positions in the newly formed Department of Systems and Computational Biology. Established in April 2008, the main goal of the new department is to advance our understanding of living systems by developing theoretical, computational and experimental approaches to study complex biological systems. The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has 750 medical students, 325 graduate students and 360 post-doctoral fellows in training and boasts a strong research faculty covering broad areas of experimental biology, offering outstanding opportunities for collaborative interactions. The 200,000 square foot Price Center for Genetic and Translational Medicine at Einstein, which opened in late 2007, locates computational, systems, and experimental scientists in physical proximity to foster interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. Highly competitive start-up packages are available. We seek outstanding scientists with broad experience and demonstrated collaborative interactions with experimental or clinical investigators. Candidates should have strength in a physical, mathematical or computational field at the Ph.D. or equivalent level. Experience applying these skills to a biological or biomedical area (demonstrated through publications or support) is also required. Areas of interest that would be advantageous, but not required, are: Systems and Computational Neuroscience — visual processing, cortical computation, or population coding; Systems Evolutionary Biology; and Mathematical and Computational Modeling of Complex Traits. Applicants should send a letter of interest, C.V., statement of research and teaching interests, and names of three referees, in electronic format to: Systems and Computational Biology Search Committee Albert Einstein College of Medicine Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus 1300 Morris Park Ave. Price Center, Rm. 153 Bronx, New York 10461 E-mail Address: sysbio(a)einstein.yu.edu Subject line should be: SCB Faculty Search Yeshiva University is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Aug. 19, 2014

2nd Call for Abstracts for the 7th Int'l Workshop on Guided Self-Organisation (Freiburg, Dec 16-18, 2014)

by Joschka Boedecker

<apologies for possible cross-posting> Dear colleagues, This is the 2nd Call for Abstracts for the Seventh International Workshop on Guided Self-Organisation (GSO-2014) to be held from December 16-18, 2014 in Freiburg, Germany. http://ml.informatik.uni-freiburg.de/events/gso14/index The workshop will bring together researchers from a richly diverse background who share interest in understanding and designing self-organising systems. Of particular interest are well-founded, but general methods for characterizing such systems in a principled way with the view of ultimately allowing them to be guided toward prespecified goals. Information theory, nonlinear dynamics and graph theory are core to many of these methods, and quantifying complexity and its sources is a common theme. This year, the workshop is organised in collaboration with the BrainLinks-BrainTools cluster of excellence at University of Freiburg ( https://www.brainlinks-braintools.uni-freiburg.de/ ), and one focus theme will be guided self-organisation in neural systems. Submissions to the workshop are extended abstracts (one-two pages). If interested in participating, send an extended abstract (by September 7th, 2014) by email to: jboedeck at informatik dot uni-freiburg dot de The notifications are expected by September 21st, 2014. Authors of accepted submissions will present the content to the workshop (scheduled 30 minutes presentation). It is expected that post-workshop publication of selected papers will follow in a special journal issue (as has been the case for previous GSO workshops). Please consult the website above and also http://guided-self.org/ for more information. Best wishes, Joschka Boedecker Mikhail Prokopenko Martin Riedmiller

Aug. 19, 2014

PhD Positions Combining Robotics and Neuroscience at the Queensland University of Technology

by Michael Milford

Several PhD positions are available to work on a challenging interdisciplinary research project spanning neuroscience, robotics and computer vision. Project summary: Current robotic and personal navigation systems leave much to be desired; GPS only works in open outdoor areas, lasers are expensive and cameras are highly sensitive to changing environmental conditions. In contrast, nature has evolved superb navigation systems. This project will solve the challenging problem of place recognition, a key component of navigation, by modelling the visual recognition skills of humans and the rodent spatial memory system. This approach combines the best understood and most capable components of place recognition in nature to create a whole more capable than its parts. The project will produce advances in robotic and personal navigation technology and lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the brain. This project is a strongly interdisciplinary one spanning neuroscience, robotics and computer vision and candidates will require experience or a skill set that facilitates this interdisciplinary approach - such as a strong background in computer science with an interest in neuroscience, or a neuroscientist / biologist with strong math and coding skills. PhD candidates will have the very challenging but rewarding task of achieving research breakthroughs that impact multiple disciplines simultaneously, as well as producing innovative technologies based on these breakthroughs. Project Collaborators and Support The project will involve collaboration with leading neuroscientists, roboticists, biologists and computer vision researchers at top international universities including Harvard University and Boston University, as well as local collaborators including The University of Queensland. PhD candidates will pursue an independent interdisciplinary research agenda but will have access to researchers from several major robotics and computer vision initiatives based at QUT, including the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Robotic Vision. How to Apply To apply please go to: https://wiki.qut.edu.au/display/cyphy/Applications+Milford. Scholarships and top-ups are available for high quality applicants. Or contact: Dr Michael Milford: https://wiki.qut.edu.au/display/cyphy/Michael+Milford School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Queensland University of Technology Phone: +61 7 3138 9969 | E-mail: michael DOT milford(a)qut.edu.au Michael Milford |ARC Future Fellow | Microsoft Faculty Fellow | Senior Lecturer | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Science and Engineering Faculty | Queensland University of Technology S Block, Room S1110, Gardens Point Campus ph 3138 9969 | email michael.milford(a)qut.edu.au<mailto:c.degroot@qut.edu.au> CRICOS No 00213J * Recent Publications * * Visual Place Recognition Under Extreme Perceptual Change - "SeqSLAM: Visual route-based navigation for sunny summer days and stormy winter nights", International Conference on Robotics and Automation, link http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=6224623 * Navigating without GPS, using only a web camera - "Mapping a Suburb with a Single Camera using a Biologically Inspired SLAM System", IEEE Transactions on Robotics, link http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=4627450 * Continual mapping and navigation over a 2 week office delivery robot experiment - "Persistent Navigation and Mapping using a Biologically Inspired SLAM System", International Journal of Robotics Research, http://ijr.sagepub.com/content/29/9/1131.abstract * Combining robotics, neuroscience and animal navigation to manage uncertainty when navigating - "Solving Navigational Uncertainty Using Grid Cells on Robots", PLoS Computational Biology, http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000995 More information available at: https://wiki.qut.edu.au/display/cyphy/Michael+Milford Google Scholar Profile: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TDSmCKgAAAAJ&hl=en

Aug. 19, 2014