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Postdoc positions in event-based vision and neurocomputing systems at TU München, Germany

by Jörg Conradt

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>

March 30, 2017

Postdoctoral Position (neural ensemble dynamics during REM sleep) at University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK

by Shuzo Sakata

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

March 30, 2017

announcement ESIsync 2017 conference

by Martin Vinck

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 29, 2017

Save the date: Integrated Systems Neuroscience 2017 meeting (September 7-8, Manchester, UK)

by Mark Humphries

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

March 29, 2017

Tenure-Track Faculty positions in Robotics at ENSTA ParisTech (with possible integration in the joint Inria-Ensta ParisTech Flowers lab)

by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer

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

March 29, 2017

Postdoctoral Position (EEG) at Stanford in Brain Network Connectivity Research

by Wei Wu

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

March 29, 2017

The 1st International Neural Dynamics Summer School 2017 - application deadline 15th May, 2017

by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira

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

March 27, 2017

DEADLINE APPROACHING : 31st March . NeuroBridges 2017

by ahmed el hady

*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 )

March 26, 2017

Time Dimension new research topic on Frontiers

by dipanjan roy

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

March 26, 2017

Special issue: Information Decomposition of Target Effects from Multi-Source Interactions

by Joseph Lizier

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. 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March 24, 2017

Two Ph. D. positions in Ottawa, Canada (Naud Lab)

by Richard Naud

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.

March 22, 2017

3.5 years PhD position: Neurogeometry of Vision, deadline 30th of March (Daniele Avitabile)

by Daniele Avitabile

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.

March 22, 2017

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

by Daniele Avitabile

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.

March 22, 2017

Postdoc Position at the University of Goettingen in Computational Neuroscience / Retinal Neurophysiology

by Gollisch, Tim

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>

March 22, 2017

Call for participation in the Frontiers Research Topic "Machine Learning in Imaging Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration"

by Budhachandra Khundrakpam

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

March 22, 2017

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience In Paris

by Juergen Reingruber

Job Offer: A postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is available to analyze and model the spiking response of olfactory receptor neurons to odorant stimuli. The project is in collaboration with the experimental research group of Philippe Lucas at INRA Versailles (http://ieesparis.ufr918.upmc.fr/spip.php?article244&lang=en) and Jürgen Reingruber at Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris (http://www.biologie.ens.fr/~reingrub/index.html) Duration: 2 years. After this period, successful candidates are given a promising opportunity to apply for a permanent INRA position. Location: Shared between INRA Center in Versailles and Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. Project description: Binding of odorants to their cognate receptors on olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) initiates a signal transduction cascade that leads to the opening of both cationic and anionic ion channels in the dendritic membrane. The subsequent transduction current entails a sequence of action potentials in the soma. The overall goal of the project is to analyze electrophysiological recordings of action potentials obtained in the lab of Philippe Lucas (from moths and Drosophila), and, using a molecular model for the transduction current developed by Jürgen Reingruber, to derive a Hodgkin-Huxley type of model that explains how the stimulus dependent transduction current is transformed into a sequence of action potential firings. Ultimately, this will unravel how an ORN encodes the intensitive and temporal properties of odorant stimuli into sequences of action potentials transmitted to subsequent neuronal layers. Application and starting date: INRA provides basic funding for the project. However, to ensure a high quality, INRA additionally requires that candidates successfully apply for an AgreenSkills+ incoming fellowship (https://www.agreenskills.eu) an international postdoctoral fellowship program co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by INRA. During the past years the application success rate was around 36%. With the fellowship the postdoc will be endowed with exceptional financial conditions including monthly gross salaries ranging from 3,500 to 4,800 €. In addition, successful candidates are given a promising chance to apply for a permanent INRA position after the postdoc. The next call for AgreenSkills+ submissions is 28 April 2017. Subsequent starting date is flexible. Candidate Profile: We are looking for a highly motivated post-doc with interest in sensory transduction and computational neuroscience. Applicants should have solid foundations in physics, applied mathematics and computer simulations. A background in neuroscience would be welcome. Furthermore, the candidate should be interested in working in an interdisciplinary environment, analyzing electrophysiological data and interacting with experimentalists. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills are desired. Speaking French is not mandatory. Interested candidates should send a cover letter summarizing their expertise and research interests, a CV with publications and 2 recommendation letters to Philippe Lucas (philippe.lucas(a)inra.fr) and Jürgen Reingruber (reingrub(a)ens.fr) -- Jürgen Reingruber, PhD Institute of Biology (IBENS) École Normale Supérieure 46 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France Tel: +33 (0)1 4432 3662 Fax: +33 (0)1 4432 8887

March 21, 2017

[job] Call for postdoc application in Intrinsically Motivated Deep Reinforcement Learning, at Flowers Lab, Inria (Bordeaux, France)

by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer

[We apologize if you receive multiple copies of this message] Call for postdoc application in Intrinsically Motivated Deep Reinforcement Learning, at Flowers Lab, Inria (Bordeaux, France) Deadline: 30th march Eligibility: candidates should have obtained their PhD diploma after 1st september 2015 https://flowers.inria.fr We are searching outstanding candidates for a postdoc (16 months) who will be working on algorithms for lifelong Deep Learning for robotics, and in particular: - unsupervised or self-supervised deep learning - generative networks such as GANs and/or variational auto-encoders - deep reinforcement learning for robotic control - Intrinsic motivation and curiosity - multi-task reinforcement learning, auxiliary tasks Selected candidates will have the opportunity to work with one of the robotics platforms of the Flowers lab, including several Poppy Humanoid robots and starting from the experimental setup that was runner up for the NIPS 2016 demonstration award, and showing intrinsically motivated multi-task reinforcement learning in real-time on real robots, with interaction with humans (http://goo.gl/03FW4k) or the Baxter humanoid robot (http://goo.gl/nSS7Yp) Candidates should already have shown very strong experience and achievements, shown by publications in top-tier AI/machine learning conferences and journals (e.g. NIPS, ICML, ICLR) in either: - deep learning (both theory and practical implementations) - Reinforcement learning for policy learning of parameterized skills in robotics How to apply =========== CVs and letters of motivation should be sent to Pierre-Yves Oudeyer (pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr) before 30th march. The successful candidate would begin to work in september 2017. Deadline: 30th march Eligibility: candidates should have obtained their PhD diploma after 1st september 2015 Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Research director, Inria Head of Flowers Lab Inria and Ensta ParisTech http://www.pyoudeyer.com https://flowers.inria.fr More info: The Flowers Lab: developmental robotics and lifelong multitask machine learning =================================================================== The Flowers Lab, headed by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, gathers a team of ~20 members and has been one of the pioneers of developmental robotics and lifelong machine learning and artificial intelligence in the last decade, in particular through developping models of intrinsically motivated learning of repertoires of skills that have both contributed to advance understanding of human curiosity and development, and to advance incremental online multitask machine learning techniques in difficult high-dimensional robotic spaces. This work in the Flowers lab is conducted in the context of large international projects (e.g. ERC grant, European projects 3rdHand and DREAM, HFSP project Neurocuriosity), with interdisicplinary collaborations with other labs in neuroscience, psychology, machine learning and robotics. The successful candidates would be directly involved in these international collaborations. The Flowers lab has recently spin-off the Pollen Robotics startup company, and is involved in multiple collaborations with industrials through Inria's strong support towards impacting both science and industry. Inria and EnstaParistech =================== The lab is within Inria, which is a prestigious, and also the largest, public European research insitution focused on computer science, mathematics and their applications. Inria's teams and researchers (> 2800 employees) have received prestigious awards, coordinate many international projects, and have created strong innovations now used in many parts of industry. Inria research center in Bordeaux gathers around 300 researchers. The Flowers Lab is also associated to EnstaParisTech, which is a prestigious French engineering school (university). Bordeaux ======== The Flowers lab in Bordeaux is located in a great building on the border of one of the world most famous vineyard, and 10mn by tram from Bordeaux town center (and 2 hours from Paris through high-speed trains): https://www.inria.fr/en/centre/bordeaux Bordeaux has been recently rated by Lonely Planet as the world's best city to visit: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/best-cities-in-the-worl…

March 20, 2017

Call for participation in the Frontiers Research Topic “Neuromodulation of Circuits in Brain Health and Disease”

by Ramaswamy Srikanth

We would like to invite you to consider contributing an article to the Frontiers research topic “Neuromodulation of Circuits in Brain Health and Disease”. The research topic is hosted by: Srikanth Ramaswamy, Henry Markram, Mriganka Sur, Anita Disney, Menahem Segal, Michael E Hasselmo, Seung-Hee Lee, Alexander Thiele, and Amy F T Arnsten. The overarching goal of this research topic is to rekindle the field of neuromodulation by providing a state-of-the-art and unifying view of the mechanisms by which a diversity of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators such as acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and histamine (HA) - the master switches - control genes, proteins, neurons and glia, dendrites, synapses, and emergent states in neural circuits across different brain regions in health and disease. Concretely, our hope is that this research topic will a) establish an up to date view of neuromodulatory control of brain states by ACh, DA, NE, 5-HT, and HA that is encyclopedic in breadth and depth, and b) establish future research directions. Additionally, we also plan to organize a conference to discuss the state-of-the-art and future of neuromodulation research. Contributing authors to this research topic will be invited to present at the conference. The conference will be held at the EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland in September 2017 and further details will be sent out in due course. 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. 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 – 1st May 2017 2. Manuscript submission deadline – 1st July 2017 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 neuromodulation research. Yours in Neuroscience, Srikanth Ramaswamy Henry Markram Mriganka Sur Anita Disney Menahem Segal Michael Hasselmo Seung-Hee Lee Alexander Thiele Amy Arnsten

March 20, 2017

3 years funded Phd in New insights into ADHD through behavioural and modelling studies, Deadline 28th of April

by Eirini Mavritsaki

3 years funded PhD New insights into ADHD through behavioural and modelling studies Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship within the Division of Psychology, Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University. Applicants need to demonstrate ability and commitment, including excellent communications skills in written and spoken English. Project Synopsis: There are many limitations on the behaviour of complex neural systems, but one primary constraint is to filter incoming input in order that actions can be programmed to behaviourally relevant stimuli. A major challenge for current-day researchers is to understand how (and why) these limitations arise, especially in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where the attentional system is dysfunctional. The main aim of this project is to identify and understand the differences in visual attention between children diagnosed with ADHD and typically functioning children and the role of diet in this. This Ph.D. thesis aims to do this using a novel interdisciplinary approach, behavioural and computational modelling study. The PhD is in collaboration with Prof. John Clibbens and Dr Amy Cook. The successful applicant will join the Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAP Research) within the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. This centre is part of a vibrant and rapidly expanding research community, which offers applicants with an excellent opportunity to develop their research career. The applicant will have the opportunity to have teaching experience, to participate to research seminars and to co-supervise undergraduate projects. For more information please contact Dr Eirini Mavritsaki (Eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:Eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk>). For application and interview dates please see below, Deadline of Application 28th of April. Candidate Qualification and Specifications: Essential Ø The applicant should hold a good undergraduate honours degree (First or 2:1) in psychology or a related area to the topic. Ø A demonstrated understanding of research methods is essential (as evidenced by degree transcript grades for research methods and dissertation modules). Ø The applicant will be expected to undertake and pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Ø The applicant should enjoy working with children. Ø Experience in C++ and/or Matlab. Desirable Ø A Masters’ degree in research methods, psychology or a computational modelling. Ø Work experience (voluntary or paid) in schools or experience working with children. Ø Access to a car and a valid driving licence. Ø Computational modelling experience. Application Process (Deadline of application 28th of April) You can find further details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply on the following link http://www.bcu.ac.uk/social-sciences/courses/research-degrees Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions for the application and to express interest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eirini Mavritsaki, PhD, CPsychol Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology Director of Research in the School of Social Sciences Department of Psychology Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences Birmingham City University The Curzon Building 4 Cardigan Street Birmingham B4 7BD eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> 0121 331 6361 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March 20, 2017

3 years funded PhD in oscillatory behaviour in Alzheimer’s disease to establish biomarkers, Deadline 28th of April

by Eirini Mavritsaki

3 years funding PhD Investigating oscillatory behaviour in Alzheimer’s disease to establish biomarkers: an EEG and computational programme of PhD study Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship within the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University. Applicants need to demonstrate ability and commitment, including excellent communications skills in written and spoken English. Project Synopsis: This proposed PhD work follows high profile research by the University of Birmingham team (Prof. Kim Shapiro, Prof. Howard Bowman and Mr Ali Mazaheri). The project is collaborative work between Birmingham City University (Dr Eirini Mavritsak) and University of Birmingham (Prof. Kim Shapiro and Prof. Howard Bowman). The University of Birmingham team has access to ERP data of a semantic anomaly and word repetition task (Olichney et al, 2002). In the original analysis of the data by Olichney and colleagues, the N400 component was analysed, which is related to semantic manipulation. Olichney and colleagues found evidence of N400 abnormalities in mild cognitive impairment patients, which predicted later progression to Alzhemier’s. The University of Birmingham team have identified oscillatory changes that also predict progression to Alzheimer’s, opening up the possibility that an effective EEG-based early-stage biomarker of Alzheimer’s might be within reach. We plan to simulate this data and the changes observed in it using a computational model that is based on the sSoTS (Mavritsaki, Heinke, Humphreys and Deco, 2011) model. The successful applicant will join the Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAPresearch) within the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. CAPresearch is part of a vibrant and rapidly expanding research community, which offers applicants with an excellent opportunity to develop their research career. The applicant has the opportunity to have teaching experience, to participate in research seminars and to co-supervise undergraduate projects. The successful candidate will also be expected to attend the weekly meetings of the University of Birmingham research team. For more information please contact Dr Eirini Mavritsaki (Eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:Eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk>) or Prof. Howard Bowman (H.Bowman(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:H.Bowman@bham.ac.uk> ). For application please see below, deadline of application 28th of April. Candidate Qualification and Specifications: Essential Ø The applicant should hold a good undergraduate honours degree (First or 2:1) in related area. Ø The applicant should have experience of computational models, evidenced by previous work or masters degree. Ø A demonstrated understanding of research methods is essential (as evidenced by degree transcript grades for research methods and dissertation modules). Ø Experience in C++ and Matlab. Desirable Ø A Masters’ degree in research methods, psychology or computational modelling Application Process (Deadline of application 28th of April) You can find further details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply on the following link http://www.bcu.ac.uk/social-sciences/courses/research-degrees Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions for the application and to express interest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eirini Mavritsaki, PhD, CPsychol Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology Director of Research in the School of Social Sciences Department of Psychology Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences Birmingham City University The Curzon Building 4 Cardigan Street Birmingham B4 7BD eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> 0121 331 6361 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March 20, 2017

Research Associate in Functional Brain Mapping

by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt

Research Associate in Functional Brain Mapping Applications are invited for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in functional brain mapping (FBM) to work on a project aimed at discovering neuromarkers that facilitate stratification of patients with Alzheimer´s disease. The position is currently for 2 years, with possibility for further extension subject to securing funder’s approval. Job Ref at http://www.ulster.ac.uk/jobs: 1632872 Salary: £26,844 to £39,347 Closing Date: 4th April 2017 Duties The successful candidate will use MEG data recorded during cognitive tasks, stimulations, and resting state protocols to explore functional connectivity and other appropriate measures for characterizing individuals with different stages of AD and detecting individuals at the risk of developing AD. S/he will also develop and evaluate methods for assessing treatment effects on individuals with AD in collaboration with industry. Northern Ireland Functional Brain Mapping (NIFBM) facility The NIFBM is located at the Intelligent Systems Research Centre (isrc.ulster.ac.uk<http://isrc.ulster.ac.uk>) of Ulster University, Magee campus, Derry~Londonderry. It is the only brain imaging facility anywhere in Ireland and only one of nine in whole of UK to use a state-of-the-art magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain activity. The facility attracts clinicians and researchers from across Northern Ireland as well as Republic of Ireland. It is equipped with the latest whole head 306 channels Elekta Neuromag MEG TRIUX system, which also includes a 128-channel EEG recording system. We offer several advanced techniques for brain stimulation and analysis that allow us to obtain better results and guarantee a high quality service for both research and clinical applications. The ISRC is a major research unit in the Faculty of Computing and Engineering and hosts around 80 researchers including academic staff, research associates and PhD students organized in four research teams: Neural Systems and Neuro-technology, Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering, Cognitive Robotics, and Ambient Intelligence and Virtual Worlds. Based at ISRC, the successful candidate will have an opportunity to interact with researchers from related ISRC teams as well as Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (5* research rating), and the recently developed Centre for Stratified Medicine at Ulster University. Eligibility Requirements An eligible candidate should have a degree in Computing Science, Electronic Engineering, Physics, or a closely related discipline, or a higher degree in the same or related subjects. Applicants with other relevant degrees e.g. medicine, neuroscience or biomedical sciences may also be considered, subject to demonstration of substantial neuroimaging expertise. A PhD degree in an area relevant to the post is also an essential requirement. It is also required that a candidate: * Has extensive hands-on MEG experience including protocol design, setting up experiments and stimulations, and data acquisition; * Has strong skills and expertise in MEG analysis using modern tools such as Fieldtrip, SPM, MNE, and/or Brainstorm; * Has research track record in cognitive neuroscience and/or Alzheimer’s disease supported by at least two high quality journal publications suitable for submission in to UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF); * Is a self-motivated individual, enjoys working in a team and interacting with researchers and study participants. Please apply on-line by visiting either our university web-site http://www.ulster.ac.uk/jobs or the advertisement appearing at: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AXT197/research-associate-in-functional-brain-map… For more information, please contact Prof. Girijesh Prasad, Principal Investigator & Director NIFBM. E-mail: g.prasad(a)ulster.ac.uk<mailto:g.prasad@ulster.ac.uk>, Phone: 028 71675645. 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

March 20, 2017

Course announcement: CAMP@Bangalore 2017

by Sahil Moza

We would like to announce CAMP@Bangalore 2017 from 19 July 2017 to 3 August 2017. Please see the course website at http://camp.ncbs.res.in/ CAMP @ Bangalore (Computational Approaches to Memory and Plasticity at NCBS, Bangalore) is a 16-day summer school on the theory and simulation of learning, memory and plasticity in the brain. The course consists of four modules covering sub-cellular electrical models, micro-circuits and network models, detailed models with electrical and chemical components, and systems level models, all with an emphasis on learning, memory and plasticity. All modules will have their own hands-on projects. Students worldwide are encouraged to apply. Accommodation and food will be free for the selected students. There is no registration fee. Students are advised to obtain independent travel grants. Confirmed instructors include: Andrew Holmes (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland) Arvind Kumar (KTH, Stockholm) Avrama Kim Blackwell (George Mason University, Virginia) Joshua A. Gordon (National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland Rishikesh Narayanan (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) Sachin Deshmukh ( Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru) Suhita Nadkarni (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune) Sumantra Chattarji (NCBS, Bangalore) Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, Bangalore) Course Organizers: Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, Bangalore) Arvind Kumar (KTH Stockholm) Rishikesh Narayanan (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) -- Sahil Moza PhD student National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, India

March 20, 2017

Postdoc positions in Neuromorphic computing in Singapore

by Yansong Chua

Multiple scientist and research engineer positions are available in Singapore, at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), A*STAR, Singapore. This project is part of a large multidisciplinary grant in neuromorphic technologies involving multiple universities and research institutions in Singapore (NUS, NTU, IME, IHPC, I2R). The project is focused on building a new neuromorphic chip using RRAM that enables on-chip learning, together with a suite of learning algorithms that would then be deployed in applications in the advanced manufacturing domain. The total grant is for 4 years, with a budget of S$25,000,000. The primary scope of our research is to develop spike-based computing and learning algorithms for deep spiking neural networks on a neuromorphic chip. Specifically, we are interested in employing spikes in information processing and learning. To this end, successful candidates will conduct research in one or more of the following areas: - Neuronal coding. What coding and readout strategy underlie spike-based representation. How to encode external stimuli into spike based representations and how to readout information from spike activities. - Learning. How does neurons adapt their synaptic weights to perform a given task under cases of supervised, unsupervised and reinforcement signals. What are the underlying mechanisms for deep-structured network learning. - System integration and applications. How to integrate different computational principles into a system and apply it to solve different practical tasks. Two particular focus of research are: - Deep reinforcement learning on a neuromorphic platform for the control of robots deployed in the advanced manufacturing domain - Compressing and mapping of state-of-art deep learning networks onto a neuromorphic platform, for either inference (only) or both training and inference. Preference will be given to candidates who can document knowledge in machine learning, neural networks, information processing, system design or hardware implementation with VLSI and FPGA. Candidates must have a PhD (for scientists) or MS/BS (for engineers) in computer science, computational neuroscience or related fields. Strong programming and quantitative skills are highly desired. Candidates should be proficient in spoken and written English. The appointments will be for 3 years, and extended for another 1 year, after review. Salaries are commensurate with internationally-competitive salaries and benefits. The start date is flexible and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. Other benefits include: - Funding for international conferences and training courses - Collaboration opportunities with an excellent network of international scientists Candidates please send your curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests and three references to Dr. Yansong Chua (chuays(a)i2r.a-star.edu.sg) or Dr. Qiang Yu (yuqiang(a)i2r.a-star.edu.sg) More information: - Institute for Infocomm Research: http://www.i2r.a-star.edu.sg/ - Working in Singapore: http://www.contactsingapore.sg/ professionals/why_singapore/

March 20, 2017

faculty position

by Canavier, Carmen C.

The Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine in New Orleans is seeking a full-time academic faculty member at the rank of Assistant to Associate Professor– Research in neurobiology on the non-tenure track. Departmental research strengths include, but are not limited to, synaptic physiology, electrophysiology, and computational neuroscience. The Centers of Excellence in Neuroscience, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Biology provide additional collaborative opportunities. The successful candidate is expected to work independently, as well as collaboratively, using existing shared departmental resources for routine molecular biology, cell microscopy, RNAscope, and a Linux cluster. Candidates must have a clear vision on how to maintain (or establish) a funded research program, as well as the skills and publication record to support this vision utilizing the resources available in the department. Qualifications * Ph.D, M.D. or M.D./Ph.D * Postdoctoral experience and a publication record commensurate with experience level About the School Additional information about the department and faculty is available on the LSUHSC website: http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/cell_biology/ Applicant Instructions Candidates must submit a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, summary of research plans and contact information for 3-4 professional references in a single file attachment. You must apply online at https://www.lsuhsc.edu/Administration/hrm/CareerOpportunities/Home/Detail/1…

March 17, 2017

Cajal Course in Computational Neuroscience: Deadline March 27

by Jakob Macke

CAJAL COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 6-26 August 2017, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal http://www.cccn.pt We have extended the application deadline to 27 March 2017 (midnight, CET time). DIRECTORS • Gilles Laurent (MPI Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany) • Jakob Macke (Research Center Caesar, an associate of the Max Planck Society, Bonn, Germany) • Christian Machens (Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Portugal) Computational Neuroscience is a rapidly evolving field whose methods and techniques are critical for understanding and modelling the brain, and also for designing and interpreting experiments. Mathematical modeling is an essential tool to cut through the vast complexity of neurobiological systems and their many interacting elements. This three-weeks school teaches the central ideas, methods, and practice of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. Each morning is devoted to lectures given by distinguished international faculty on topics across the breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. During the rest of the day, students work on research projects in teams of 2-3 people under the close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Research projects will be proposed by faculty before the course, and will include the modeling of neurons, neural systems, and behavior, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data (behavioral data, multi-electrode recordings, calcium imaging data, connectomics data, etc.), and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. The course is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics and psychology. Students are expected to have a keen interest and basic background in neurobiology, a solid foundation in mathematics, as well as some computer experience. A four-day pre-school in mathematics and programming is offered for students that want to catch up on their math and programming skills. A maximum of 24 students will be accepted. Students of any nationality can apply. We specifically encourage applications from researchers who work in the developing world. Stipends are available. More information on the course website, http://www.ccn.pt Apply here: http://www.fens.org/Training/CAJAL-programme/CAJAL-Courses-2017/CCCN2017/ Contact address: Simone Zacarias, simone.zacarias(a)research.fchampalimaud.org Faculty: Alberto Bernacchia University of Cambridge, UK Claudia Clopath Imperial College London, UK Anne Collins Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, USA Sophie Denève Institut d'Etudes de la Cognition (IEC), France Rainer Engelken Max Planck, Goettingen, Germany David Fitzpatrick Max-Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, USA Julijana Gjorgjieva Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Pedro J. Gonçalves Research Center Caesar, Associate of Max Planck Society, Germany Richard Hahnloser Institute of Neuroinformatics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland Michael Häusser Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, UK Andreas Herz Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich, Germany Matthias Kaschube Frankfurt Institute for Advanced studies, Germany Simon Laughlin University of Cambridge, UK Máté Lengyel University of Cambridge, UK Zhaoping Li University College London, UK Jennifer Linden UCL Ear Institute, UK Thomas Mrsic-Flogel Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, UK Joe Paton Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Portugal Astrid Prinz Emory University, USA Maneesh Sahani Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL, UK Thanos Siapas Caltech, USA Tatjana Tchumatchenko Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Andreas Tolias Baylor College of Medicine, USA Byron Yu Carnegie Mellon University, USA Jakob Macke Max Planck Research Group Leader Neural Systems Analysis research center caesar www.mackelab.org

March 17, 2017