- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

NSF grant opportunity
by Tuller, Betty K. 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

A Dear Colleague letter was released this weekend to announce a funding opportunity for growing convergence research at NSF. The HTML version of the DCL is posted here: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17065/nsf17065.jsp The PDF version of the DCL is posted here: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17065/nsf17065.pdf The DCL is divided into four distinct sets of opportunities. Although the SBE research community may find something of interest in all four, it is really the fourth to which we would like to call special attention: Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Shaping the Future (HTF). The funding opportunity here includes Workshops and Research Coordination Networks (RCNs). Workshop proposals need to be received at NSF by May 15. RCN proposals need to be received at NSF by June 1. Note: 1. Very fast turnaround, with receipt dates of May 15 and June 1 for workshops and RCNs, respectively. 2. For the Human-Technology Frontier (HTF) opportunity, the importance of proposals focusing on key challenges and research imperatives of the nexus of humans, technology, and work. The goal here is to help build research capacity for the HTF Big Idea. 3. The workshop mechanism is fully described in the PAPPG (conference proposals; https://nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf17001&org=NSF) The RCN concept and mechanism is described in NSF 15-527.

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Program Director Position at NSF
by Tuller, Betty K. 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

PROGRAM DIRECTOR POSITION IN COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AT NSF: Application deadline May 11, 2017 Do you want to help identify areas of potentially transformative research? Serve as the liaison to our research community? Build new national or international collaborations? Experience how the merit review process operates? The Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences is pleased to announce an opening for a Program Director in Cognitive Neuroscience. Specifics and application procedures can be found at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/466845000/ for a two-to-three year position and at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/466841200/ for a permanent position. The close date for applications is 5/11/2017. You will need to have a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience or in a related field with relevant expertise. NSF offers the rare opportunity for scientists to join as temporary program officers for up to three years before returning to their institution. Information about our rotator program can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps/rotators/microsite/. For additional queries, contact Uri Hasson (uhasson(a)nsf.gov<mailto:uhasson@nsf.gov>)

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Post-doc position in electrophysiology/neural coding at Columbia University in the City of New York
by Qi Wang 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

A postdoc position funded by a 5-year NIH project is available in the Laboratory for Neural Engineering and Control in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University ( http://neclab.bme.columbia.edu/) The project investigates the role of the locus coeruleus – norepinephrine (LC-NE) system in modulating sensory neural coding, perception, and learning. The successful applicant should have a background in in-vivo single-unit recording and quantitative analytical methods. Experiences in behavioral training of rodents is a plus. We are looking for highly motivated researchers with a strong technical background, ideally with a PhD or equivalent in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, Psychology, or a related discipline. Applicants should demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Start date is flexible. Salary will be commensurate to the candidate qualifications. Applicants should submit a CV, a brief description of research interests, and a list of three references. All application materials as well as any inquiries should be sent to qi.wang(a)columbia.edu. -- =============================== Qi Wang, Assistant Professor Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Columbia University email: qi.wang(a)columbia.edu <qw2161(a)columbia.edu>

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Research Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience
by Irene Yujnovsky 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

*Research Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience*** *Institute of System Neuroscience (INS**), UMR1106 AMU-Inserm, Marseille, FRANCE*** ** An engineer/post-doctoral position**is open in the Theoretical Neuroscience Group (TNG) <http://ins.univ-amu.fr/research-teams/theoretical-neurosciences-group/>directed by Viktor JIRSA at the Institute of System Neuroscience (INS) for an experienced computational neuroscientist to work in modeling brain networks with the aim of creating individual Virtual Patient epilepsy models using The Virtual Brain platform as framework (see http://www.thevirtualbrain.org) *Qualification* Candidates must be highly motivated to work on an interdisciplinary project and collaborate with the various members of the group and with clinicians. They should have a degree in computational neuroscience, engineering or equivalent level of knowledge. A strong background in computational neuroscience (networks, modeling, dynamic system theory) and/or data fitting (Bayesian approaches, Dynamical Causal Modeling (DCM), Monte Carlo techniques) will be highly appreciated. Candidates must be comfortable working in computational environmentsand possess excellent programming skills. Experience using The Virtual Brain platform and development of software or clinical databases would be considered an advantage. *The Theoretical Neuroscience group* We are a multi-national team interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work comprises mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics and human brain imaging data, the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks applied to concrete functions, dysfunctions (epilepsy, dementia) and aging. *Terms of salary and employment* A 12-month renewable contract will be established. Salary will depend on the diploma and experience. Operating language in the laboratory is English. Applications including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of two referees should be sent by April 30^th 2017 to: *Dr. Irene Yujnovsky* at irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr More information about the INS and the Theoretical Neurosciences Group can be found at: http://bit.ly/29kub1k -- --------------------------------------------------- Irene Yujnovsky, PhD Chef de projet EPINEXT Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes Inserm UMR1106 Université Aix-Marseille Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille, France Phone: +33 (0)491324239 email: irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr Website: http://epinext.org/

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PhD project in "Data-mining for large-scale neural recordings"
by Mark Humphries 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

We seek PhD candidates for the project "Data-mining for large-scale neural recordings", supervised by Dr Mark Humphries at the University of Manchester. The aim of this project is to develop data-mining (or "knowledge-discovery") approaches to large-scale neural recordings. This project will build on a range of statistical and machine-learning tools built by the Humphries' lab [Humphries, 2011; Bruno et al 2015], to develop a comprehensive, statistically-rigorous approach to data-mining neural activity recordings. We seek candidates with a background in statistics, physics, maths, computer science, engineering, or other quantitative disciplines. (Bruno, A., Frost, W. F., & Humphries, M. D. (2015) Modular deconstruction reveals the dynamical and physical building blocks of a locomotion motor program. Neuron, 86, 304-318. Humphries, M. D. (2011) Spike-train communities: finding groups of similar spike-trains. Journal of Neuroscience, 31: 2321-2336) Deadline for applications: Friday, 21st April 2017 More information, and how to apply: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=84600&LID=1020 Questions: mark.humphries(a)manchester.ac.uk<mailto:mark.humphries@manchester.ac.uk> Our lab: http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.manchester.ac.uk/ _____________________________________________________________________________ Dr Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Research Fellow | Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.manchester.ac.uk/ [0da17e2a-9ed5-496a-b161-9fd4491ce5c7]@markdhumphries <https://twitter.com/markdhumphries> Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike

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Post-Doc and PhD positions available at Durham University
by Ulrik Beierholm 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

Dear all, We have vacancies coming up for a post-doc and a PhD student on a 3-year Leverhulme-funded project, “Learning to perceive and act under uncertainty”. The project is supervised by Marko Nardini and Ulrik Beierholm at Durham University (UK) and aims to understand how humans learn new sensory and motor mappings and new perceptual priors for perception and action under uncertainty. The post-doc will work on behavioural studies with adults and computational modelling, while the PhD student will address development in childhood. The postdoc can be from anywhere, but the PhD studentship pays only UK or EU tuition fees. Prospective applicants can find all the details at http://community.dur.ac.uk/marko.nardini/ and are welcome to contact marko.nardini(a)durham.ac.uk and ulrik.beierholm(a)durham.ac.uk for any more information. ------------------------------------------- Ulrik Beierholm, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Psychology, Durham University http://beierholm.net

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Postdoc positions in audition and cognition and brain imaging at Universidad de Chili, Santiago de Chile
by Cristóbal Quiñinao 01 Apr '17

01 Apr '17

Dear comp neuro community, A postdoctoral position to study the cognitive consequences of age-related hearing loss is available at the auditory and cognition center (AUCO). This postdoctoral position is funded by the project “From Presbycusis to Dementia. A basic and clinical approach” from the PIA-CONICYT program: Anillo de Investigacion en Ciencia ACT1403. This collaborative project includes three laboratories directed by Paul Delano (Universidad de Chile), Carolina Delgado, (Universidad de Chile) and Alexies Dagnino (Universidad de Valparaiso). (www.auco.cl) In particular, the eligible postdoctoral researcher will analyze brain-imaging data with magnetic resonance. In addition, the postdoctoral researcher will have to analyze cognitive, behavioral and audiological data from human subjects, including controls and presbycusis patients at the Clinical Hospital of the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile. The postdoctoral researcher must have full availability (44 h per week), and the expected beginning of this postdoctoral position is on May 2th, 2017. The offered salary is 1,200,000 CLP monthly, for one year renewable for another year, depending on the evaluation performed by the principal investigators. Requisite and expected skills: - PhD in biomedical sciences, engineering, or public health. - Expertise in programming in different languages (C, R, Matlab, etc.). - Ability to work in an interdisciplinary group of researchers. Applications: Send an email with your CV and cover letter to: phdelano(a)gmail.com; carodede(a)gmail.com including the contact information of two references. Application deadline: 15th April, 2017. The non-selected and selected applicants will be informed by email near 22th April, 2017. The granted postdoctoral fellow at the AUCO center is expected to apply with the principal investigator of the AUCO center in May 2017 for postdoctoral Fondecyt funding. (http://www.conicyt.cl/fondecyt/category/concursos/postdoctorado/) Thank you for spreading the announcement! -- Cristóbal Quiñinao

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Post-doc positions available: decoding memory in health and disease
by Annabelle Singer 01 Apr '17

01 Apr '17

*Description* Postdoctoral positions are available in the Singer lab at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine studying how neural activity across large ensembles of cells represents memories of experiences and guides behavior in health and disease. *Major Responsibilities:* The successful applicant will examine how neural activity across many neurons drives learning and memory of experiences and how this process goes awry in disease with a focus on the hippocampal circuit. This research uses a variety of advanced neurophysiology techniques including in vivo recordings from many single cells, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and optogenetics in mice behaving in a virtual reality environment as well as innovative data analysis methods. To find out more about the Singer Lab, see our lab website http://singer.gatech.edu/ <http://singer.gatech.edu/publications/> and our recent publications: Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia <http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v540/n7632/abs/nature20587.html> Hippocampal SWR Activity Predicts Correct Decisions during the Initial Learning of an Alternation Task <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627313000937> And some recent press: Beating Alzheimer’s with Brain Waves <https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/12/beating-alzheimers-with…> *Qualifications* The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline. Previous experience with electrophysiology, in vivo experimentation, or learning and memory is preferred. Candidates with computation backgrounds including signal processing, electrical engineering, programming, or physics are highly encouraged to apply. The Singer Lab is part of the dynamic, exciting, and collaborative neuroscience and neuroengineering communities at Georgia Tech and Emory University. The candidate is expected to become an active member of this flourishing research community. *How to Apply:* If you meet these requirements and are interested in this position, please provide your detailed CV, a cover letter stating your research interests, and names and contact information for two references to Annabelle Singer: asinger(a)gatech.edu *Department Description* *The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech* is part of a vibrant biomedical community in Atlanta that includes the Emory School of Medicine, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Winship Cancer Institute, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), Georgia ImmunoEngineering Consortium, Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, and more. This rich scientific environment provides unique and unparalleled research opportunities, including seminars given by leaders in science and engineering from throughout the U.S. and abroad, opportunities for collaborations, exposure to diverse research programs, and sophisticated core facilities. As such, we offer the best of internationally renowned institutions. The partnerships have created an outstanding undergraduate program — which is now recognized as #1 in the nation. Our excellent graduate program is also top ranked at No. 2. Georgia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Annabelle Singer Assistant Professor Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Tech & Emory University 313 Ferst Drive Atlanta, GA 30332 Web: http://singer.gatech.edu/ Email: Annabelle.singer(a)bme.gatech.edu Skype: annabellesinger Google Hangout: annabellecsinger(a)gmail.com

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The Virtual Brain Node 5 in Marseille, May 15-16 2017
by Viktor Sip 31 Mar '17

31 Mar '17

*The Virtual Brain (TVB) Node 5* * * *2-day Training Workshop in Marseille, France, on May 15-16, 2017* We would like to invite interested students and researchers to the upcoming *The Virtual Brain Node 5 *workshop, Marseille, France, 15th - 16th May 2017. The workshop is dedicated to a theoretical and hands-on understanding of large-scale brain network modeling using the open source neuroinformatics platform The Virtual Brain (TVB). For the first time this workshop will be held over 2 days and will go more in depth regarding the hands-on modeling sessions along explicit use cases from resting state studies and clinical applications to epilepsy and stroke. Also for the first time we will offer in-depth training of fitting virtual brain models to human imaging data. The Virtual Brain simulation environment enables the biologically realistic modeling of network dynamics using connectome-based approaches across different brain scales. Personalized brain network models can be derived from an individual’s MRI data. Configurable brain network models generate macroscopic neuroimaging signals including functional MRI, intracranial and stereotactic EEG, surface EEG and MEG for single subjects. TVB researchers from different backgrounds can benefit from an integrative software platform including a supporting framework for data management (generation, organization, storage, integration and sharing) and a simulation core written in Python. *Workshop format:* lectures and hands-on tutorials. Participants are encouraged to bring their own data to work on. *Workshop program overview:* * *- Theoretical background of large scale brain network modeling - Architecture of The Virtual Brain (TVB) - Interacting with TVB using GUI and Python interface - Preprocessing neuroimaging data, or how to obtain a TVB dataset - Fitting the brain model parameters to the functional data - Modeling resting state network dynamics in fMRI - Modeling stroke and recovery - Modeling epilepsy and surgical interventions - Modifying TVB code and implementing new features - Bring your own data hands-on sessions: preprocessing and simulations Further information and the registration form are at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/tvb-node5-the-virtual-brain-workshop-registrati… *Registration will be closed on April 20th.* With any questions please contact Viktor Sip (viktor.sip(a)univ-amu.fr <mailto:viktor.sip@univ-amu.fr>). -- Viktor SIP INS - Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes UMR INSERM 1106, Aix-Marseille Université 27 Bd Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille France viktor.sip(a)univ-amu.fr http://ins.univ-amu.fr/

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Final program online and registration deadline, Sense 2 Synapse 2017 Conference, Saturday April 8th, The Rockefeller University, New York City
by Christoph Kirst 30 Mar '17

30 Mar '17

Dear all, The final program for the Sense 2 Synapse**conference is online: http://www.sense2synapse.com/program Registration for participation will remain open until April 5th. You can register here: http://www.sense2synapse.com/registrationForm <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.sense2synapse.com_r…>* *Join us for a day of interesting neuroscience presentations and further discussions during breakfast, lunch, and our legendary wine reception ! The organizing team Christoph Kirst Florian Berger Jeremie Barral Gonzalo Otazu Nicolas Renier *Sense 2 Synapse 2017 Program * 9:00am Breakfast & Introduction 9:30am *Gaby Maimon*(The Rockefeller University) /Quantitatively tuned efference copies in/Drosophila 10:10am Contributed Short Talks Erin Barnhart (New York University) /Multi-layered nonlinear integration of local motion cues underpins efficient coding of global motion patterns in Drosophila /Menachem Katz (The Rockefeller University) / Repetitive behavior mediated by glutamate is controlled by astrocyte-like glia in C. elegans / 10:40am Coffee Break 11:15am *Larry Abbott*(Columbia University) /A Novelty Detector in the Fly/ 11:55am Contributed Short Talks Luca Mazzucato (Stony Brook University) /Expectation modulates network dynamics in sensory circuits/ Leenoy Meshulam (Princeton University) /Place and non-place: collective coding in large hippocampal networks/ 12:25pm Lunch Break & Poster Session 3:00pm *Nicole Rust*(University of Pennsylvania) /Single-trial familiarity memories for objects and scenes/ 3:40pm Contributed Short Talks Na Young So (Columbia University) /Representation of an intention toward a delayed action by neurons in the parietal cortex/ Izumi Fukunaga (OIST Graduate University) /Task-dependent tuning of the olfactory bulb/ 4:10pm Coffee Break 4:40pm *Sarah Woolley*(Columbia University) /Early social experience couples auditory tuning and vocal acoustics/ 5:20pm Contributed Short Talks David S. Deutsch (Princeton University) /From Courtship Song Processing to Behavior in Drosophila Females / Srivatsun Sadagopan (University of Pittsburgh) /Optimal features for auditory recognition/ 6:00pm Reception -- Christoph Kirst Fellow for Physics and Biology Center for Theoretical Studies and Kavli Physics Fellow Kavli Neural Systems Institute The Rockefeller University 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 USA +1 212 327 7561 ::ckirst@rockefeller.edu

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Postdoc positions in event-based vision and neurocomputing systems at TU München, Germany
by Jörg Conradt 30 Mar '17

30 Mar '17

Dear comp neuro community, the NST group at TU München, Germany, http://www.nst.ei.tum.de/en is looking for up to two postdoctoral researchers to join the group as soon as available. Research covers event-based vision and neurocomputing systems from biological modelling to engineering applications. http://www.nst.ei.tum.de/en/research/ Upcoming projects address engineering applications of neural computation; e.g. neuronal models for sensory perception, reasoning, and action generation in robotics. Preference will be given to (a) engineering applications of event-based vision and (b) investigations in spiking computing algorithms on neuromorphic hardware, such as SpiNNaker, TrueNorth, Spikey, etc. The successful postdoc is expected to initiate novel research projects (initial funding is available) and to supervise graduate and undergraduate students in his/her area of expertise. Strong programming skills are essential! Current funding is secured until September 2018 with possible extension. The positions include a reduced teaching obligation of ~2.5h per week in the recently established ENB Elite Master Program on NeuroEngineering (http://www.msne.ei.tum.de) To inquire please send brief email to office(a)nst.ei.tum.de<mailto:office@nst.ei.tum.de>. To apply, please send a concise (max 1/2 page) statement of your research interest and how you fit in our group, accompanied by your CV and names + email addresses of 2 references to office(a)nst.ei.tum.de<mailto:office@nst.ei.tum.de>. We are very much looking forward to extending our group! Thank you for spreading the announcement! Jörg Conradt -- Jörg Conradt W1 Professor of Neuroscientific System Theory www.nst.ei.tum.de<http://www.nst.ei.tum.de/> Center of Competence on NeuroEngineering www.NeuroEng.de<http://www.neuroeng.de/> Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technische Universität München, Karlstr. 45, 80333 Munich, Germany Tel: +49 89 289-26902, Fax: +49 89 289-26901, E-mail: conradt(a)tum.de<mailto:conradt@tum.de>

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Postdoctoral Position (neural ensemble dynamics during REM sleep) at University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK
by Shuzo Sakata 30 Mar '17

30 Mar '17

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research position in the group of Dr Shuzo Sakata in Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. This position is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Mission of our research team is to understand state-dependent information processing in the brain at the level of neural circuits. This project particularly concerns REM sleep. Taking multidisciplinary approaches, we are aiming to elucidate the function of sub-second brain waves and underlying neural ensemble dynamics during REM sleep in rodents. As a large data set has been already collected, this project will focus primarily on data analysis and developing a computational model. The successful applicant will have a PhD in the field of neuroscience, engineering, statistics, computer science, physics or related fields. Strong quantitative skills for neurophysiological data (e.g., LFP, neuronal ensemble, video image) and/or computational modelling would be advantageous. Applicants should send (1) a CV and (2) a summary of their specific interests in our research programs to Dr. Shuzo Sakata, email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk. -- Shuzo Sakata, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer in Circuit Neurophysiology Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences University of Strathclyde 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK tel: +44-(0)141-548-2156, fax: +44-(0)141-552-2562 email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263

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announcement ESIsync 2017 conference
by Martin Vinck 29 Mar '17

29 Mar '17

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Colleagues, registration is now open for the ESI- Systems Neuroscience Conference 2017. The conference will take place on July 24th and 25th, at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt. This year’s theme is "Principles of structural and functional brain connectivity”. The talks will cover a wide range of techniques, including electrophysiology, calcium imaging, fMRI, and computational methods for connectivity analysis. Confirmed speakers at present are: Christopher Moore, Rafael Yuste, Charles Gilbert, Fritzjof Helmchen, Thomas Klausberger, Olaf Sporns, Maria Ercsey-Ravasz, Suliann Ben Hamed, Christopher Pack and Matthew Larkum. We welcome submissions for poster presentations. More information can be found at: http://www.esi-frankfurt.de/esisync/ Regards, On behalf of the organizers: Wolf Singer, Pascal Fries, Renata Vajda, Martin Vinck, Gustavo Rohenkohl -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Save the date: Integrated Systems Neuroscience 2017 meeting (September 7-8, Manchester, UK)
by Mark Humphries 29 Mar '17

29 Mar '17

We are excited to announce the second Integrated Systems Neuroscience meeting. 7-8th September 2017, Manchester, UK The goal of this meeting is to present the state-of-the-art in integrated systems and computational approaches to key neural circuits. Each session of the programme will comprise a pair of talks presenting complementary experimental and computational work on the same circuit theme. Breaks between each session will allow for plentiful discussion of the work just seen and how it may translate to other circuits and problems in systems neuroscience. A poster session with wine reception will be held on the first evening. Confirmed speakers: Rune Berg (Copenhagen University) Tiago Branco (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits) Neil Burgess (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL) Megan Carey (Champalimaud Institute, Lisbon) Claudia Clopath (Imperial College, London) Kate Jeffery (UCL) Christian Machens (Champalimaud Institute, Lisbon) Jonathan Pillow (Princeton) Simon Peron (New York University) Manuel Zimmer (IMP, Austria) We will shortly announce the opening of registration and abstract submission. For more information, including the current programme, please visit the website: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/conferences-meetings/isn2017/ Organisers: Mark Humphries & Rasmus Petersen (University of Manchester) Sponsors: we gratefully acknowledge the support of the Medical Research Council _____________________________________________________________________________ Dr Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Research Fellow | Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.manchester.ac.uk/ [0da17e2a-9ed5-496a-b161-9fd4491ce5c7]@markdhumphries <https://twitter.com/markdhumphries> Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike

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Tenure-Track Faculty positions in Robotics at ENSTA ParisTech (with possible integration in the joint Inria-Ensta ParisTech Flowers lab)
by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer 29 Mar '17

29 Mar '17

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty positions in Robotics at ENSTA ParisTech (with possible integration in the joint Inria-Ensta ParisTech Flowers lab) Position description The Computer Science and System Engineering (U2IS) at ENSTA ParisTech is opening several tenured and non-tenured faculty positions in the field of robotics. The candidates will be recruited in the Autonomous Systems and Robotics research team (ASR), inside the U2IS laboratory. ASR dedicates itself to the development of technological systems with strong autonomy and high dependability, focusing in particular on learning, perception, navigation, human-robot interaction for assistive robotics and intelligent vehicles. The candidates will lead research and innovation activities on one or several of the following themes: navigation, SLAM, localization, planning and control perception, computer vision, image processing machine learning, deep learning, developmental and cognitive robotics system architecture for autonomous vehicles. These activities should be conducted in the application areas of intelligent vehicles or assistive/service robotics, in link with the other members of the team. In particular, candidates could be integrated in the joint ENSTA ParisTech-INRIA FLOWERS team (http://flowers.inria.fr) The candidates are expected to participate in the development of partnerships, collaborations and contractual relations in his domain, particularly in partnership with industry. Inquiries about the scientific context of the position can be directed to David Filliat (david.filliat(a)ensta-paristech.fr) or Bruno Monsuez (bruno.monsuez(a)ensta-paristech.fr) Faculty duties include teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels, research, and supervision of student research. Basic knowledge, or willingness to learn french language are required as part of the teaching will be in french. Candidates must have the ability to develop a leading research program with a focus on technology development and translation into concrete applications of robotics or Intelligent Vehicles. About ENSTA ENSTA ParisTech is one of the most renowned French institutes of engineering education and research (Grande Ecole). Located in Palaiseau, it offers graduate level scientific education, excellent research facilities and a broad international network. It is a founding member of Paris-Saclay University, a federal university composed of 19 institutions (Universities, Grandes Ecoles, Research organisms). Large companies have also settled their research center in this area so that by 2020, this scientific cluster, the largest in France, will gather up to 15% of French research. Application Requirements for applying for tenured position are: possession of a doctoral university degree, excellent skills in teaching and research, completed habilitation (post-doctoral degree) or comparable research experience, obtained as part of an academic or non-academic position. Requirements for applying for non-tenured position are: possession of a doctoral university degree, a good teaching experience, have a strong publication record, and have experience with conduction research projects. The successful candidates will be expected to conduct high quality research, teach to a diverse and talented student body, and secure competitive external funding. The complete application package required includes: a curriculum vitae including a list of publications; a brief statement explaining the candidate's contribution to their best two publications, with embedded links to the publications in pdf format; a research statement; a teaching statement including a list of lectures the candidate could teach; the names and email addresses of three references. Applications should be sent to: Bruno Monsuez (bruno.monsuez(a)ensta-paristech.fr) The positions will open on March 30th, 2017 and the selection process will continue until the position is filled. Links ENSTA ParisTech Official position description (in French) Autonomous Systems and Robotics team ================ Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Research director, Inria Head of Flowers Lab Inria and Ensta ParisTech, France https://flowers.inria.fr http://www.pyoudeyer.com

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Postdoctoral Position (EEG) at Stanford in Brain Network Connectivity Research
by Wei Wu 29 Mar '17

29 Mar '17

The Laboratory of Amit Etkin, MD PhD at Stanford University is currently accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow focused on sophisticated analyses of electroencephalography (EEG) data. The focus of this position is on understanding functional brain networks using a variety of EEG methods, relating EEG to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and application of connectivity methods in EEG. Additionally, work will focus on analysis of concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and EEG data to understand neural circuit causal mechanisms. A particular emphasis will be larger-scale application of these tools and data types to treatment outcome prediction and development of clinic-translatable biomarkers. The successful applicant will have a PhD in Engineering, Statistics, Computer Science, Neuroscience, Neurophysiology, Psychology, or related fields. Experience with EEG data analysis is required. Additionally, strong quantitative skills and a programming background are important. Duties will also include manuscript preparation, presentation of findings at conferences, and contribution to the preparation of grants. Laboratory and Stanford resources include research-dedicated 3T and 7T MRI scanners, simultaneous EEG/fMRI, multiple high density EEG setups, and concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)/fMRI and concurrent TMS/EEG setups. Salary commensurate with experience. More information about our ongoing studies can be found at: http://etkinlab.stanford.edu. To apply, please send a curriculum vitae, a statement describing research interests and relevant background and three letters of recommendations, as well as relevant reprints/preprints of research articles to: Amit Etkin, MD, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford Neurosciences Institute Stanford University amitetkin(a)stanford.edu

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The 1st International Neural Dynamics Summer School 2017 - application deadline 15th May, 2017
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 27 Mar '17

27 Mar '17

The 1st International Neural Dynamics Summer School 2017 Experience experimental and computational neuroscience research 30/08/2017 – 01/09/2017 Bristol University, UK We are offering twelve fully funded positions on the Wellcome Trust sponsored summer school for training and research experience in neural dynamics(TRENDs). The training and research in neural dynamics summer school is an exciting Wellcome Trust funded course held at the University of Bristol. The aim is to introduce young scientists to experimental and computational techniques used in neuroscience research. The summer school will be a three-day course made up of a series of seminars and lab visits where successful candidates will get first hand experience of electrophysiological recordings (bothin vitro and in vivo), EEG recordings, brain imaging, optogenetics, data analysis workshops and practical classes on learning to code in Python. No prior experience is necessary, but a keen interest is essential! We welcome applications from science undergraduates from a wide range of backgrounds. For successful applicants all costs to attend the course, including travel expenses within the UK, accommodation and food will be covered. Overseas travel expenses will be considered on a case by case basis. Deadline 15th May, 2017 Please send a completed application form, along with a cover letter, a copy of your CV and one academic reference or the name of one referee to elaine.sparey(a)bristol.ac.uk<mailto:elaine.sparey@bristol.ac.uk> The application form is available as .doc (TRENDS-2017-doc (Office document, 10kB)<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/neural-dynamics/documents/tren…> ) or as a LaTeX templateTRENDS-2017-tex<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/neural-dynamics/documents/tren…>TRENDS-2017-tex<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/neural-dynamics/documents/tren…> (TRENDS-2017-tex<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/neural-dynamics/documents/tren…>), please submit either .doc or .pdf. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics & Living Systems Institute, T02.17 University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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DEADLINE APPROACHING : 31st March . NeuroBridges 2017
by ahmed el hady 27 Mar '17

27 Mar '17

*The deadline for NeuroBridges 2017 summer school application (* *(http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html>) is approaching. March 31st is the deadline for application. More details about the summer school and the application procedure below. * *NeuroBridges 2017 Summer school , Cluny, France* *(** September 3 - September 14, 2017 )* *NeuroBridges 2017* (http://decision-making-lab.co m/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html) will be a ten days summer school. Students will attend lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions of contemporary neuroscience. In addition to the lectures, the students will work in groups on small research projects. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering or physics, interested in theoretical brain and cognitive sciences. We will also consider those with biological or medical background given that they show proof of basic mathematical knowledge (i.e. linear algebra, calculus, in particular ordinary differential equation). Through the online application system (can be accessed through: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html ) , you will be asked to provide personal details, academic background, the names of two referees , a motivation letter that should include a paragraph about your quantitative skills and a CV. The school will take place between September 3 and September 14, 2017 in Le Centre de Conférences Internationales de Cluny (CCIC) <http://www.ccic.eu/index.html>. Cluny is a small medieval town in Burgundy, France, located about 400km southeast of Paris (accessible by fast train, TGV). All costs of registration and accommodation will be covered by the organizers. A limited number of travel grants will also be available. The application deadline is March 31st 2017. *NeuroBridges* is co-organized by Ahmed El Hady <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home>(Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA), Yonatan Loewenstein <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/loewenstein/home> (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) and David Hansel <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel>(CNRS, Paris, France). *2017 Confirmed Faculty (check the website regularly for updated faculty list):* Carl van Vreeswijk (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/carl-van-vreeswijk/> Gianluigi Mongillo (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/gianluigi-mongillo/> Shaul Druckmann (Janelia) <https://www.janelia.org/people/shaul-druckmann> Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/burak/home> Omri Barak (Technion) <http://neuroscience.technion.ac.il/researcher/19> Najib Majaj (NYU) <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Najib_Majaj> Farzan Nadim (NJIT) <https://biology.njit.edu/people/nadim.php> Valerie Ego-Stengel (CNRS) <https://www.unic.cnrs-gif.fr/teams/Research%20group%20of%20Daniel%20Shulz> If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Ahmed El Hady (email: ahady(a)princeton.edu )

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Time Dimension new research topic on Frontiers
by dipanjan roy 26 Mar '17

26 Mar '17

Dear Colleague,Our sincere apology for cross-posting. We would like to invite you to consider contributing an article to the Frontiers research topic “Temporal Structure of Neural Processes Coupling Sensory, Motor and Cognitive Functions of the Brain”. The research topic is hosted by: Daya Gupta, Arpan Banerjee, Dipanjan Roy, and Federica Piras *The overarching goal of this research topic is trying to address the role of time-dimension in cognitive functions. So far, the emphasis in past years has been only to directly study temporal structure of neuronal data at various scales of brain organization from single neurons at microscopic level, LFP at mesoscopic level, and EEG/MEG at macroscopic level. However, the mechanisms by which timing relationship of environment is entangled with the corresponding temporal structure of neural signals are not entirely clear. Important insights can be acquired and specific predictions about timing can be made by developing computational models of the brain dynamics and relating them to empirical observations. In this Research Topic, we invite contributions based on clinical, experimental and theoretical evidence to support the hypothesis that time-dimension is an important bridge to integrate multi-scale observations of behaviour and brain information processing where temporal patterns of activity in neural networks are critical to understanding the execution of sensory, motor and cognitive processes*. *Concretely, our hope is that this research topic will further converge on a consensus that deficits of timing and specific alteration of rhythmicity are an important part of the spectrum of cognitive dysfunctions seen in a variety of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, which provides indirect, but crucial evidence that time-dimension is an integral component of information processing in the brain underlying cognitive functions.* Frontiers research topics initially require the submission of an abstract of your work, which will be considered by the topic editors to determine if it falls within the goals of the research topic. Approved abstracts will then be invited to submit a complete manuscript. Link to the research topic is provided below http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/5972/temporal-structure-of-neu… Depending on the article type, Frontiers has article processing charges (APCs). They range from free to 2490$ for original research articles or reviews (please see http://home.frontiersin.org/about/publishing-fees) If submitted to a Research Topic within the deadline there is a 15% reduction for some article types. Frontiers also has a waiver program so that APCs do not stand in the way of science. Key dates for this research topic are as follows: 1. Abstract submission deadline – 09 June 2017 2. Manuscript submission deadline – 05 January 2018 We very much hope to include your valuable work in this area within this research topic to help make it a key reference and a new resource for brain dynamics, time perception research. Yours in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Behaviour, Daya Gupta, Arpan Banerjee, Dipanjan Roy, and Federica Piras

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Special issue: Information Decomposition of Target Effects from Multi-Source Interactions
by Joseph Lizier 24 Mar '17

24 Mar '17

Dear all, We are pleased to announce the following special issue in Entropy on information decompositions. We hope that you will consider submitting a new research paper or review, etc., on this topic. If you are planning to submit, we would appreciate it if you could let us know in advance. Special Issue: "Information Decomposition of Target Effects from Multi-Source Interactions" http://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/Information_Decompositio… Submission Deadline: May 31, 2017 (open for submission now!) Editors: * Dr. Joseph Lizier; Centre for Complex Systems, Faculty of Engineering and IT, The University of Sydney, Australia * Dr. Nils Bertschinger; Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies (FIAS), Frankfurt, Germany * Prof. Juergen Jost; Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, NM, USA * Prof. Michael Wibral; MEG Unit, Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany Shannon information theory has provided rigorous ways to capture our intuitive notions regarding uncertainty and information, and made an enormous impact in doing so. One of the fundamental measures here is mutual information, which captures the average information contained in one variable about another, and vice versa. If we have two source variables and a target, for example, we can measure the information held by one source about the target, the information held by the other source about the target, and the information held by those sources together about the target. Any other notion about the directed information relationship between these variables, which can be captured by classical information-theoretic measures (e.g., conditional mutual information terms) is linearly redundant with those three quantities. However, intuitively, there is strong desire to measure further notions of how this directed information interaction may be decomposed, e.g., how much information the two source variables hold redundantly about the target, how much each source variable holds uniquely, and how much information can only be discerned by synergistically examining the two sources together. These notions go beyond the traditional information-theoretic view of a channel serving the purpose of reliable communication, considering now the situation of multiple communication streams converging on a single target. This is a common situation in biology, and in particular in neuroscience, where, say, the ability of a target to synergistically fuse multiple information sources in a non-trivial fashion is likely to have its own intrinsic value, independently of reliability of communication. The absence of measures for such decompositions into redundant, unique and synergistic information is arguably the most fundamental missing piece in classical information theory. Triggered by the formulation of the Partial Information Decomposition framework by Williams and Beer in 2010, the past few years have witnessed a concentration of work by the community in proposing, contrasting, and investigating new measures to capture these notions of information decomposition. Other theoretical developments consider how these measures relate to concepts of information processing in terms of storage, transfer and modification. Meanwhile, computational neuroscience has emerged as a primary application area due to significant interest in questions surrounding how target neurons integrate information from large numbers of sources, as well as the availability of data sets to investigate these questions on. This Special Issue seeks to bring together these efforts, to capture a snapshot of the current research, as well as to provide impetus for and focused scrutiny on newer work. We also seek to present progress to the wider community and attract further research. We welcome research articles proposing new measures or pointing out future directions, review articles on existing approaches, commentary on properties and limitations of such approaches, philosophical contributions on how such measures may be used or interpreted, applications to empirical data (e.g., neural imaging data), and more. Submission information Please see the special issue website for full details. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on the website. Entropy is an open access journal which maintains a rigorous and fast peer-review system and accepted papers are immediately published online. The Impact Factor in 2015 for Entropy is 1.743 and it is fully covered by the leading indexing and abstracting services, including Google Scholar, MathSciNet, Scopus and Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science). The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Regards, Joe, Nils, Michael and Juergen -- -- Dr. JOSEPH LIZIER | ARC DECRA Fellow | Senior Lecturer Complex Systems Research Group Faculty of Engineering and IT THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Rm 338A, Building J05 | The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006 T+61 2 9351 3208 | F+61 2 9351 3343 | M+61 408 186 901 E joseph.lizier(a)sydney.edu.au | W sydney.edu.au TW @jlizier | W lizier.me/joseph CRICOS 00026A This email plus any attachments to it are confidential. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please delete it and any attachments. Please think of our environment and only print this e-mail if necessary.

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Two Ph. D. positions in Ottawa, Canada (Naud Lab)
by Richard Naud 22 Mar '17

22 Mar '17

Applications are invited for two Ph. D. candidate positions starting immediately at the University of Ottawa to investigate features of dendritic integration and inhibitory microcircuit function using statistical and computational approaches. The researcher will join a collaborative group with expertise in cellular electrophysiology, two-photon imaging/uncaging, optogenetics, advanced computational modelling and statistical processing (Dr Jean-Claude Béique, Dr. Simon Chen, Dr. André Longtin, Dr. Len Maler, main supervisor: Dr. Richard Naud). The research opportunity will focus on statistical analysis of neural data and computational modelling of neural systems. This fully funded position is available immediately, with attractive conditions. The candidate is expected to be competitive for external fellowships. The researcher will join uOttawa’s Brain and Mind Research Institute’s Center for Neural Dynamics (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Faculty of Medicine). uOttawa’s Neuroscience community is fast expanding, highly dynamic and offers a rich array of collaborative opportunities. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is a green, multi-cultural city that offers the highest standard of living in the country and is second worldwide for quality of life (Numbeo index, 2015). The city has many parks including the Unesco World Heritage Rideau Canal and is surrounded by an extensive greenbelt. This bilingual, culturally-rich city lies along the border between the province of Quebec and Ontario and is within driving distance to Montréal and Toronto. To apply, please send CV with reference contacts and s short description of your interests to rnaud(a)uottawa.ca. Only selected applicatants will be contacted. Employer Profile The University of Ottawa is a bilingual research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The university offers a wide variety of academic programs, administered by ten faculties. It is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada. In the Maclean’s 2015 Canadian University rankings, the University of Ottawa ranked 2nd for Medical/Science Grants, 2nd for Scholarships & Bursaries and 1st for Student Services in the Medical/Doctoral University category. These rankings reflect the increased competitiveness of UofO's research both nationally and internationally.

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3.5 years PhD position: Neurogeometry of Vision, deadline 30th of March (Daniele Avitabile)
by Daniele Avitabile 22 Mar '17

22 Mar '17

A PhD scholarship in mathematical and computational neuroscience on The neurogeometry of vision is available at the University of Nottingham, within the Modelling and Analytics for Medicine and Life sciences Doctoral Training Centre (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/prospective/research/maml.aspx) This 3.5 year PhD scholarships starts in September 2017. Successful applicants will receive a stipend (£14,553 per annum for 2017/8) for up to 3.5 years, tuition fees and a Research Training Support Grant. Fully funded studentships are available for UK applicants. EU applicants who are able to confirm that they have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 3 years prior to the start date of the programme may be eligible for a full award, and may apply for a fees-only award otherwise. Applications: Please apply via the Training Centre website. Applicants for the MAML programme should have at least a 2:1 degree in mathematics, statistics or a similarly quantitative discipline (such as physics, engineering, or computer science). Completed applications should be submitted by Midnight GMT Thursday, 30 March<http://airmail.calendar/2017-03-31%2001:00:00%20BST> 2017. Supervisors: Dr Daniele Avitabile (School of Mathematical Sciences) Professor Alan Johnston (School of Psychology), Professor Stephen Coombes (School of Mathematical Sciences) Project description: Neural field models are now in common usage in mathematical neuroscience to describe the coarse-grained activity of cortical tissue [1]. For mathematical convenience they often assume that anatomical connectivity is homogenous. However, this is far from the truth. For example, in the primary visual cortex (V1) it is known that there are maps reflecting the fact that neurons respond preferentially to stimuli with particular features. The classic example is that of orientation preference (OP), whereby cells respond preferentially to lines and edges of a particular orientation. The OP map changes continuously as a function of cortical location, except at singularities or pinwheels. The underlying periodicity in the microstructure of V1 is approximately 1mm, the domain of which corresponds to the so-called cortical hypercolumn. Other anatomical evidence suggests that longer-range, patchy horizontal connections link neurons in different hypercolumns provided that they have similar orientation preferences. This project will consider a field of hypercolumns that respects this biological reality. The mathematical model will be that of an integro-differential equation for V1 activity, with V1 viewed as a fiber bundle that associates to every point of the cortex (or retina by the retino-cortical map) a copy of the unit circle [2]. The project will focus on combining realistic retino-cortical maps [3] with next generation neural field models [4] and state-of the art numerical methods [5] to understand not only mechanisms for visual illusions, but also basic notions of how biological tissue can perform visual computations for image completion. The project will involve a mix of high performance scientific computation, nonlinear dynamics, differential geometry, and an enthusaism for learning about visual neuroscience. References 1. S Coombes, P beim Graben and R Potthast, 2014. Tutorial on Neural Field Theory, Neural Fields, Ed. S Coombes, P beim Graben, R Potthast and J J Wright, Springer Verlag 2. P C Bressloff and J D Cowan, 2003. The functional geometry of local and horizontal connections in a model of V1. Journal of Physiology-Paris, 97:221TH236. 3. A Johnston 1989 The geometry of the topographic map in striate cortex. Vision Research, 29, 1493-1500 4. A Byrne, D Avitabile and S Coombes, 2017. A next generation neural field model: The evolution of synchrony within patterns and waves, preprint 5. J Rankin, D Avitabile, J Baladron, G Faye, DJB Lloyd, 2014. Continuation of localized coherent structures in nonlocal neural field equations. SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing 36 (1), B70-B93. This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please send it back to me, and immediately delete it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in this message or in any attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system, you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.

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3.5 years PhD position: The impact of gyrification on cortical activity, deadline 30th of March (Daniele Avitabile)
by Daniele Avitabile 22 Mar '17

22 Mar '17

A PhD scholarship in mathematical and computational neuroscience on The impact of gyrification on cortical activity is available at the University of Nottingham, within the Modelling and Analytics for Medicine and Life sciences Doctoral Training Centre (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/prospective/research/maml.aspx) This 3.5 year PhD scholarships starts in September 2017. Successful applicants will receive a stipend (£14,553 per annum for 2017/8) for up to 3.5 years, tuition fees and a Research Training Support Grant. Fully funded studentships are available for UK applicants. EU applicants who are able to confirm that they have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 3 years prior to the start date of the programme may be eligible for a full award, and may apply for a fees-only award otherwise. Applications: Please apply via the Training Centre website. Applicants for the MAML programme should have at least a 2:1 degree in mathematics, statistics or a similarly quantitative discipline (such as physics, engineering, or computer science). Completed applications should be submitted by Midnight GMT Thursday, 30 March 2017. Supervisors: Dr Daniele Avitabile (School of Mathematical Sciences), Dr Stamatios Sotiropoulos (School of medicine), Professor Stephen Coombes (School of Mathematical Sciences), Professor Paul Houston (School of Mathematical Sciences) Project description: The large number of neurons forming the cortex are intricately connected and, to a first approximation, can be modelled as a continuum in space. Neural field models, which make this assumption, have been used to model large-scale neural activity observed in electroencephalogram and magnetoencephalogram neuroimaging studies. Spatio-temporal patterns in these models are relevant to understand epileptic seizures, visual hallucinations and short-term working memory (see [1,2] and references therein). When neural fields are posed on flat surfaces, analytical progress can be made to understand the origin of a wide variety of activity patterns (stripes, localised spots, hexagons, travelling waves, spiral waves). Our brain, however, is not flat. Sculped on the cortical surface are characteristic bumps and grooves, known as gyri and sulci, respectively. This heterogeneity is not only geometrical: neurons have a heterogeneous density and a heterogeneous synaptic wiring (see image above, where densely connected regions are coloured in red). This project will use methods from dynamical systems and computational science to develop a theory for the evolution of synaptic activity on folded brains. We will address the following questions: Tractography and neuroimaging techniques provide us with a detailed map of gyri, sulci and neural wiring. Can we incorporate heterogeneities into neural fields? We expect that curvature plays an important role in pattern selection [3]. What is the effect of the gyrification on neural activity? If a pattern of cortical activity is observed in a model of a "flat brain", will it persist on a "curved brain"? Are cortical waves accelerated/decelerated by curvature and heterogeneities? The analytical techniques used to study patterns in flat cortices have a numerical counterpart on curved surfaces [4]. Owing to recent developments in neural field theory, it has now become possible to track and analyse patterns numerically and predict whether they will be observable in experiments [5]. Can we develop robust and efficient algorithms to perform bifurcation analysis on generic folded cortices? References 1. S Coombes, P beim Graben and R Potthast (2014) Tutorial on Neural Field Theory, Neural Fields, Ed. S Coombes, P beim Graben, R Potthast and J J Wright, Springer Verlag. 2. P C Bressloff (2012). Spatiotemporal dynamics of continuum neural fields. Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 45(3), 033001. 3. S Visser, R Nicks, O Faugeras and S Coombes (2017) Standing and travelling waves in a spherical brain model: the Nunez model revisited, Physica D, to appear. 4. D Avitabile, P Matthews, R Nicks, O Smith (2017). Patterns of cortical activity in neural fields posed on spherical domains. Preprint. 5. J Rankin, D Avitabile, J Baladron, G Faye, D J B Lloyd (2014) Continuation of localized coherent structures in nonlocal neural field equations. SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing 36 (1), B70-B93. This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please send it back to me, and immediately delete it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in this message or in any attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system, you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.

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Postdoc Position at the University of Goettingen in Computational Neuroscience / Retinal Neurophysiology
by Gollisch, Tim 22 Mar '17

22 Mar '17

Three postdoc positions are available in the lab of Tim Gollisch at the University Medical Center Goettingen, Germany. Information about the lab can be found at http://www.retina.uni-goettingen.de/. The positions are funded by the ERC Consolidator Grant "CODE4Vision", which will start in June 2017 and run for five years. The project revolves around analyzing the functional connectivity in the neural network of the retina by means of electrophysiological recordings from mouse retina, application of machine learning for data analysis, computational modeling of retinal signal processing, and development of closed-loop physiology experiments. The goals include the development of computational models that capture how the retina encodes natural visual stimuli. Furthermore, we will apply these models to explore optogenetic vision restoration therapies, which we will test with originally blind, optogenetically treated mice. The three postdocs to be hired will focus on different aspects of the CODE4Vision project, such as 1) computational and machine learning-based analysis of large-scale multielectrode array recordings from the retina (up to several thousand electrodes), classification of cell types, statistical inference to extract the layout of presynaptic inputs, and development of computational models; 2) development of closed-loop physiology experiments to extract relevant response characteristics of recorded ganglion cells during the experiment and optimize stimulus presentation "on the fly" to obtain detailed computational models; 3) direct assessment of functional connectivity in the retina by dual recordings (multielectrode arrays plus intracellular electrodes) and comparing responses to current injection and visual stimulation. What will be expected of the applicants? - PhD in neuroscience, computer science, biology, physics, math, engineering or something equivalent - Track record (e.g. publications) showing the candidate's ability to pursue high-quality research - Strong motivation to perform neuroscience research and to integrate experimental and computational approaches - Experience with either electrophysiological methods or computational analyses and computer programming - Ability to integrate into a team - Ability to think independently and advance the project by developing and pursuing own ideas for experiments and analyses - Good command of English (which is the working language in the lab) The positions are for 2 years initially with possibility for renewal. Potential starting dates are from June 2017 onwards, and applications will be considered until the positions are filled. Please send your application to Tim Gollisch (tim.gollisch(a)med.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:tim.gollisch@med.uni-goettingen.de>), including a CV as well as names and contact details for at least two references. Also make sure to include a statement of why this project interests you and how you think you could contribute, based on your scientific background. The University Medical Center Goettingen is an equal opportunities employer, and women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities and equal qualifications will be given preferential treatment. -- Prof. Dr. Tim Gollisch University Medical Center Goettingen, Dept. of Ophthalmology Waldweg 33, 37073 Goettingen Tel. +49 (0)551 39-13542 tim.gollisch(a)med.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:tim.gollisch@med.uni-goettingen.de> www.retina.uni-goettingen.de<http://www.retina.uni-goettingen.de>

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Call for participation in the Frontiers Research Topic "Machine Learning in Imaging Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration"
by Budhachandra Khundrakpam 22 Mar '17

22 Mar '17

Hi, We would like to invite you to consider contributing an article to the Frontiers research topic “Machine Learning in Imaging Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration”. Here is the link http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/5986/ machine-learning-in-imaging-neurodevelopment-and-neurodegeneration This research topic intends to help advance the scientific research within the field of machine learning in neuroimaging so as to realize the potential of machine learning to translate neuroimaging data into tools that can directly aid clinicians in diagnosis and therapy for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, amongst others. For such purposes, this Research Topic welcomes original research and review articles that highlight major trends and challenges in the field and aim to identify new cutting-edge machine learning approaches and their applications in imaging neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. Potential topics of interests include, but are not limited to: • Machine learning analyses using large-scale neuroimaging data • Computer-aided diagnosis/prognosis for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders • Analytical tools and software for computer-aided diagnosis/prognosis • Multimodal fusion for outcome prediction, diagnosis/prognosis, image analysis • Computer-aided lesion detection for neurodegeneration • Machine learning analyses combining neuroimaging and genetics You can submit your work on our Special Issue to one of the journals - Frontiers in Neuroscience, Frontiers In Neurology, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Frontiers in Pediatrics, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience or Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Cheers, Budha -- Budhachandra Khundrakpam Research Associate McConnell Brain Imaging Centre Montreal Neurological Institute McGill University Montreal, Canada - H3A 2B4 Phone # 5143986174

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