- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

9th International Summer School in Biomedical Engineering (2020)

by Dölker Eva-Maria TU Ilmenau

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce that we have an excellent list of lecturers at the 9th International Summer School in Biomedical Engineering (2020) hold from 5th-11th August 2020 in Augustinerkloster in Erfurt, Germany. The program can be found on the summer school webpage: https://www.tu-ilmenau.de/bmti/wissenschaftliche-veranstaltungen/summer-sch… We are currently accepting PhD students and advanced Master students applications. Registration info can be found at the point "General Information". Please send any enquiries to Eva-Maria Dölker <eva-maria.doelker(a)tu-ilmenau.de<mailto:eva-maria.doelker@tu-ilmenau.de>>. Best regards, Eva-Maria Dölker Organization of the Summer School

July 9, 2020

FENS Workshop on Glial interfaces: Technology & Methods to uncover the 4D glial role in brain function & dysfunction

by Maurizio De Pittà

Dear colleagues, please mark it on your calendar and disseminate among your contacts: https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/fens2020/attendee/confcal/show/session/281 This year's FENS Forum of Neuroscience, which will take place online due to the ongoing Covid19 health emergency, will feature a multidisciplinary workshop on "Glial Interfaces: Technology & Methods to uncover the 4D glial role in brain function & dysfunction" on Saturday, July 11, 2020, 9 am-11.30 am (BST: British Summer Time, GMT+1). *** Program at a glance: Multiscale excitation and recording of astrocytes signaling and conductance by nanostructured devices, Valentina Benfenati, National Research Council, CNR-ISOF, Italy, Exposure to graphene oxide alters astrocyte homeostasis and astrocyte-to-neuron communication, Fabrizia Cesca, University of Trieste, Italy. Lessons learned from a tissue-engineered 3D model of the glial scar, Ana Paula Pêgo, Institute for Bioengineering (INEB), and Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (I3S), Portugal. Reverse engineering neuron-glial interactions: An overarching approach from cellular biophysics to medicine, Maurizio De Pitta, Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Spain. Exploring the structure, neuronal content, and functional significance of astrocytic domains of behaving animals with CLARITY and 2-photon imaging, Adi Doron, The Hebrew University, Israel. The color of pain: Technology advances allowing the future objective quantification, Mark Hutchinson, University of Adelaide, Australia. *** A Live Q&A session will follow the workshop. For further information: https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/fens2020/attendee/confcal/show/session/281 Thank you for your consideration. Maurizio De Pitta ----- Maurizio De Pitta' Research Fellow MCEN -- Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience BCAM -- Basque Center of Applied Mathematics https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/home

July 9, 2020

Call for papers: GEM 2021 - workshop on generative episodic memory

by Vinita Samarasinghe

Call For Papers: *GEM 2021**- Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, neuroscience and philosophy* https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021 16-18 February 2021 /Ruhr University Bochum, Germany/ The DFG-funded research consortium “FOR 2812 – Constructing scenarios of the past” https://for2812.rub.de is proud to announce a call for papers for its first workshop on generative episodic memory. Depending on the public health situation in February next year, the workshop will be in-person, virtual or a hybrid event. We invite submissions for talks and posters https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021. Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary workshop therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. FOR 2812 “Constructing scenarios of the past: A new framework in episodic memory” consists of 9 researchers. Seven from the Ruhr University Bochum and two from the University of Münster. The consortium adopts an interdisciplinary approach and investigates generative episodic memory from a conceptual, modeling, and experimental perspective using a common conceptual framework: scenario construction. Keynote Speakers: Karl-Heinz Bäuml - University Regensburg, Germany Dorthe Berntsen - Aarhus University, Denmark Amy Criss - University of Syracuse, USA Dorothea Debus - University of Konstanz, Germany David Huber - University of Massachusetts, USA Sarah Robins - University of Kansas, USA Deadlines [GMT +1 (CET)]: Abstract submission - 15.11.2020 Notification of acceptance - 19.12.2020 Submission guidelines: Abstracts must be submitted in English and be no longer than 1 page. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the GEM 2021 paper submission site on EasyChair https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021. Authors will receive confirmation of receipt of their abstracts including an ID number after submission. You can edit your submission at any time before the deadline. We will consider only the final version. Program committee: Nikolai Axmacher - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum Sen Cheng - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Gerald Echterhoff - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Albert Newen - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Ricarda Schubotz - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Markus Werning - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Laurenz Wiskott - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Oliver Wolf - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum All questions regarding the workshop should be emailed to for2812(a)rub.de Coordinator - Vinita Samarasinghe Secretary - Christiane Dahl -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de

July 9, 2020

Fully funded Ph.D. Studentship in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience

by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt

Applications are invited for a fully funded 3-year Ph.D. studentship in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience at Ulster University, UK. This Ph.D. project aims to develop computational modelling techniques to understand brain and behavioural data across primate species, and to apply techniques in computational neuroscience particularly biologically based neural network modelling to elucidate the mechanisms underlying abstract decision making. This Ph.D. project is part of an externally funded international collaboration: Prof. Michael Shadlen at Columbia University (USA), Prof. Stephan Bickel at Northwell-Hofstra School of Medicine (USA), Prof. Redmond O'Connell at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), Prof. Simon Kelly at University College Dublin (Ireland), and Dr. KongFatt Wong-Lin at Ulster University (UK). Some relevant references: (i) O'Connell RG, Shadlen MN, Wong-Lin K, Kelly SP. Bridging Neural and Computational Viewpoints on Perceptual Decision-Making. Trends Neurosci. 2018;41(11):838‐852. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2018.06.005 (ii) Atiya NAA, Rañó I, Prasad G, Wong-Lin K. A neural circuit model of decision uncertainty and change-of-mind. Nat Commun. 2019;10(1):2287. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10316-8 (iii) O'Connell RG, Dockree PM, Kelly SP. A supramodal accumulation-to-bound signal that determines perceptual decisions in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2012;15(12):1729‐1735. doi:10.1038/nn.3248 This timely and exciting project is available in the Computer Science Research Institute and is tenable in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment at Magee Campus. The successful Ph.D. candidate will benefit from the expertise of Ulster’s Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning, and Computational Biology communities, and will interact closely with experimental collaborators. The student will gain valuable skills and knowledge in computational and mathematical modelling, biological signal processing, machine learning, high-performance computing, mathematics/statistics, and brain sciences. All applicants should hold a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Statistics, Neuroscience, Biology, or a cognate area. Applications will be considered on a competitive basis with regard to the candidate’s qualifications, skills, experience and interests. Successful candidates will enrol as of 1st January 2021, on a full-time programme of research studies leading to the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The Ph.D. studentship will comprise fees together with an annual stipend and will be awarded for a period of up to three years subject to satisfactory progress. Additional financial support may be available from research funding. If you wish to discuss your proposal or receive advice on this project please contact: Dr. KongFatt Wong-Lin, email: k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk . Procedure: For more information on applying: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege Apply online: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd?type=funded The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 31st August 2020. Interviews will be held in September 2020, and starting date is on 1st January 2021. ------------------- Dr. KongFatt Wong-Lin Reader Intelligent Systems Research Centre School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems Ulster University, UK https://www.ulster.ac.uk/staff/k-wong-lin This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

July 8, 2020

PhD Position at the Brain Circuits and Behavior Lab, IDIBAPS, Barcelona

by DE LA ROCHA, JAIME(IDIBAPS)

We are offering a PhD position in the Brain Circuits and Behavior Lab (IDIBAPS, Barcelona) to participate, under the supervision of Jaime de la Rocha, in the ERA-NET project titled A neurocomputational biomarker assay for schizophrenia based on E/I-balance. The project aims to perform perceptual discrimination experiments in mice lacking the GluN1 subunit of NMDA receptors in PV cells, a known murine model for schizophrenia (SCZ). High-throughput behavioral experiments will be combined with neural population recordings and optogenetic manipulations to elucidate the relation between NMDA hypofunction, altered E/I balance in cortical circuits and perceptual discrimination deficits. The candidate will be part of the Brain Circuits and Behavior Lab in IDIBAPS (Barcelona) an interdisciplinary group led by Albert Compte and Jaime de la Rocha, which integrates students from different backgrounds and combines human and animal experiments with computational modeling to address questions related with perceptual decision making, learning and working memory (see braincircuitsbehavior.org<http://braincircuitsbehavior.org/>). IDIBAPS is a well-recognized biomedical research institute in Spain, located in the heart of Barcelona (www.clinicbarcelona.org/en/idibaps<http://www.clinicbarcelona.org/en/idibaps>). Our group is also an active member of the BARCCSYN community, a large and lively network of Systems and Computational Neuroscience Groups in Barcelona which offers a rich and stimulating environment for international students and postdocs (see barccsyn.org<http://barccsyn.org/>). The PhD project will take place in the context of a broader ERA-NET consortium formed by Philpp Sterzer (Charité), Tobias Donner (Univ. Hamburg UKE), Peter Uhlhaas (Univ. of Glasgow) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Supérieure). The goal of the full project is to use theoretical circuit models, human EEG/MEG experiments in SCZ patients and population recordings in mice to identify behavioral and neurophysiological biomarkers of SCZ. The candidate should have completed two degrees: a bachelor degree in either Biology, Psychology, Physics or Computer Science (or related), and a Masters in Neuroscience (or similar). She/he should have a strong interest in carrying out animal experiments, learning modern electrophysiology methods together with state-of-the-art quantitative data analysis techniques. She/he should contact Jaime de la Rocha (jrochav(a)clinic.cat<mailto:jrochav@clinic.cat>) and provide a motivation letter, a CV and the name of at least two referees. Gross annual salary will be 21.7k€ and the position’s starting date will be October 1st, although exceptions may apply. Students from under-represented ethnical groups are particularly encouraged to apply. Applications will be evaluated from July 31st on, until the position is filled. ******************************* Jaime de la Rocha Group Leader at IDIBAPS c. Rosselló 149-153 Barcelona, 08036 Spain Tel. (+34)932275400 (4307)

July 8, 2020

[announcement] Dynamics Days Digital 2020: 24-26 August 2020

by desroche

Dear All, We are pleased to announce Dynamics Days Digital 2020 https://www.danieleavitabile.com/ddd2020/ <https://www.danieleavitabile.com/ddd2020/> Participation to the event is free of charge, but registration to our website is mandatory. Oral contributions are now closed, but poster submissions remain open through our website, until the 12th of July 2020. We confirm participation from the following plenary speakers: * Albert-László Barabási (Northeastern University, USA) * Nancy Kopell (Boston University, USA) * Corinna Ulcigrai (University of Zürich, Switzerland) Accepted minisymposia include: * Network dynamics in biological systems * Stochastic Oscillators * New Twists on Reaction-Diffusion Phenomena * Data-driven modeling of stochastic nonlinear dynamics: theory and computing * Symmetry breaking in collective behavior: swarming, flocking and chimeras * Complex network approaches for modelling system dynamics * Dimensional Reduction Methods for Coupled Oscillator Networks: Future directions * Dynamics of complex networks: from nature to technology * Complex dynamics in biological and synthetic cells * Dynamic properties from observations - mathematical methods and applications * Coordination of biological processes via traveling waves * Nonlinear wave patterns in biology * Singular Limits and Asymptotics-Adapted Numerical Schemes for Nonlinear Wave Equations * Smooth ergodic theory * Modelling the dynamics of Covid-19 Pandemic * Multiple scales in mathematical neuroscience We look forward to hosting you. The Organising Committee: Daniele Avitabile (chair) Peter Ashwin Christian Bick Mathieu Desroches

July 8, 2020

CNS*2020 Online Meeting starts **July 18**

by Martin Zapotocky

Organization for Computational Neurosciences 2885 Sanford Ave SW #15359 Grandville, MI 49418 USA* * The *29th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2020) *will take place online on *July 18--22*. *Registration is free of charge*. In addition to the Main Meeting sessions, the conference hosts 10 tutorials/showcases and 10 workshops, for a total of *over 200 oral and 200 poster presentations*. Keynote addresses will be given by Matt Botvinick, Zhaoping Li, Geoff Goodhill, and Daniel Polani. To gain access to the meeting schedule and the online sessions, please register at https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020 You can then use the CNS*2020 Sched instance to assemble a personalized meeting agenda. We hope that you will join us and the 1,200 already registered participants at the CNS*2020 Online Meeting. -- Martin Zapotocky, Ph.D. Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic URL: www.biomed.cas.cz/~zapotocky Tel: +420-241-062-708 Email: zapotocky(a)biomed.cas.cz Upozorneni: Neni-li v teto zprave vyslovne uvedeno jinak, ma tato E-mailova zprava nebo jeji prilohy pouze informativni charakter. Tato zprava ani jeji prilohy v zadnem ohledu ustavy AV CR, v.v.i. k nicemu nezavazuji. Text teto zpravy nebo jejich priloh neni navrhem na uzavreni smlouvy, ani prijetim pripadneho navrhu na uzavreni smlouvy, ani jinym pravnim jednanim smerujicim k uzavreni jakekoliv smlouvy a nezaklada predsmluvni odpovednost ustavu AV CR, v.v.i. Disclaimer: If not expressly stated otherwise, this e-mail message (including any attached files) is intended purely for informational purposes and does not represent a binding agreement on the part of Institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The text of this message and its attachments cannot be considered as a proposal to conclude a contract, neither the acceptance of a proposal to conclude a contract, nor any other legal act leading to concluding any contract; nor does it create any pre-contractual liability on the part of Institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

July 7, 2020

Postdoc position in computational neuroscience at University of Pittsburgh

by Chengcheng Huang

The Huang group at the University of Pittsburgh has a postdoc position available immediately for computational modeling to understand how recurrent connections with synaptic plasticity shape the time scales in the auditory cortex. This position is part of a collaboration with Prof. Tobias Teichert and Prof. Dean Salisbury from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. This project aims to use a combination of modeling, electrophysiology and EEG recordings to investigate the circuit mechanisms underlying auditory refractoriness, as well as auditory dysfunction in Schizophrenia. In general, our group is interested in how different task and stimulus contexts change neuronal responses and the implications on neural coding. Other ongoing projects in the group include circuit models of interneuron subtypes and attentional modulation on information flow. The position is funded for two years, with an initial one-year appointment, and it can be possibly extended to three years. The project is funded by a Brain Initiative grant. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in a related field, such as computational neuroscience, mathematics, physics or engineering. The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from under-represented groups. Interested applicants should email a CV and a brief research statement to Dr. Chengcheng Huang (huangc(a)pitt.edu) -- Dr. Chengcheng Huang Assistant Professor Department of Neuroscience and Department of Mathematics University of Pittsburgh

July 7, 2020

Two PhD positions in computational neuroscience at the University of Amsterdam

by Jorge Mejias

Dear all, We have two PhD positions in computational neuroscience available at the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Both positions are funded by the Human Brain Project (HBP-SGA3) and will be co-supervised by Cyriel Pennartz, head of the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, and Jorge Mejias, Principal Investigator of Computational Neuroscience. Position #1: The main objective of this PhD project is to develop a large, biologically plausible model of a cortical architecture that is trained for predictive object and scene representations and performs cognitive operations on these representations, such as scene segmentation, object categorization and object constancy in the face of variable sensory input. The candidate will closely collaborate with other computational neuroscientists, experimental neuroscientists, theoreticians and machine learning experts across different research teams in Europe. For this position, we are seeking a highly qualified and motivated candidate with a Master's degree in computational neuroscience or closely related field with a strong background in modeling neural networks or, alternatively, a MSc in machine learning/AI or biomedical, electronic or automation engineering, computer science, physics or a closely related field with a clear background or affinity for brain-inspired modeling. Strong programming skills in Python and experience in machine learning and (deep) neural network modeling is desirable. English is the official language of the lab, therefore good English communication skills are expected. Position #2: The main objective of this PhD project is to develop a biologically realistic computational model of multi-area cortical circuits involved in multisensory perception, categorization and sensory prediction. We will build a model constrained by state-of-the-art neuroanatomical data, which will include biologically relevant information such as cortical laminar structure, multiple cell types, and biologically realistic learning rules for synaptic plasticity. The model will be able categorize stimuli in simple multisensory tasks and will provide computational predictions on neural activity which we will compare to experimental data from collaborators. The candidate will also closely collaborate with other computational neuroscientists, experimental neuroscientists, theoreticians and machine learning experts across different research teams in Europe. For this position, we are seeking a highly qualified and motivated candidate with a Master's degree in computational neuroscience or closely related field (with a focus on modeling biological neural systems) or, alternatively, an MSc in physics, mathematics or a closely related field and a clear background or affinity for brain modeling. Strong mathematical skills including calculus, linear algebra, dynamical systems and complex systems, as well as strong computational skills (Python, NEST) are desirable. English is the official language of the lab, therefore good English communication skills are expected. For both positions, we offer a full-time appointment for a maximum period of four years (18 months plus a further 30 months after a positive performance evaluation) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance to courses and (international) meetings. The gross monthly salary will range from €2,395 in the first year to €3,061 in the final year, according to the Dutch salary scale for PhD candidates. Additional benefits include a holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus (8% and 8.3% of the gross annual salary, respectively) and generous vacation, pension and social security conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. Candidates coming from abroad might also be eligible for highly attractive tax benefits. The lab is located in the state-of-the art facilities of the Science Park at the University of Amsterdam, with good communications with other academic facilities and research centers in the city. The University of Amsterdam is a top research university with a strong focus on the research area of brain and cognition. As one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, Amsterdam has a rich historical and cultural heritage that includes the UNESCO World Heritage city center and canals, dozens of world-class museums and restaurants, and an exciting nightlife. The city promotes a healthy lifestyle with plenty of outdoor life, parks and recreational areas, an excellent bicycle path network, and an expat-friendly environment. The application deadline for both positions is July 24th, 2020. Candidates may apply to both positions, but they are asked to indicate their preference for any of them. Applications may only be submitted online by following the links below (where more detailed information about both positions is provided): Position #1: https://sils.uva.nl/shared/uva/en/vacancies/2020/06/20-352-phd-candidate-in… Position #2: https://sils.uva.nl/shared/uva/en/vacancies/2020/06/20-353-phd-candidate-in… Please include a letter of motivation and a CV, combined in one single pdf document. Make sure to mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience. To enable us to process your application immediately, please quote the vacancy number for the position you are applying for (20-352 for project #1, 20-353 for project #2). For informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Jorge Mejias (j.f.mejias at uva.nl). Kind regards, Jorge F. Mejias, PhD Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences University of Amsterdam, 1098XH Amsterdam The Netherlands www.ugr.es/~jmejias -- Jorge F. Mejias, PhD Assistant Professor Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences University of Amsterdam, 1098XH Amsterdam The Netherlands www.ugr.es/~jmejias

July 7, 2020

Virtual Telluride Neuromorphic Engineering Workshop (July 27-31 2020)

by Emre Neftci

We are happy to announce a Virtual Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop 2020 (https://tellurideneuromorphic.org/) this year in replacement of our usual Workshop in Telluride. The workshop will take place from July 27 to July 31 (8am to 10am PDT, or 17:00 to 19:00 CET). The format will be a week of lectures and tutorials on current topics in neuromorphic engineering (two hours per day) followed by four hands-on, collaborative challenges which will be carried out in the month of August. The results of the challenges will be presented on September 10 and 11. More up-to-date information on the list of speakers and the challenges can be found at the 2020 Neuromorphic Workshop website (https://sites.google.com/view/telluride2020/home) The workshop is free to attend and is open to everyone upon registration. Please pass this announcement to other interested parties. Regards, The Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering 2020 Organizing Committee -- Emre Neftci, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (http://nmi-lab.org/) Department of Cognitive Sciences, 2308 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway Building, UC Irvine 92697-5100

July 7, 2020