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POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY

by Wilson Truccolo

Applications for an NIH-funded post-doctoral position are invited for the Laboratory of Dr. Wilson Truccolo in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. The positions are for the development of data-driven stochastic models of multiscale neural dynamics in human epilepsy. Data consist of simultaneous intracortical microelectrode array recordings of ensembles of single neurons and local field potentials, as well as ECoGs, during seizure and non-seizure states in individuals with pharmacologically resistant epilepsy. The project involves a collaboration between the labs of Dr. Truccolo and Dr. Sydney Cash (Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston). The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience, modeling of stochastic neural dynamics and experiments involving closed-loop electrical stimulation. Related recent publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/ <http://dl.dropbox.com/u/983891/Truccolo_home.htm>). Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Truccolo (wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu) Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees should be sent to wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu. -- Wilson Truccolo, Ph.D. Pablo J. Salame '88 Goldman Sachs Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Department of Neuroscience & Institute for Brain Science, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

June 28, 2016

Postdoctoral position in graph signal processing for monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics of brain activity

by Nicolas Farrugia

Postdoctoral position in graph signal processing for monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics of brain activity Telecom Bretagne, Brest, France P.I. : Dr. Vincent Gripon Context The present proposal is funded by the Neural Communication project, which is part of the Labex CominLabs. This project started in November 2015 for a duration of two years as a continuation of the Neural Coding project, also founded by the Labex CominLabs from November 2012 to October 2015. The main goal of the project is to propose models for communications between cortical areas in the brain and to develop novel methodologies for identifying spatio-temporal patterns in brain activity. The project takes advantage of the expertise of two internationnaly renowned teams. The first one is led by Fabrice Wendling, director of research at LTSI in Rennes, and aims at proposing innovative methods for extracting connectivity graphs from EEG signals. The second one (host team) is led by Claude Berrou, professor at Télécom bretagne, and aims at proposing novel models for information processing in neural networks. The host team is also active in the new field of graph signal processing. The host team is composed of three permanent researchers as well as two postdocs and six PhD students. The proposed postdoctoral position is meant to take place in Télécom Bretagne, in Brest. The candidate is expected to work in collaboration with people involved in the ERC project Neucod led by Claude Berrou. Proposal It is now well-known that brain activity is structurally organised into functionally connected networks. Using functional MRI on subjects at rest, resting state networks can be defined as sets of spatially distinct brain areas with temporally correlated activity. While having been extensively studied over long time periods (e.g. 6 minutes), such networks are now investigated using dynamic analysis with a temporal resolution of a few dozens of seconds. Other works are interested in applying similar methodologies to monitoring the dynamics when performing cognitive tasks, as it has been shown that task-related functional networks are spatially similar to resting-state networks. Recently, a novel framework has been developed that aim at exploiting graphical structures of the underlying topology the signals are projected onto, called graph signal processing. As a result, it is possible to define ad hoc harmonic operators including convolutions and wavelets. A major advantage of this approach is the ability to detect similar patterns in distinct regions of the network, despite the inhomogeneity of the network topology. We are interested in applying graph signal processing to brain imaging to study special temporal dynamics, both in the resting state and task-related networks using EEG and fMRI. Details The head of the project is Vincent Gripon, permanent researcher with Télécom Bretagne. Please send your curriculum vitae, contacts for two references, as well as a cover letter to vincent.gripon(a)telecom-bretagne.eu. Expected disposable salary is about 30k{\euro} per year, depending on experience. The position starts in September 2016 (or sooner) and finishes in November 2017. The postdoc position is accompanied with overheads for travel expenses covering the participation to international conferences. The candidate must have defended a Ph.D. related to neuroscience, neuroimaging and familiar with signal processing. Programming skills are essential to this position. The deadline for applying to the position is July 17th.

June 28, 2016

EEG and Brain Stimulation Postdoctoral Position in Frohlich Lab at UNC-Chapel Hill

by Sankar Alagapan

We are seeking to fill one postdoctoral position in the Frohlich Lab with a candidate who has a proven track record of EEG data analysis. *About this position*: We are collecting high-density EEG from multiple clinical trials in which we evaluate the effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on brain network dynamics and behavior. We are looking for a passionate scientist who is interested in taking charge of the data analysis (EEG, cognitive tasks, clinical scales) to validate network targets for brain stimulation in psychiatry and more broadly the network-level dysfunction of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. The applicant will be embedded in a vibrant research group of around 20 scientists and will receive (as needed and desired) training in transcranial current stimulation, network neuroscience, and clinical research. The position will include working closely with the study coordinators who run the clinical trials. *About the Frohlich Lab*: We seek to revolutionize the fields of psychiatry and neurology by studying brain network dynamics and applying our discoveries to the rational design of novel brain stimulation treatments. Our research integrates neurobiology, engineering, and medicine to identify, engage, and validate network targets for brain stimulation. We (1) perform computer modeling, (2) combine electrophysiology, imaging, brain stimulation, and behavioral assays in animal models, (3) record and modulate human brain activity, and (4) study new treatments in randomized controlled clinical trials. This position is aligned with items (3) and (4) of our mission. *About UNC at Chapel Hill*: We are a vibrant and nationally top-rated research institution with a strong track record in (translational) neuroscience. UNC has been repeatedly ranked as one of the best places to do a postdoc. Quality of life is very high, cost of living is low. *About the successful candidate*: You have a PhD in neuroscience (or a related discipline) and a track record of first class science demonstrated by first author peer-reviewed scientific articles. Strong background and experience with human EEG data analysis and Matlab is required. Experience in source localization and functional connectivity analysis using EEG will be advantageous. Experience with clinical trials or working with patient populations is a plus. Please send your CV and a brief statement of research interest toflavio_frohlich(a)med.unc.edu. Also, please have two letters of recommendation directly submitted to the same email address. Note: Please only submit an application if your background matches the required expertise for this position. We are looking forward to meeting passionate and hard-working applicants who are ready for this cutting-edge project and for joining the Frohlich Lab family. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. Start date is flexible but the earlier the better. UNC is an equal opportunity employer.

June 28, 2016

Call for Participation (ICDL-EPIROB 2016): WS on Development of Body Representations

by Matej Hoffmann

*Call for papers: Interdisciplinary workshop on the development of body knowledge in humans and machines* 19^th September 2016, Cergy-Pontoise / Paris http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.it <http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.it/> held in the framework of ICDL-EPIROB 2016 conference: http://www.etis.ensea.fr/neurocyber/ICDL-EPIROB2016/home.php Following the previous workshops on the development of body representations in humans and robots at ICDL-EPIROB, we have the pleasure to announce a forthcoming workshop in Cergy-Pontoise / Paris on the 19^th September 2016. The aim of this workshop is to spark collaboration between roboticists and developmental psychologists in order to address the origins of the sensorimotor maps that underlie own body representations in both infants and robots. The development of infants’ body knowledge is a primary object of discovery starting before birth. This construction ultimately enables the infant to efficiently interact with the environment. The specific goal of the organizers is to explore the possibility of developing robotic models inspired by the development of human infant body representations. Presentations will consider body knowledge acquisition from sensorimotor, neural and computational perspectives. After the presentations, the discussion will aim at establishing an integrative framework for understanding a) the development of body knowledge in infants, b) the mechanisms that underlie body knowledge acquisition and c) how robots can be used to replicate developmental patterns and progressions that have been found in human infants. On the one hand such robots can become new modeling tools for empirical sciences – expanding the domain of computational modeling by anchoring it to the physical environment and a physical body. On the other hand, robot controllers endowed with multimodal whole-body awareness typical of humans should increase robots’ autonomy. ___________________________________________________________________________ We invite contributions concerning the development of body knowledge in humans and/or machines. Please submit a one-page abstract describing your poster by *the 5th of August 2016* to the following address: *icdlbodyworkshop(a)gmail.com* Presenters of a poster will be expected to be present on the 19th of September 2016 for a teasers-session and for the poster session. During the teasers-session each presenter will introduce their poster in a 2-minute oral presentation (with 2-3 pdf slides). During the poster session they will then have the opportunity to explain their poster and to hand out any leaflets or other information materials they have available for viewers of their poster. *___________________________________________________________________________* *Important dates * Abstract submission: August 5, 2016. Notification of acceptance: August 15, 2016. Submission of 2-3 slides (pdf): September 15, 2016. Workshop day: September 19, 2016. ___________________________________________________________________________ *Speakers* * Prof. Jeffrey Lockman, PhD. Department of Psychology, Tulane University, USA. * Kevin O’Regan, PhD. Research scientist, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France. * Matej Hoffmann, PhD. Researcher, iCub Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy. * Prof. Minoru Asada, PhD. Research director, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience Robotics, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Japan. * Andrew Bremner, PhD. Reader in psychology and head of department, Goldsmiths University, London, UK. * Gianluca Baldassare, PhD. Researcher, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Rome, Italy.** *____________________________________________ * ** *Venue* Cergy-Pontoise University: http://www.etis.ensea.fr/neurocyber/ICDL-EPIROB2016/home.php ___________________________________________________________________________ *Website* Please check the website <http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.fr/>http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.fr/for updated information about the workshop! ___________________________________________________________________________ *Organizers* Eszter Somogyi, PhD Postdoc researcher, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, France Matej Hoffmann <https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home>, PhD Researcher, iCub Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy Lorenzo Jamone <http://lorejam.blogspot.pt/>, PhD Associate researcher, VisLab, Instituto de Sistemas e Robotica, Lisbon, Portugal ___________________________________________________________________________ *Contact information* Eszter Somogyi, PhD Postdoc researcher, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, France esomogyi(a)gmail.com <mailto:esomogyi@gmail.com> -- Matej Hoffmann, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher iCub Facility Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Via Morego, 30 16163 Genoa, Italy https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home

June 28, 2016

Computational Modeling of Autism: Roche Internship, Basel Switzerland

by Christopher Chatham

Please see below for information about a 9 month internship in Basel, Switzerland, in statistical and computational modeling of ASD. The internship should start before October 2016. Please forward to any PhD students who may be interested in this opportunity. About the position: This position will be based in the Biomarkers and Clinical Imaging Group of the Neuroscience Translational Medicine Section of Roche in Basel, Switzerland. The Biomarkers and Clinical Imaging Group uses cutting edge genetic, molecular, neurophysiological, imaging (PET and MRI), electrophysiology and cognitive methodologies to understand diseases and support drug development efforts in the neuroscience field. The Translational Medicine group oversees the discovery, research and development of novel treatments for diseases in neurological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental fields. The RiSE program (Roche Internships for Scientific Exchange) offers the most talented postgraduate students the opportunity to enhance their competencies and to gain valuable work experience with us. During the internship your tasks will include: - Statistical analyses of behavioral data from ASD patients - Mathematical modelling of normative behavioral data - Participating in an international workgroup to develop estimates of clinically meaningful change on a clinical symptom rating scale - Attending talks sponsored by groups across the company and Biomarker group meetings - Building your professional network across the company Apply here: http://www.roche.com/careers/jobs/jobsearch/job.htm?id=E-3233464408&locale=…

June 28, 2016

Post Graduate School "Cognitive Computing in Socio-Technical Systems" of Ulm University and University of Applied Sciences Ulm

by Friedhelm Schwenker

Post Graduate School "Cognitive Computing in Socio-Technical Systems" of Ulm University and University of Applied Sciences Ulm In 2016 Ulm University and the University of Applied Sciences Ulm award *12 scholarships to highly-qualified scientific talents* for preparing the doctoral degree in accordance with the Landesgraduiertenförderungsgesetz (LGFG). Scholarships will be granted for 12 doctoral projects for initially one year, starting – if possible – on 1st October 2016. There will be the option of a two-year extension (i.e. standard funding term is 3 years). The 12 doctoral projects aim at tightly linking the fundamental pillars of cognitive computing, i.e., (i) perception, (ii) planning & reasoning, (iii) learning, and (iv) interaction. Applications include service robotics, Industry 4.0, logistics, and adaptive process management systems. A scholarship can be granted provided that the following conditions are met: * an outstanding qualification, * acceptance as a doctoral candidate in the respective department of Ulm University, and * scientific support by a professor of Ulm University / University of Applied Sciences Ulm. Please submit your application *no later than 1st August 2016*. You may send it, together with the required attachments (e.g., certificates), as PDF file to Prof. Manfred Reichert (email: manfred.reichert(at)uni-ulm.de). Please use the application template provided on our website (see below). As subject of the email use "Application KPK Cognitive Systems". Alternatively, you may send your application to the following postal address: Prof. Dr. Manfred Reichert Universität Ulm, Institut für Datenbanken und Informationssysteme D-89069 Ulm, Germany On your cover letter please write code number 68, KPK "Cognitive Computing" as well as the supervisors of the projects you are interested in. You may find additional Information and the application template on the following website: * http://www.uni-ulm.de/KPK_Cognitive_Computing * http://www.hs-ulm.de/KPK_Cognitive_Computing -- PD Dr. Friedhelm Schwenker University of Ulm Institute of Neural Information Processing D-89069 Ulm, Germany phone: +49-731-50-24159 fax: +49-731-50-24156 email: friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de www: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/neuroinformatik/mitarbeiter/f-schwenker.html

June 28, 2016

Burst coding: extended deadline

by Zeldenrust, Fleur

Dear colleagues, Recently, you received a call for participation in the Frontiers Research Topic on Burst coding (see below). Due to FENS and the summer vacations, several authors asked us to extend the deadline. Therefore, the deadline for articles is now extended to: October 1st 2016. With kind regards, Fleur Zeldenrust Bernhard Englitz Wytse Wadman ________________________________ Dear colleagues, This is a call for participation in a Frontiers Research Topic titled "Burst coding: from cell to cognition” (for a description, see below). We, the editors, would highly value your participation. If you would like to contribute, please follow the following link: http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/4374/burst-coding-from-cell-to… Abstract deadline: 1 February 2016 Manuscript deadline: 30 June 2016 Please note that reviews at Frontiers allow and encourage a discussion between the authors and the reviewers. As editors we would like to further encourage you to use this opportunity, while guaranteeing from our side that a constructive discussion with the reviewers will have a positive influence on the evaluation of your work. Let us know if you have any questions about the Research Topic. We look forward to hearing from you soon. With kind regards, Fleur Zeldenrust Bernhard Englitz Wytse J. Wadman Guest Associate Editors, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience BURST CODING: FROM CELL TO COGNITION Bursting is a firing mode of neurons in which they respond to and input with a group of high frequency action potentials, followed by a period of relative silence. These bursts can be generated intrinsically in neurons themselves, or they can be the result of network activity. Many different systems show a burst-firing mode next to a tonic-firing mode. Despite the ubiquity of bursting, the question of the functional properties of bursts remains unknown: why do some systems rely on bursts for their information transmission and what do bursts code for? We encourage authors to contribute their expertise, both from experimental and from computational backgrounds, on this question on the fundamental properties of burst coding. Papers should address one or more of the following issues: 1. Burst generation. How can different systems generate bursts? This includes both the single neuron level (active dendritic calcium, sodium dynamics, ‘ping-pong’ mechanisms) and the network level (synchronization, inhibition). 2. Differences between systems. In what brain areas of what animals do bursts occur (region CA3 of the rodent hippocampus, mammalian thalamus, weakly electric fish, insect auditory receptors), and what are the similarities/differences in the properties of these systems? 3. Detection and analysis of bursts. The detection of bursts is mostly done using inter-spike interval distributions or return maps; these give a typical inter-spike interval. Often, inter-spike intervals and spike amplitudes change over the course of a burst, making the last spikes in a burst hard to detect. This makes the analysis of burst challenging. Moreover, many traditional tools for the analysis of spike trains cannot be used to analyse spike trains that include bursts without some form of correction for it (reverse correlation techniques, Spike Coincidence Factor). 4. Information processing (burst coding). What are the functional information processing effects of bursts? These include decoding (resonance coding or inter-spike interval coding, burst duration coding), encoding (what stimulus features trigger bursts?), and other coding properties (reliability at unreliable synapses, feature detection for bursts versus stimulus estimation for single spikes, ‘wake-up call’ function of bursts). 5. Relation between bursts and pathology. The burst-firing mode of the thalamus has been associated with sleep and anaesthesia, and therefore with pathological conditions, before evidence showed that bursts also occur in awake states. Bursting in the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus is associated with Parkinson’s disease; high-frequency cortical oscillations are thought to be a hallmark of epilepsy, but their origins have been disputed. Are there more relations between the burst-firing mode and pathological conditions? 6. Relation between bursts and behaviour. Bursts of complex spike cells play an important functional role in hippocampal place cells. In the oculomotor system bursts play an important role in generating saccades. In weakly electric fish, bursts are a response to ‘communication-like’ stimuli, but not to ‘prey-like’ stimuli. Thalamic bursts have a much stronger effect on their cortical targets than single spikes. These results suggest that bursts can have a different signalling function then single spikes, often associated with different behaviour. ABOUT FRONTIERS RESEARCH TOPICS Founded by scientists in 2007, Frontiers is a community-rooted open-access publisher, driving innovations in peer review, article-level metrics and research networking. The "Frontiers in" journal series hosts 54 journals covering more than 350 academic specialties, with a network of over 200,000 leading researchers worldwide. Frontiers is a registered member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (http://www.oaspa.org/member/Frontiers) and was recognized by the ALPSP Award for Innovation in Publishing in 2014. The idea behind a Frontiers Research Topic is to create a comprehensive collection of peer-reviewed articles that address a specific theme of research, as well as a forum for discussion and debate. Contributions can be articles describing original research, methods, hypothesis & theory, opinions, and more. Please see the relevant journal for a full list of accepted article types. Frontiers will also compile an e-book, as soon as all contributing articles are published, that can be used as educational material, be sent to foundations that fund your research, to journalists and press agencies, or to your professional network. E-books are free to read and download. Once published, your articles will be free to access for all readers, indexed in relevant repositories, and as an author in Frontiers, you retain the copyright to your own papers and figures. FRONTIERS PUBLISHING FEES Manuscripts accepted for publication are subject to publishing fees, which vary depending on the article type. All Research Topic manuscripts receive a discount on publishing fees; please see here for a full fee table, and further relevant FAQs: http://www.frontiersin.org/about/PublishingFees. http://www.frontiersin.org/Mail/IbarMail.aspx?op=4&msgid=10350094&msg=In

June 28, 2016

PhD position at HU Berlin available

by Benjamin Lindner

We are looking for a PhD candidate in Computational Neuroscience with a strong background in theoretical physics, specifically in stochastic processes, to work on effective descriptions of temporal and spatial correlations in recurrent networks of spiking neurons. Funding is provided for three years, starting October 2016, through the international research training group IRTG 1740 "Dynamical Phenomena in Complex Networks: Fundamentals and Applications". Part of this program is a (minimum six month) stay in the lab of our collaborator in Brazil, Prof. Roque (FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo). For details on the doctoral examination process at the Physics Department of Humboldt University Berlin, see https://fakultaeten.hu-berlin.de/en/mnf/wisskar/promotionen/index_html?set_…. Please, send your application until July 31, 2016 to Nikola Schrenk (nikola.schrenk(a)bccn-berlin.de) and to me (benjamin.lindner(a)physik.hu-berlin.de) -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin Lindner Theory of Complex Systems and Neurophysics Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin Philippstr. 13, Haus 2, 10115 Berlin Room: 1.17, phone: 0049(0)302093 6336 Department of Physics Humboldt University Berlin Newtonstr. 15 12489 Berlin Room: 3.408, phone: 0049(0)302093 7934 http://people.physik.hu-berlin.de/~lindner/index.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 27, 2016

Postdoc position in cognitive and neural modeling (Angela Yu)

by Angela J. Yu

Applications are invited from highly motivated researchers for a postdoctoral position immediately available in the Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, led by Angela Yu, at University of California, San Diego. Initial appointment is one-two years, with flexible start date and opportunity for renewal. Anticipated research direction is rather flexible, generally involving developing a decision-theoretical framework for the inter-related problems of perceptual decision-making, active sensing, active learning, interactions between affective and cognitive processing, and social cognition. Candidates must have a strong mathematical and modeling background in Bayesian statistics, Markov decision process, and general machine learning methods. Experience with measure-theoretic probability theory, stochastic processes, stochastic control theory (stopping problems, bandit problems, sequential decision problems), and/or dynamical systems analysis is also desirable. Applicants should be committed to applying rigorous mathematical tools to modeling cognitive and neural processes. Experience or interest in carrying out human behavioral experiments (either in person or on Amazon M-Turk) and/or collaborating with other human/animal neuroscience laboratories is also desirable. Dr. Yu's lab is situated within the Cognitive Science department of UCSD, and affiliated with the Computer Science Department, Neurosciences Graduate Program, and the Institute of Neural Computation. There are ample opportunities for collaborations with related groups across the UCSD main campus, the medical school, and the Salk Institute. Interested candidates should send a research statement, along with a CV including publications, to Dr. Angela Yu (ajyu(a)ucsd.edu <mailto:ajyu@ucsd.edu>). Two or more letters of references should be sent directly to the same address. ------------------------------------- Angela J. Yu Associate Professor UCSD Cognitive Science www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu -------------------------------------

June 27, 2016

PhD position in Deep Neural Learning for Computer Vision - Naples, Italy

by Alfredo Petrosino

A fully funded 3-year PhD position is available at CVPRLab (cvprlab.uniparthenope.it) of the department of Science and Technology at the University of Naples Parthenope, Italy, on topics related to neural and machine learning and scene understanding. The aim is to work about new models of deep neural architectures with biological plausability capable of human-like learning, including learning from scratch and spatio temporal analysis. Applications include autonomous systems, active vision, and elderly assisted living, also through mobile devices and jointly with highly specialised industries. Eligibility requirements include: - Master of Science degree with academic excellence, i.e. normally an Honours Degree; - Strong experience in machine learning and basics of computer vision, as well as good mathematical and programming skills (either C/C++ or MATLAB). The net salary is nearly 1.300,00 euros per month. For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see Advert link: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/dottorati_borse_premi/Bando_DOTTORATI_XXXII_c… Forms link: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/dottorati_borse_premi/Allegati%20bando%20gene… The deadline for applications is 1pm, 6 July 2016. Further information are given by sending an email to petrosino(a)uniparthenope.it Alfredo Petrosino, University of Naples Parthenope ****************************************************************************** IL MERITO DEGLI STUDENTI VIENE RICONOSCIUTO Il 5 per mille all'Universita' degli Studi di Napoli "Parthenope" incrementa le borse di studio agli studenti - codice fiscale 80018240632 http://www.uniparthenope.it/index.php/it/5-per-mille Questa informativa e' inserita in automatico dal sistema al fine esclusivo della realizzazione dei fini istituzionali dell'ente.

June 25, 2016