- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

2 Postdoctoral Research Positions at Imperial College London
by Schultz, Simon R March 24, 2022

March 24, 2022

These two posts form part of an interdisciplinary collaborative research project, “Statistical Physics of Cognition” funded by the UKRI and Wellcome. The aim of the project is to understand how neuronal avalanches relate to cognition. The postholders will be part of an interdisciplinary team including theorists, experimental neuroscientists and optical physicists aiming to solve this problem. The approach taken will be to perform large-scale neuronal imaging experiments to record the activity of thousands of neurons in the brains of mice performing cognitive tasks, to use advanced methods to analyse how distance from criticality is task-dependent, to develop models describing the role of avalanche dynamics in cognition, and to use graph theory, information theory and complexity theory to advance our understanding how large-scale network dynamics affect cognitive performance. As well as advancing our understanding of the way the brain operates, this may lead to new insights into how neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease cause degradation in cognitive function, and aid in the development of future treatments. Based in the Neural Coding and Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratory led by Prof Simon Schultz, we are seeking two postdoctoral fellows to carry out neuroscience experiments involving mesoscopic two-photon imaging of neural activity from thousands of neurons in behaving mice. Applicants should have research experience in either systems neuroscience or in biomedical optics. A PhD in neuroscience, physics, or a cognate discipline is essential. Post 1 – Multiphoton optical microscopy. You will have expertise in biomedical optics, including the construction, maintenance and use of advanced optical apparatus for fluorescence imaging of neural activity, and an interest in neuroscience. Post 2 – Optical neurophysiology. You will have expertise in systems neuroscience, including experience in performing in vivo neurophysiology experiments, and expertise in processing and analysis of neurophysiological data. You will be based in the Neural Coding and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory led by Prof Simon Schultz and Dr Amanda Foust, in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. As well as members of the group, you will work closely with colleagues in the Department of Mathematics, including Prof Mauricio Barahona and Prof Henrik Jensen, as well as two theoretical postdoctoral fellows working as part of the collaborative project. You will also work together with external collaborators, including particularly Dr Fernando Rosas (University of Sussex) and Prof Lucilla De Arcangelis (University of Campania). The link to the official job advertisement and application portal can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/ENG02064/postdoctoral-research-… I am happy to discuss the positions via email. (Please email me directly rather than replying to this email, as I have mailing list emails filtered). The closing date is 5th April 2022 (but is likely to be extended). Please note that there will be a further two postdoctoral positions advertised shortly, focused on theoretical elements of the project. ---------- Simon R. Schultz DPhil FIET FRSB Professor of Neurotechnology Director, Imperial College Centre for Neurotechnology Dept of Bioengineering, Imperial College London Email: s.schultz(a)imperial.ac.uk http://www.schultzlab.org http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology Centre contact: Dr Kate Hobson, 0207 594 5101, k.hobson(a)imperial.ac.uk

1 0

Upcoming HBP Education events
by HBP Education March 24, 2022

March 24, 2022

Dear Sir*Madam, I hope this e-mail finds you well! I would like to raise awareness for several upcoming events by the HBP Education Programme. Please consider adding them to your list of upcoming events. Symposium: From Cortical Microcircuits to Consciousness Date: 11-13 April 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/corticon/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/corticon/> Description: The Symposium: From Cortical Microcircuits to Consciousness aims at bringing together the Human Brain Project’s neuroscientists and invited guests to present their latest achievements in understanding neurocircuit dynamics at microscales, meso- and macro-scales, including the emergence of consciousness. Theories of consciousness will be reviewed and challenged by new findings from brain circuits and behavior. The involvement of neuronal and neuroglial cells in brain functioning, memory, learning, cognition and consciousness in health and disease will be discussed from the experimental and theoretical perspective. The Symposium will offer a hands-on session on The Virtual Brain, the platform of EBRAINS for constructing and simulating personalised brain network models. EBRAINS is the European research infrastructure for gathering, processing and simulating brain data. Finally, the Symposium will address the recent advances in neuroethics and neurophilosophy in neuroscience research and society. Address: Institut Catholique de Paris, 21 Rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris, France Registration deadline: 6 April 2022 ———————————————— Young Researchers Event 2022 in Denmark Date: 16 May 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/YRE2022-Denmark/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/YRE2022-Denmark/> Description: HBP <http://humanbrainproject.eu/> and EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/> together with the University of Copenhagen <https://www.ku.dk/english/> invite the entire scientific community, in particular early career researchers, to join the Young Researchers Event on 16 May 2022 at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Young Researchers Events provide a setting where EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/> RI, the Project’s tools and results are presented to early career scientists as well as to a wider scientific community. The event will introduce participants to EBRAINS, offer opportunities to exchange information and knowledge with peers, as well as with renowned experts. Address: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Registration deadline: 9 May 2022 —————————— EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022 Training on Single Neuron Models, Brain Circuit Models, Cognition, Collaboratory, Synaptic Plasticity and Learning Date: 30 May – 3 June 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/BRAINSIM/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/BRAINSIM/> Description: The EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022 aims at introducing the participants to the latest achievements and innovations of the digital infrastructure for brain research EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/>, created by the Human Brain Project. The School will offer tutorials on EBRAINS Tools and eServices. The students will be presented with the overview of the EBRAINS research platform, discussed by the leaders of the Human Brain Project, and gain practical skills in using EBRAINS resources to implement cellular and network level computational models, to use EBRAINS Computing Services configure and run simulations, and to visualise/analyse the results. Through tutorials, interactive sessions and hands-on activities, attendees will learn how to interact with EBRAINS to carry out their own research, to set up and manage a data-driven collaborative project, or to use the EBRAINS platform to interact with internal and external databases. The target audience of this school are advanced master students, doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and technology sciences, from medicine, biology, psychology, to mathematics, informatics, information technology, physics, chemistry, who would like to get an introduction to the neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience tools available in the EBRAINS Infrastructure. The event is limited to 40 participants. Address: Splendid Hotel la Torre, Via Piano di Gallo 11, 90151 Palermo, Italy Registration deadline: 30 April 2022 ——————————————— Brain Activity across Scales and Species: Analysis of Experiments and Simulations (BASSES) - EBRAINS Workshop Date: 13-15 June 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/ebrains-workshops/basses/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/ebrains-workshops/basses/> Description: The HBP and EBRAINS invite interested scientists to join the forthcoming EBRAINS Workshop on Brain Activities across Scales and Species. The study of brain rhythms and of spatio-temporal patterns of brain activation is an important test-bench for understanding connectivity and the mechanisms that determine cognitive systems in mammals. The large variety of available experimental protocols and measurement techniques enable researchers to investigate new scientific questions. In addition, the input from experimental observations is used to design theoretical models able to emulate brain dynamics and cognitive mechanisms in in-silico experiments. The goal of the BASSES Workshop (Brain Activity across Scales and Species: analysis of Experiments and Simulations) is to provide an overview of the scientific topic of brain states and complexity, state transitions, and their connection with cognitive functions, and to demonstrate the achievements in this field obtained within the Human Brain Project thanks to the functionalities provided by the EBRAINS <http://www.ebrains.eu/> research platforms. Lectures will showcase the latest advancements in analysis strategies and whole-brain modelling tools. Hands-On Sessions will allow the participants to be actively engaged and test the EBRAINS functionalities for data storage, curation, analysis, and modelling. BASSES will allow people with different expertises, from experimental and theoretical neuroscientists to computer scientists, to share results and ideas and connect into a wider community. Address: ROMA EVENTI – Fontana di Trevi, Piazza della Pilotta, 00187 Rome, Italy Registration deadline: 27 May 2022 ———————————————————————— Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you need further info. Thank you in advance Best regards, HBP Education Team

1 0

Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School application open!
by Chengcheng Huang March 24, 2022

March 24, 2022

Applications are open for the 11th Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School (CCNSS), which will be held from *June 26 to July 17, 2022*, at *Suzhou, China*. Online application: https://www.csh-asia.org/?content/1239 Application deadline: *April 30, 2022* About CCNSS: Designed to emphasize computational principles and neural circuit mechanisms of higher cognitive functions, the course aims at training talented and highly motivated students and postdoctoral fellows from Asia and around the world. We welcome both applicants with quantitative backgrounds (including Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science) and those with experimental backgrounds. The lectures will introduce the basic concepts and methods, as well as cutting-edge research on higher brain functions such as decision-making, attention, learning and memory. Modeling will be taught at multiple levels, ranging from single neuron computation and microcircuits up to large-scale brain systems and artificial intelligence and psychiatric disorders. Python-based programming labs coordinated with the lectures will provide practical training in important computational methods. More details can be found at the course website https://www.ccnss.org. Organizers: Dora Angelaki, New York University Christopher Honey, Johns Hopkins University Chengcheng Huang, University of Pittsburgh Xiao-Jing Wang, New York University Guangyu Robert Yang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faculty: Dani Bassett, University of Pennsylvania Carlos Brody, Princeton University Bob Desimone, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Angela Langdon, National Institute of Mental Health Songting Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yunzhe Liu, Chinese Institute for Brain Research Yuanyuan Mi, Chongqing University Tirin Moore, Stanford University Srdjan Ostojic, École normale supérieure Anna Schapiro, University of Pennsylvania Kim Stachenfeld, DeepMind

1 0

Support for Ukrainian doctoral students in computer science at the University of Vienna
by Moritz Grosse-Wentrup March 23, 2022

March 23, 2022

Dear all, The Doctoral School for Computer Science (DoCS) at the University of Vienna (https://docs.univie.ac.at/) supports Ukrainian doctoral students in computer science (who are currently enrolled in a Ukrainian university) with 6-month stipends to continue their doctoral studies in Vienna. If you would like to apply for such a stipend, please send an email to uadocs2022(a)univie.ac.at including a CV and a brief description of your dissertation topic. We will then contact you asap regarding further details. We ask for your understanding though that our funds may not cover stipends for all applicants. For other initiatives, please also see https://scienceforukraine.eu/ On behalf of the DoCS and the Faculty of Computer Science, Moritz Grosse-Wentrup -- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Research Group Neuroinformatics Faculty of Computer Science University of Vienna Kolingasse 14-16, Room 02.49 A-1090 Wien, Austria moritz.grosse-wentrup(a)univie.ac.at +43-1-4277-79610 http://neural.engineering/

1 0

3 Postdoctoral Positions at the University of Calgary
by Wilten Nicola March 22, 2022

March 22, 2022

We are currently looking for 3 postdoctoral positions in the Nicola Computational Neuroscience Lab ( http://www.nicolacomputationalneurosciencelab.com) at the University of Calgary, in Alberta Canada: *Postdoctoral Position 1* We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a 2-year position investigating the interplay between hippocampal and cortical dynamics in memory consolidation. The project will involve both simulating spiking neural networks, and analyzing real spiking data. The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a PhD in mathematics, physics, or engineering, and will have a proven track-record in working with spiking neural networks. A knowledge of neuroscience is beneficial, but not strictly necessary. Familiarity with multi-unit recordings is also beneficial, but not strictly necessary. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. ------------------------------ *Postdoctoral Position 2* We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a 2 year position investigating how networks of neurons can learn to create abstraction and semantic definitions from a few stimuli. In short, how do networks of neurons learn and know how to generalize in a meaningful way? The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a PhD in mathematics, physics or engineering and will have extensive experience in working with feedforward or recurrent neural networks, either artificial or spiking. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. ------------------------------ *Postdoctoral Position 3 * We are currently looking for a postdoctoral research for a 2 year position in commercializing spiking neural network technologies. This is a joint postdoc with Dr. Aaron Gruber, as part of an ongoing initiative on commercializing spiking neural networks for both edge computing, and big-data applications. The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a strong background in hardware and software engineering, specifically with Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other neuromorphic-like platforms capable of spiking network emulation. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. The University of Calgary is a global intellectual hub located in Canada’s most enterprising city. In our spirited, high-quality learning environment, students thrive in programs made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. Our strategy drives us to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, engaging the communities we both serve and lead. This strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university's Gaelic motto, which translates as 'I will lift up my eyes.' For more information, visit ucalgary.ca/eyeshigh.

1 0

Cajal Computational Neuroscience Course, Application deadline 28 March, 2022
by Gjorgjieva, Julijana March 22, 2022

March 22, 2022

Dear Students and Postdocs, There is still time to apply to the Cajal Computational Neuroscience course 2022! Application deadline: 28 March 2022 Apply here: http://cajal-training.org/on-site/ccn2022/ Stipends are available. Date and Location: 17 July - 6 August 2022 Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Portugal Course directors: Brent Doiron, University of Chicago, US Maria Geffen, University of Pennsylvania, US Julijana Gjorgjieva, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Joe Paton, Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal About the Cajal Computational Neuroscience Course The course teaches the central ideas, methods, and practices of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. During the course’s mornings, distinguished international faculty deliver lectures on topics across the entire breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. For the remainder of the time, students work on research projects in teams of 2 to 3 people under close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Research projects are proposed by faculty before the course and include the modeling of neurons, neural systems, and behavior, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data (behavioral data, multi-electrode recordings, calcium imaging data, connectomics data, etc.), and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Megan Carey – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Alex Cayco-Gajic – École Normale Supérieure, France John Krakauer – Johns Hopkins University, USA Gilles Laurent – Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Máté Lengyel – Cambridge University, UK Ashok Litwin-Kumar – Columbia University, USA Christian Machens – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Olivier Marre – Vision Institute, France Ken Miller – Columbia University, USA Srdjan Ostojic – École Normale Supérieure, France Anne-Marie Oswald – University of Pittsburgh, USA Alfonso Renart – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Tim Vogels – IST Austria, Austria And others! CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme is funded by FENS, IBRO and The Gatsby Foundation. For more information on the CAJAL programme: www.cajal-training.org<http://www.cajal-training.org> ----------------------------------------- Julijana Gjorgjieva, PhD Research Group Leader Max Planck Institute for Brain Research Max-von-Laue-Str. 4, Frankfurt Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Technical University of Munich office: +49 69 850033 3600 https://www1.ls.tum.de/compneuro

1 0

Call for Symposia - NEURONUS 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (15-17 October 2022, Krakow, Poland)
by Michał Zaręba March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

*On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to invite you to **submit symposia proposals for NEURONUS 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum, **which takes place on 15-17 October 2022 in Krakow, Poland. We await your proposals until 1 April 2022. More information can be found here: https://neuronusforum.pl/page/40,call-for-symposia <https://neuronusforum.pl/page/40,call-for-symposia>**.* With prominent speakers and unique atmosphere of one of the oldest and most beautiful Polish cities, NEURONUS IBRO Neuroscience Forums have established themselves in the European calendar of scientific events as a platform for communication between scientists from different fields of neuroscience. The program of the conference consists of numerous sessions on biological, cognitive, computational and medical aspects of neuroscience, creating a dynamic environment for sharing knowledge. The schedule of the meeting is further complemented with lectures by invited guests, and we invest a lot of effort to attract as influential neuroscientists as possible. This year we will host 6 keynote speakers including Lauri Nummenmaa (University of Turku, Finland), Florian Engert (Harvard University, Cambridge, USA) and Marina Bedny (Johns Hopkins University, USA). The remaining names will be announced soon. During the upcoming 12th edition of the conference, we will continue to put* emphasis on development of early-career researchers*. The main purpose of this event is to provide means for both young and experienced neuroscientists to share the latest discoveries, knowledge and experience in neuroscience, as well as make valuable contacts with scientists representing various fields of neurobiology. We actively promote young scientists through preferentially allocating oral presentations of their experimental results. To help us achieve this goal, we have opened the *call for symposia*. A symposium should last approximately 90 minutes and be composed of a talk by the Invited Speaker (of post-doc status or higher) and 3-4 talks given by early-career researchers. Early-career speakers may be proposed by the Symposium Organizer. At least two of the early-career speakers must be at pre-doctoral level. The general focus of the symposium should fall within the scope of biological and cognitive neuroscience. Please contact us if more information is needed. We strongly encourage you to join this special initiative and hope to see you in the beautiful scenery of Krakow! On behalf of my colleagues, Michal Zareba Organizing Committee Neuronus 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum

1 0

Postdoctoral position in "Multiphysics Brain Aging Modeling" at Stevens Institute of Technology, New York City, USA
by Johannes Weickenmeier March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

Dear all. A postdoctoral position in “Multiphysics Brain Aging Modeling” is available in the group of Prof. Johannes Weickenmeier (www.weickenmeierlab.com<http://www.weickenmeierlab.com>). The Matter Biomechanics Lab combines experimental methods to biomechanically characterize brain tissue properties and various computational modeling techniques (e.g. finite element analysis, multiphysics modeling, medical image analysis) with the ultimate goal to better understand healthy brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Our constitutive aging and Alzheimer’s disease models couple neurobiology and mechanics (i.e. morphological shape changes and tissue loading) in order to identify abnormal aging patterns and brain regions at risk of developing secondary damage, such as white matter hyperintensities, hypoperfusion, traumatic injury, and vascular degeneration. We validate our models against longitudinal imaging data from databases such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). We are looking for applications with prior experience in advanced medical image analysis, data analysis, and modeling. Knowledge in the biology of aging is a significant advantage. The research will be performed at the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology right outside of New York. The position is funded through a grant from the NIH. The position is available now until filled. To apply, please send a motivation letter, CV, and contact information for 2-3 references to Prof. Johannes Weickenmeier (johannes.weickenmeier (at) stevens.edu) Stay well, Johannes Weickenmeier _______________________________________ Johannes Weickenmeier, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Neuromechanics Stevens Institute of Technology | Department of Mechanical Engineering |phone: 201-216-5527 | pronouns: he/him/his | Soft Matter Biomechanics: www.weickenmeierlab.com<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.weicke…>

1 1

New INCF endorsement standard: MBF file format
by INCF March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

We are pleased to inform you that on January 25 2022, the INCF Standards and Best Practices (SBP) committee <https://incf.org/about/governance/SBP-subcommittee> endorsed the MBF file format as a standard, with the standard number INCFSN-22-01 <https://www.incf.org/mbf-file-format-v-40>. All INCF standards undergo re-review every two years. MBF Bioscience and INCF will work together to further improve the FAIRness of the standard until the next review, including implementation of the governance policy and modification of the standard’s license from the CC-BY-ND-NC to a CC-BY-ND. The committee is pleased to see an open format from a commercial entity go through the endorsement process, and applaud MBF Bioscience for taking this very important step in support of open and FAIR neuroscience. See the community review <https://f1000research.com/documents/10-712> Read the endorsement statement <https://f1000research.com/documents/11-336> *Why endorse community standards? * INCF (incf.org) has implemented a formal procedure for evaluating and endorsing community standards and best practices in support of the FAIR principles. Our mission is to make neuroscience more open and FAIR, to ensure that research funds and efforts are well invested, and that neuroscientific findings are robust and replicable. Open community review is a very important step in the process. Quality community standards are necessary to make FAIR resources and processes work, but too many neuroscience communities lack robust standards or have competing incompatible standards. The rapid development of new techniques also means that there is a continuous need for new and updated standards, and that old standards need an active developer and user community keeping them up to date. By endorsing standards, INCF wants to: - Make it easy to find the best, most reliable standard appropriate for your research - Ensure recognition for community members investing their time and effort in standards Similar to other standards, the review criteria <https://incf.org/incf-standards-review-criteria-v20> include: - Openness - FAIRness - Design, testing, and implementation - Governance - Adoption and use - Stability and support - Extensibility - Comparison (similarity to other standards)

1 0

2022 Neuro-Inspired Computational Elements Conference -- Final Agenda -- March 29-April 1 Virtual!
by Aimone, James Bradley March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

Dear colleagues, The final agenda for NICE 2022 has been published here https://flagship.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/jss/HBPm?mI=235&m=showAgenda This is the 9th annual NICE meeting, and we will be virtual again this year due to global travel considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. NICE covers the neuromorphic computing field with parallel considerations of the neuroscience inspiration and application drivers of brain-inspired computing technologies. Keynote talks Stefano Fusi (Columbia University) Jeff Clune (University of British Columbia) Please join us! Brad Aimone 2022 NICE Organizing Committee -------------------------- James Bradley Aimone, Ph.D. Cognitive and Emerging Computing Department Center for Computing Research Sandia National Laboratories Phone: (505) 284-3147 Fax: (505) 844-4728 http://neuroscience.sandia.gov

1 0