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post-doc position on interacting neuronal assemblies at University of Genova
by Paolo Massobrio 27 Feb '23

27 Feb '23

We are seeking highly motivated candidates for a post-doctoral position (1 year) at the Neuroengineering and NeuroTechnology Lab, <http://www.unige.it/> University of Genova, Genova, ITALY. The candidate will be involved in the funded PNRR Italian Project Mnesys (https://mnesys.eu/) a large neuroscience and neuropharmacology consortium coordinated by University of Genova which involves 25 partners. Among the topics of the project, the one which will involve the candidate deals with both computational and experimental staffs. In particular, the candidate will work with experimental models of brain-on-a-chip where different neuronal populations (e.g., cortical-hippocampal; cortical-thalamic; cortical-cerebellar, .) interact originating complex neuronal dynamics. Depending on the candidate attitude, she/he will be involved in the development of large-scale computational models of such interconnected neuronal networks or the development of advanced algorithms to infer functional and dynamical properties originated by the interactions of these ensembles. Requirements: Candidates must have: 1) a PhD in bioengineering, computational neuroscience, physics, engineering, mathematics or a related field; 2) Excellent programming skills in Python, Matlab, C++/C#, 3) a published record of research in the field of computational neuroscience and/or neuroengineering; 4) experience in electrophysiological data analysis and/or modeling. Deadline for submitting the application is March 13th, 2023. The selected candidates will be contacted for a further interview during the following week. The earliest possible starting date is April 1st, 2023, and the position will last for 1 year (possible extension). Our research group has a long tradition in studying the interactions between neuronal populations coupling to Micro-Electrode Arrays (MEAs). See for example the following papers: 1. F. Callegari, M. Brofiga, P. Massobrio. Modeling the three-dimensional connectivity of in vitro cortical ensembles coupled to Micro-Electrode Arrays. PLoS Computational Biology, 2023. 2. M. Brofiga, M. Pisano, M. Tedesco, A. Boccaccio, P. Massobrio. Functional inhibitory connections modulate the electrophysiological activity patterns of cortical-hippocampal ensembles, Cerebral Cortex, 2022. 3. P. Massobrio, V. Pasquale, S. Martinoia. Self-organized criticality in cortical assemblies occurs in concurrent scale-free and small-world networks, Scientific Reports, 2015. 4. T. Kanagasabapathi, P. Massobrio, R. A. Barone, M. Tedesco, S. Martinoia, W. J. Wadman, M. M. J. Decre. Functional connectivity and dynamics of cortical-thalamic networks co-cultured in a dual compartment device. Journal of Neural Engineering, 2012. Our labs are located in Genova <https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/iat> , a beautiful town in northern Italy, both from historical (its historical center is the largest of Europe) and naturalistic point of view (sea and mountains coexist creating a unique landscape). Genova is only 1.30h away from Milan by train and connected by plane to Rome (1.00h), London (2h) and Paris (1.30h). Applications must include an extended CV, a motivation letter, the most relevant papers, and names and addresses of two references. If you are interested, please send your application to: Paolo Massobrio e-mail: paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it <mailto:paolo.massobrio@unige.it> Tel: +39-010-3352761 _________________________________ Paolo Massobrio, PhD Associate Professor of Bioengineering Neuroengineering and Neurotechnology Lab Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS) University of Genova Via Opera Pia 13, 16145, Genova, ITALY Phone: +39 010 3352761 URL: <http://www.dibris.unige.it/> www.dibris.unige.it E-mail: <mailto:paolo.massobrio@unige.it> paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it

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Research Assoc Opening
by Yuvaraj Rajamanickam 27 Feb '23

27 Feb '23

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all doing well! I am looking for a research associate for my project titled "Automated Boredom Detection using Multimodal Physiological Signals." If you could share the information with potential candidates, I would appreciate it. For more information, please refer to the job advertisement link. https://ntu.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers/job/NTU-Main-Campus-Singapore/Res… Regards YUVARAJ

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LiSNN Seminar: Felix Effenberger - A biology-inspired recurrent oscillator network for computations in high-dimensional state space
by Tristan Manfred Stöber 24 Feb '23

24 Feb '23

Dear friends and colleagues, as part of the Learning in Spiking Neural Networks Seminar Series are we cordially inviting you to the following presentation. Speaker: Felix Effenberger - Ernst Strüngmann Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Title: A biology-inspired recurrent oscillator network for computations in high-dimensional state space Abstract: Biological neuronal networks have the propensity to oscillate. However, it is unclear whether these oscillations are a mere byproduct of neuronal interactions or serve computational purposes. Therefore, we implemented hallmark features of the cerebral cortex in recurrent neuronal networks (RNNs) simulated in silico and examined their performance on common pattern recognition tasks after training with a gradient-based learning rule. We find that by configuring network nodes as damped harmonic oscillators (DHOs), performance is substantially improved over non-oscillating architectures and that the introduction of heterogeneous nodes, conduction delays, and network modularity further improved performance. We furthermore provide a proof of concept of how unsupervised Hebbian learning can work in such networks. Analyses of network activity illustrate how the nonlinear dynamics of coupled DHOs drive performance, and provide plausible a posteriori explanations for a number of physiological phenomena whose function so far has been elusive. Also check out the corresponding preprint [1]. Time: 3rd of March 2023 at 14:00 Central European Time. Venue: Hybrid meeting, both on Zoom [2] and in person at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Ruth-Moufang-Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Lecture Hall 100. Best wishes in the name of the GRADE Initiative Learning in Spiking Neural Networks, Tristan Stöber Ps: Videos of previous events can be found on our youtube channel [3] [1] https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.29.518360v1.abstract [2] https://ruhr-uni-bochum.zoom.us/my/tristanstoeber?pwd=YnZ2RlZVTUZPU2ZhNlFyR… [3] https://www.youtube.com/@lisnn.channel5458

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Postdoctoral position in individual differences of plasticity in blindness (Washington DC)
by Ella Striem-Amit 24 Feb '23

24 Feb '23

*Postdoctoral researcher position in individual differences of plasticity in blindness* The Sensory and Motor Plasticity Lab, led by Ella Striem-Amit, is currently recruiting a highly motivated and dedicated Postdoctoral researcher to join their team at Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA. The SAMP lab explores brain organization and experience-dependent plasticity by studying people born blind, deaf, or without hands, using behavioral and fMRI state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The successful applicant will work on the topic of individual differences in plasticity in people born blind. Specifically, the project will test how brain plasticity in blindness may manifest differently in different individuals, and how these differences may account for their compensatory skills and use of assistive devices. For more information about the lab, see samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu <https://samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu/research>. Excellent understanding of and experience with fMRI and data analysis are required. Strong programming skills (Matlab/R/python, etc.) are also a requirement. The position is not limited to US citizens. The start date is September-October 2023, but flexible in exceptional circumstances. This position is available for up to 4 years. To apply, please email your CV and a brief statement of research interests to Ella Striem-Amit (Ella.StriemAmit(a)georgetown.edu) with the subject line: “post-doc application”. Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. -- *Ella Striem-Amit (she/her)* Sensory and Motor Plasticity (SAMP) Lab Edwin H. Richard and Elisabeth Richard Assistant Professor Department of Neuroscience Georgetown University Medical Center 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW Washington, DC 20007 http://samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu/

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Call for abstracts 'Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing: Interdisciplinary Foundations (NNPC 2023)”, 25th – 27th of October 2023 in Hanover, Herrenhausen castle - Germany
by Prof. Dr. Gordon Pipa 24 Feb '23

24 Feb '23

We are happy announce the “Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing: Interdisciplinary Foundations (NNPC 2023)”, taking place from 25th – 27th of October 2023 in Hanover, Herrenhausen castle. Please see our website for information https://nnpc-conference.com/ . The general aim of the conference is to boost interdisciplinary transfer of ideas and networking in the wider fields of non-digital computing. NNPC 2023 is a successor to the 2018 conference “Cognitive Computing: Merging Concepts with Hardware” (https://nnpc-conference.com/2018/ ) whose very productive and motivating format will be kept. The event is generously supported by the Volkswagen Foundation. The conference will run in 5 single-track sessions. 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations, 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures, 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems, 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes, 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. To ensure maximum participation, all attendees are required to submit a 2-page abstract on a subject relating to one of the session themes. These abstracts are peer-reviewed. All accepted submissions will be granted an oral or poster presentation slot, and hosted publicly on the conference website upon agreement by the authors. Importantly, novelty is not essential as our aim is to make knowledge to diffuse across boundaries of the scientific domains involved. You find more detailed information about the aims, background, and thematic structure of this event in the Appendix. The submission form will be available on the conference website shortly. • Submission deadline: March 15th 2023. • Notify authors of acceptance: April 30th 2023. • Notify authors of type of contribution: May 14th 2023. We look forward to hearing from you and to meet in person to make NNPC 2023 a memorable success. With best regards, the Conference Chairs Conference Chairs: Daniel Brunner (photonics, neuromorphic architectures; CNRS) Gordon Pipa (neuroinformatics and cognitive computing; University of Osnabrück) Damien Querlioz (Bioinspired Nanolectronics; Université Paris-Saclay France) Susan Stepney (unconventional computing; University of York, UK) Financial chair: Herbert Jaeger (machine learning, nonlinear dynamics; University of Groningen) Appendix: Aims, structure, venue, and funding of the conference Overview of aims and structure. Four years ago, the pioneering conference Cognitive Computing: Merging Concepts with Hardware assembled a wide-spanning multidisciplinary audience to share and merge insights about non-standard concepts and technologies of computing. At least four traditions were brought together: • Neuromorphic computing: “learn from the brain” • Natural computing: “look at nature’s complex systems” • Physical computing: “use physical effects directly” • Non-standard theoretical computer science: “think outside the Turing machine” Work in these fields has enormously picked up speed in the interim, but it is still a plurality of traditions carried by a multitude of communities. We still lack unified concepts, shared terminology, transferable methods and common goals. After four years, it is a good time to take stock of progress that has been made, and to re-invigorate the effort of connecting our dispersed findings into a joint vision. We do not yet know how we will ultimately name our emerging field of generalized “computing” science. For the time being we will refer to it by calling out its main traditional anchors: Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing (NNPC). In five sessions with much breakout times for personal exchange, we will explore 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations, 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures, 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems, 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes, 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. Each session will be commenced by a 1-hour invited keynotes and feature three 30-minute oral presentations selected from the submitted abstracts. In addition we will invite three 1-hour plenary lectures that cross the session themes. This leaves much time for breaks and extensive poster sessions, a condition that will be creating a productive atmosphere for personal networking. Here are the specifics of the five sessions: Session 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations. The physical substrates of NNPC will host dynamical phenomena that defy the principles of digital computing. Instead of relying on reproducible, stable binary switching, NNPC exploits dynamical processes that are stochastic, non-stationary, continuous-valued, un-clocked and spatially distributed. In order to enable a systematic, insightful design of NNPC systems, new conceptual frameworks and mathematical formalisms are needed. Suggestive topics: • Representing symbols, discrete data structures and operations in nonlinear dynamics • Non-Shannon definitions and measures of information • Emergent phenomena in collective dynamics • Nanoscale or collective phenomena which can serve as computational primitives • Entrainment of NNPC system dynamics to input streams • Temporally and spatially multiscale modeling of complex dynamics • Stabilization and self-calibration mechanisms • Life-long change: aging, continual learning, adaptation to changing tasks and environments • Adaptations of classical (deep) neural network architectures and algorithms to NNPC hardware • Integrative formal languages which unify selected aspects across, for example, stochastic processes, information theory, nonlinear dynamics, topology and graph theory, algebra or signals, systems and control • New kinds of formal logics to capture semantics of NNPC processes • Analyses of ultimate energy minimization or information density • Fundamental models of NNPC systems, analog to the Turing machine model for digital computing Session 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures. Biological brains are so efficient because evolution has found ways to exploit a host of physiological and physical effects which neuronal tissue can offer. Extending this idea of “exploiting the physics” beyond brains, the strategy of what has been called “physical computing” or “in-materio computing” is to find ways to exploit for NNPC whatever physics can offer, opening up for effects that are inaccessible to neurophysiological substrates (and accessible to engineering and fabrication). Suggestive topics: • Physical phenomena supporting computing provided by nano- or microscale devices, across physical domains (electronic, photonic, spintronic, mechanic, chemical, etc.) • Exploiting quantum effects in other ways than in classical quantum computing (e.g. quantum reservoirs) • Spatial structuring in thin films or 3D substrates, boundary formation • Nano- or microscale phase transitions and percolation • Small-scale physical structures with heterogeneous or self-organizing phase-change materials • Non-wire-bound information transfer in physical media through diffusion, fields, soliton or wave propagation, or mechanical transmission • Novel devices with non-digital, modulatable input-output transfer functions • Phenomena and devices with slow-fast dynamics where the slow dynamics can be used for learning or adaptation • Analyses and characterization of computationally potentially relevant properties of materials and devices • Development of “practically useful” materials and devices: long endurance, operation at room temperature, fabricability • Functional ensembles of novel devices in the spirit of neural microcircuits or elementary integrated circuits • Progress in currently investigated neuromorphic architectures (memristor crossbars, spike routing, analog neuron and synapse circuits) Session 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems. Biological brains are currently cited as the living proof that highly energy-efficient and “cognitive” computing beyond the limits of the digital paradigm are possible. This has led to the current dominance of the term “neuromorphic” when one wants to point to alternative computing technologies. However, there is also a long tradition of other non-digital computing proposals, which have been referred to by names like natural / physical / unconventional computing, and which have been pursued in various niches of CS, AI, Alife, theoretical physics and biology, and elsewhere. Our conference gives a forum for all alternative computing paradigms, neuromorphic and other sorts of “unconventional”. Suggested topics: • Learning from the brain: neuro-computational principles, circuits, architectures, and control flows: the neural engineering framework, neural field theory, neural sampling and others • Current developments in DNA computing, swarm intelligence, fungus computing, pattern theory, stochastic and hyperdimensional computing, membrane computing, immune systems, reservoir computing and others • Neuro-plausible learning and optimization concepts, potentially leveraging self-organization and enabling features like continuous learning, learning without forgetting • How do humans / animals build their world models? • Strategies from nature for system robustness (theoretical biology, neuroscience, ecology) • Pre-rational intelligence in animals from amoeba to insects to pigeons, zebra finches and rats (and the pre-rational information processing in humans, too) • Computational interpretations of self-organization in complex natural systems • ALife views on computing systems Session 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes. A key factor that empowered digital computing to become a world-changing technology is its scalability. Starting from concatenating bits into bitstrings and Boolean gates into Boolean circuits, arbitrarily compounded hierarchical data structures and program flows can be designed according to well-understood compositional principles. General principles of compositionality for non-symbolic information representations and arbitrarily extensible processing hierarchies for NNPC await their discovery. On the hardware side, only a few proposals for extensible multi-module neuromorphic architectures have been proposed (SpiNNaker immediately comes to mind) which present technical solutions for neural signal routing but are still limited with regards to functional and architectural diversity of the joinable modules. From a use case view, compositional principles for NNPC task specifications are likewise still restricted to specific, limited computational paradigms (as in the neural engineering framework or Act-R). Progress in general principles for scaling systems to arbitrary complexity is a key condition for the long-term sustainability of NNPC. Suggested topics: • Concepts for compositional non-symbolic “data” and information representation • Concepts for compositional procedure hierarchies • Synchronization mechanisms in unclocked parallel computing systems • Cognitive architectures, hierarchical control principles, autonomous agent models • Configuration principles for multi-module neural network architectures • Bidirectional top-down and bottom-up processing in deep neural (and other) architectures • Unclocked FPGA demonstrations • Routing and addressing mechanisms – formal and in hardware • Fundamental questions of hardware topology and physical integration to enable scalability of resources (energy, space, heat deposition, etc.) • High-capacity, richly structured long-term memory • Lifelong learning in NNPC systems • Growing hardware systems • Multi-modal sensor signal processing in non-digital neuromorphic systems • Progress in large-scale neuromorphic systems • Distributed energy supply in NNPC systems • Distributed input and output channeling to/from NNPC systems • NNPC-suited communication formats and networking solutions • Deep spiking neural networks and multi-module recurrent neural networks suitable for analog hardware realizations • Options and limits of commercial fabricability • Hybrid digital-NNPC systems aiming for scalable complexity Session 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. Commercially or societally relevant scenarios for NNPC applications are still confined to niches. This is certainly due, on the one hand, to the early stage of NNPC research which is still mostly foundational and academic. But on the other hand, in our search for broad application scenarios we might be partly blinded by the urge to replace digital solutions in order to outwit the “End of Moore’s Law” and save energy. While this original motivation will remain strong and continue to call for NNPC solutions, other NNPC systems may turn out to be so different from digital systems that they cannot simply be plugged in where the latter are to be phased out. To the extent that NNPC systems become more brain-like (self-organizing, aging, with individual learning histories) they also become less computer-like. They may not be programmable in the accustomed way but need to be trained; they may not be identically reproducible but individual; they may not be re-bootable from some starting state but always-on (and might “die” if cut from energy supply). On the plus side, besides their energy efficiency they may boast an admirable robustness against variable or noisy input and physical damage; realize enormous data throughput rates; be bio-implantable; find creative un-premediated solutions for their tasks, and last but not least they may be un-hackable due to their individuality. All of this requires a thorough re-thinking of what an information-processing system is, what it can be used for, or what it can be doing all on its own. This is an interdisciplinary agenda which involves not only engineers but also psychologists, sociologists, economists and philosophers. Suggested topics: • Progress in currently discussed application scenarios: optical computing for communication systems, implantable neurochips and neuroprosthetics, ultra-low power or even energy harvesting edge computing, sensing and control for compliant or soft robots, analog/spiking adaptations of deep learning techniques, ubiquitous sensing, and more. • Methods to “make NNPC systems do what we want”: generalized concepts of “programming”, physical and functional configuration methods, training and scaffolding schemes, evolutionary optimization • Engineering pipelines: how would they differ from the digital system development routines? • How to “use” intelligent autonomous agents (avatars, game characters, robots) • Explainable NNPC: from formal analyses of trained distributed systems to accountability ethics of autonomous, individual artificial agents • Philosophy of engineering: a concept shift from reproducible, controllable tools to individual agents and personal companions • Interdisciplinary education: academic study programs, web services, funding initiatives Conference venue. The venue, the Castle of Herrenhausen (https://www.schloss-herrenhausen.de/en/home/ ), a heritage of the Kings of Hannover – who for a long historical period were at the same time Kings of England – was transformed into an award-winning center for scientific events and is today administered and maintained through the Volkswagen Foundation. The Herrenhausen Gardens stretch across hectares of classical French gardening. Why the Volkswagen Foundation supports NNPC. All funding is provided by the Volkswagen Foundation (https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en ), Germany’s largest private organization for the advancement of scientific research. The funding covers the royal conference venue, excellent catering, travel and accommodation for all speakers and the session chairs, and fee waivers for every participant. There is a reason for this generous commitment. The Foundation focuses its investments on a small number of research fields across all sciences that are (i) interdisciplinary and in a nascent stadium, (ii) not yet widely funded by industry or public agencies, (iii) show a potential for foundational discoveries and long-term societal benefits. One of these foci identified by the Foundation coincides with the themes of NNPC: non-digital computing technologies, including but not limited to neuromorphic computing, across all levels from materials through devices, microchip technologies, new computing paradigms, user-machine interaction scenarios, to the philosophy of computing and societal impact. The 2018 conference “Cognitive Computing” was a trigger for the Foundation to adopt this theme. Within this theme, the Foundation supports a spectrum of activities, among them our 2023 conference.

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Postdoctoral positions in learning and pain modulation, NIH
by Atlas, Lauren (NIH/NCCIH) [E] 23 Feb '23

23 Feb '23

Dr. Lauren Atlas’s laboratory<https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural/section-on-affective-neurosci…> is recruiting one to two postdoctoral researchers with expertise in fMRI and affective science to join the Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain (ANP) to lead new projects on the psychological modulation of pain and emotional experience. Dr. Atlas’s lab is part of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s (NCCIH) intramural research program<https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural>, and affiliated with the Intramural Research Programs of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Learn more about the NIH Intramural Training Program.<https://www.training.nih.gov/programs> Research in the ANP Lab focuses on the mechanisms by which expectations, learning, and other cognitive and affective factors influence pain, emotion, and clinical outcomes. We combine approaches from experimental psychology, neuroimaging, psychophysiology, and computational modeling to investigate pain and emotional experience in healthy individuals as well as individuals with chronic pain and/or affective disorders. We are particularly interested in the intersection of appetitive and aversive learning, how psychosocial factors influence pain and clinical outcomes, and questions motivated by pain’s central role in the opioid crisis. Postdoctoral researchers are expected to develop their own projects, with guidance, and to collaborate with other researchers in the lab as well as in the broader NIH community. We are looking for someone to spearhead new projects using high field imaging (7T-FMRI) to examine pain and perception across domains and/or using simultaneous PET-MRI to study the role of dopamine and opioids in pain modulation. Clinical collaborations to look at the intersection between pain, mental health, and/or substance use disorders are also possible. The candidate should have a strong background in psychology and neuroscience and must have received a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the time of appointment. Candidates with successful publications in the fields of pain, emotion, and/or computational modeling are encouraged to apply. Postdoctoral positions require experience with 1) design of behavioral and fMRI experiments, 2) analysis of fMRI data using statistical parametric mapping packages (SPM, AFNI, etc.), and 3) programming and analysis skills in MATLAB, R, and/or Python. These requirements will be flexible for candidates with clinical experience or experience in psychopharmacology, as we are currently planning clinical collaborations. Appointments and salary are commensurate with research experience and accomplishments (www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp<http://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp>). The candidate will be supported with the excellent intramural NIH fellowship in a stimulating and interactive research environment at NIH. NIH has exceptional multidisciplinary research facilities including structural and functional MRI, MEG, PET, and TMS. Our lab is fully funded with dedicated weekly scan time, a full-time data analyst, and the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s foremost fMRI experts. Training in advanced imaging and other techniques is available, as are courses in grant writing and career development. Trainees can also apply to be fellows in the Center on Compulsive Behaviors<https://research.ninds.nih.gov/researchers/center-compulsive-behaviors-ccb#….>, a trans-NIH fellowship program. This is an exciting and collaborative environment for those interested in pursuing a career in clinical or cognitive neuroscience. How To Apply Applicants should submit a CV, a brief description of research interests and career goals, and the names of three references to Dr. Lauren Atlas<mailto:lauren.atlas@nih.gov> (Investigator/Chief, Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain, NCCIH/NIMH/NIDA, NIH). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The Department of Health and Human Services and NIH are equal opportunity employers committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

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Call for contribution and registration to the Systems Vision Science Symposium: Aug. 22-24, 2023, in Tuebingen, Germany
by Pavlovic, Maria 23 Feb '23

23 Feb '23

Systems Vision Science Symposium Aug. 22-24, 2023 in Tübingen, Germany Our symposium takes place at the end of our Systems Vision Science summer school Aug. 14-24, 2023. Presentation topics by the invited speakers will be ® Topics in Systems Vision Science ® The power of two: New perspectives on binocular vision ® Central versus peripheral vision We are pleased to announce our symposium's keynote speaker: Marty Sereno. The keynote speech will be on August 22, 2023 Invited speakers of the Systems Vision Science Summer School and Symposium include: Assaf Breska, Peter Dayan, Andrea van Doorn, Wolfgang Einhäuser-Treyer, Karl Gegenfurtner, Ziad Hafed, Tadashi Isa, Jan Koenderink, Kristine Krug, Hanspeter Mallot, Laurence Maloney, Pascal Mamassian, Antje Nuthmann, Daniel Osorio, Andrew Parker, Jenny Read, Alexander Schütz, Manuel Spitschan, Kristina Visscher, Li Zhaoping. -------------------------------- We invite you to submit contributions in form of posters to the symposium on all topics in Systems Vision Science, which combines computational, behavioral, and neuroscience methods to discover functions and algorithms for vision in various brain regions and their implementations in neural circuits. To maximize exchanges during the symposium, each poster will be displayed throughout the symposium, which includes five poster sessions (two daytime sessions and three evening sessions), in a venue next to the lecture hall and coffee breaks to give enough time for discussions, networking and knowledge exchange. To contribute, please fill out our registration form including an abstract, which can be found here: <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/contributions-for-symposium/> https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/contributions-for-symposium/ -------------------------------- Submissions of contributions are possible until April 30, 2023. Registration without contribution to the symposium will be open until capacity or deadline for organization is reached. This years venue capacity is 100, including invited speakers and summer school participants. Information about our summer school, which takes place just before the Systems Vision Science Symposium, can be found here: <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/> https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/ Please direct inquiries to <mailto:svs.summerschool@tue.mpg.de> svs.summerschool(a)tue.mpg.de -------------------------------- Organizing team: Li Zhaoping Ulf Lüder Maria Pavlovic Junhao Liang Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics University of Tuebingen www.lizhaoping.org <http://www.lizhaoping.org>

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Research Associate on project “A technology to extract memories from the human brain”
by Howard Bowman 23 Feb '23

23 Feb '23

POSTDOC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE ON PROJECT “A TECHNOLOGY TO EXTRACT MEMORIES FROM THE HUMAN BRAIN USING EFIT6 AND THE FRINGE-P3 BRAINWAVE METHOD” School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, UK. We are looking for a researcher with neuroimaging and machine learning expertise. The Fringe-P3 method (Bowman et al, 2013; Alsufyani et al, 2019) developed out of a line of theoretical work focussed on temporal attention and perception on the fringe of awareness (Bowman & Wyble, 2007; Avilés et al, 2020; Bowman & Avilés, 2022). The method provides a means to present a large number of visual stimuli very rapidly to a participant’s brain and then determine with EEG, which of those stimuli the participant finds salient. A very simple form of salience that we look at is familiarity, with stimuli that are familiar breaking into participants’ awareness and thereby generating a P3 (or a variant of it), which we detect with EEG. The method has been proposed as a deception detector, specifically, a (countermeasures-resistant) concealed-knowledge test (Bowman et al, 2013, 2014; Alsufyani et al, 2019; Harris et al, 2021). Our recent Innovate UK project with the company Visionmetric (https://visionmetric.com/) used the Fringe-P3 method to provide a prototype system for extracting the memory of a face. This is done by generating a facial morph that is a weighted average of the faces presented in rapid serial visual presentation, with weight determined by the strength of the P3 that face generated. A demo of the system developed in this project can be seen here: https://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/hb5/EEGFIT_prototype_demo_cut.mp4 The Research Associate will be employed on a recently awarded EPSRC Impact Acceleration account at the University of Birmingham, which, with Visionmetric, will improve the efficiency with which P3s are detected with machine learning and will also explore alternative detection modalities, such as pupil dilation. The position is for one year in the first instance, but with the possibility of follow-on funding. Direct enquiries to the Principal Investigator, Howard Bowman (H.Bowman(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:H.Bowman@bham.ac.uk>). Professor Howard Bowman (Psychology, University of Birmingham; Computing, University of Kent and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL [honorary]). To apply for this job, search for it on the following site, https://edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_6… Alsufyani, A., Hajilou, O., Zoumpoulaki, A., Filetti, M., Alsufyani, H., Solomon, C. J., ... & Bowman, H. (2019). Breakthrough percepts of famous faces. Psychophysiology, 56(1). Avilés, A., Bowman, H., & Wyble, B. (2020). On the limits of evidence accumulation of the preconscious percept. Cognition, 195, 104080. Bowman, H., & Avilés, A. (2022). No Subliminal Memory for Spaced Repeated Images in Rapid-Serial-Visual-Presentation Streams. Psychological Science, 33(11), 1959-1965. Bowman, H., Filetti, M., Janssen, D., Su, L., Alsufyani, A., & Wyble, B. (2013). Subliminal salience search illustrated: EEG identity and deception detection on the fringe of awareness. PLoS One, 8(1). Bowman, H., Filetti, M., Alsufyani, A., Janssen, D., & Su, L. (2014). Countering countermeasures: Detecting identity lies by detecting conscious breakthrough. PloS one, 9(3), e90595. Bowman, H., & Wyble, B. (2007). The simultaneous type, serial token model of temporal attention and working memory. Psychological review, 114(1), 38. Harris, K., Miller, C., Jose, B., Beech, A., Woodhams, J., & Bowman, H. (2021). Breakthrough percepts of online identity: Detecting recognition of email addresses on the fringe of awareness. European Journal of Neuroscience, 53(3), 895-901. -------------------------------------------- Professor Howard Bowman (PhD) Professor of Cognition & Logic in Computing at Uni Kent, and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in Psychology at Uni Birmingham (honorary at Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London) Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems and the School of Computing, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF, UK email: H.Bowman(a)kent.ac.uk<mailto:H.Bowman@kent.ac.uk> WWW: http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/hb5/ School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

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Open rank faculty positions at the intersection of biological and artificial intelligence at Indiana University
by Zoran Tiganj 22 Feb '23

22 Feb '23

The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering (SICE), the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences (PBS), and the School of Optometry (IUSO) at Indiana University (IU) Bloomington invite applications for two faculty positions to begin on August 1, 2023. We seek applicants working at the intersection of biological and artificial intelligence, with a focus on reverse engineering the computational foundations of biological intelligence using tools from machine learning and artificial intelligence. The positions are part of a new initiative—Reverse Engineering the Foundations of Intelligence—that aims to transform our understanding of human and animal intelligence. IU has long been an international leader in discussions of how brains, bodies, and environments contribute to intelligent behavior. This initiative is designed to build on these strengths and propel IU to the forefront of research at the interaction of biological and artificial intelligence. The positions are open at the full and associate professor levels, but exceptional candidates at the assistant professor level or in industry may be considered. We seek dynamic individuals with an international reputation and experience working in rapidly expanding & intellectually diverse interdisciplinary areas. We also seek individuals who excel working in team environments and whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to IU’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Minimum Qualifications: A PhD in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, or a related field, and a distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and professional experience appropriate for a tenured professorship at IU Bloomington. Applications received by March 2, 2023 will receive full consideration; however, the search will remain open until suitable candidates are found. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. Candidates should review application requirements, learn more about SICE, PBS, IUSO, and employee benefits, and apply online at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/16752 Questions, nominations, and confidential inquiries may be sent to Justin Wood (woodjn(a)indiana.edu) or Rowan Candy (rcandy(a)indiana.edu) Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Before a conditional offer of employment with tenure is finalized, candidates will be asked to disclose any pending investigations or previous findings of sexual or professional misconduct. They will also be required to authorize an inquiry by Indiana University Bloomington with all current and former employers along these lines. The relevance of information disclosed or ascertained in the context of this process to a candidate’s eligibility for hire will be evaluated by Indiana University Bloomington on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should be aware, however, that Indiana University Bloomington takes the matters of sexual and professional misconduct very seriously.

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Postdoctoral opportunity in Janssen Pharmaceuticals
by Rouhollah Abdollahi 21 Feb '23

21 Feb '23

We have a great opportunity for postdoctoral position in our team in Janssen pharmaceuticals, companies of Johnson & Johnson, working on neuroimaging projects. The location of the candidate should be Europe or USA, but remote option also can be arranged. https://jobs.jnj.com/en/jobs/2306106495w/post-doctoral-scientist-data-scien… -- Sent from Gmail Mobile

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Software Highlight: Kay Robbins: HED (Hierarchical Event Descriptors)
by Ankur Sinha 21 Feb '23

21 Feb '23

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posts. Please join the INCF/OCNS Software Working Group for our next Software Highlight session: Kay Robbins[0] will introduce and discuss HED, a practical system for describing an experiment using an analysis-ready framework. https://ocns.github.io/SoftwareWG/2023/02/17/software-highlight-kay-robbins… - Date: February 28, 2023, 1600 UTC (Click here to see your local time[1]) (Add to calendar[2]). - Zoom (link): https://ucl.zoom.us/j/99321986413?pwd=OUdFTlJ3NVloUmJ1U0Q3WE9vRERMZz09 The abstract for the talk is below: In human neuroimaging experiments, a record of what a participant experiences together with a clear understanding of the participant (task) intent are key to interpreting recorded brain dynamics. HED (Hierarchical Event Descriptors, https://www.hedtags.org) annotations and supporting infrastructure can provide human-understandable machine-actionable descriptions of events experienced during laboratory and/or real-world time series recordings. HED, which is well-integrated into BIDS (Brain Imaging Data Structure) has an ecosystem of tools supporting researchers at various stages including data acquisition, annotation, sharing, and analysis. This talk will describe HED principles, focusing on basic representations of an experiment and its design. Various tools in the HED ecosystem to support search, summary and analysis will be introduced and demonstrated. Finally, we’ll discuss how tool developers can leverage the HED infrastructure to build advanced analysis tools capable of automated analysis in support of machine learning. HED is an entirely open-source project, and the HED Working Group welcomes contributors and contributions. Papers and resources: - Capturing the nature of events and event context using Hierarchical Event Descriptors (HED). NeuroImage. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921010387 - Building FAIR functionality: Annotating events in time series data using Hierarchical Event Descriptors (HED). Neuroinformatics. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12021-021-09537-4 - Resources: https://www.hed-resources.org - GitHub organization: https://github.com/hed-standard [0] https://www.utsa.edu/sciences/computer-science/faculty/KayRobbins.html [1] https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Software+Highligh… [2] https://ocns.github.io/SoftwareWG/extras/ics/20230228-kay-robbins-hed.ics On behalf of the Software WG, -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in Research Fellow at the Silver Lab, University College London | http://silverlab.org/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the NeuroFedora project | https://neuro.fedoraproject.org Time zone: Europe/London

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PhD position in System Neuroscience
by Shahidi, Neda 21 Feb '23

21 Feb '23

Dear all, I have a new Ph.D. position in System Neuroscience at the University of Göttingen and the German Primate Center in Göttingen. We will use a new paradigm in studying neural correlates of decision-making in monkeys: The animals in our study will make decisions that are more natural to them, less repetitive, and require less training. Also, we will use chronic electrophysiology enabling us to simultaneously probe many neurons using a technology that is more or less plug-and-play. That means less animal training and less neuron-fishing. However, because there is nothing like a free lunch, this comes with a cost: Analyzing the data will be way more complicated, compared to a classical experiment! Therefore, the ideal candidate is proficient in data analysis and coding, but also enthusiastic to work with monkeys (Do you enjoy teaching your dog a trick or two? then you will also enjoy working with our monkeys). Please find more information here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/644546.html?filters={%22vollzeit%22:[],%22…<https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/644546.html?filters=%7B%22vollzeit%22:%5B%…> and please feel free to spread the word. Kind Regards Neda

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Postdoc position in bio-inspired AI at University of Sussex
by Thomas Nowotny 20 Feb '23

20 Feb '23

Dear colleagues, We are looking for a post-doctoral research fellow to join our Sussex team working on bio-inspired AI and computational modelling of insect behaviour and learning. You will join a BBSRC funded project called “Emergent embodied cognition in shallow neural networks”. https://www.sussex.ac.uk/about/jobs/research-fellow-ref-10735 Your primary role will be to develop simulations of learning problems that insects face such as flower learning or navigation. Insect learning occurs rapidly within shallow neural networks. This is possible because learning is an active process emerging from the interaction of evolved brains, sensory systems and behaviours. We will explore how behavioural strategies and specialised sensors interact with learning success. You will work under the supervision of Prof Paul Graham (Sussex, School of Life Sciences) and Professors Andrew Philippides and Thomas Nowotny (Sussex, Department of Informatics). You will join an active team of research fellows and PhD students working on similar topics. Closing date: 09 March 2023. Applications must be received by midnight (UK) Expected interview date: to be confirmed Expected start date: early April 2023 Please contact Prof Paul Graham, p.r.graham(a)sussex.ac.uk, for informal enquiries. With regards, Thomas -- Prof. Thomas Nowotny Head of AI Research Group CCNR, Sussex Neuroscience Phone: +44-1273-678593 Engineering and Informatics, Fax: +44-1273-877873 University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny<http://sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny> [../../owa/redir.aspx?C=9e11bb0e527242938402b42d9b5498ea&URL=http%3a%2f%2fsussex.ac.uk%2finformatics%2ftnowotny] I support the University of Sussex Community Pledge, as I continue to help those around me during the pandemic. Small acts of collaboration, kindness and integrity can make a big difference. www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge>

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Fast Lane to Slow Science – Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month – 20 March 2023, 13h GMT / 14h CET
by Sidarus, Nura 20 Feb '23

20 Feb '23

Hi, Can you please advertise the following event. Thank you in advance, Nura Sidarus. Fast Lane to Slow Science Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month Monday, 20th March 2023 – 13h GMT / 14h CET You are warmly invited to join us in celebrating International Women's Month with an online panel discussion on "Fast Lane to Slow Science". If "fast science is bad for scientists and bad for science" (Frith, TiCS, 2019), how can we move towards a Slow Science? What are the implications for the evaluation of science and scientists? And for equity and diversity? Join our panel of world leading scientists, who have been shaping science, science evaluation and science policy in Europe, to discuss these questions and more: * Professor Dame Uta Frith, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK. Author of "Fast Lane to Slow Science<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cell.…>" (TiCS, 2019). * Professor Sylvie Lorente, College of Engineering, Villanova University, USA. Member of the ERC Scientific Council. * Professor Toma Susi, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Austria. Member of the Steering Board of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment. Details and registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-month-celebration-panel-discussion-on…<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.event…> Organised and chaired by Dr Nura Sidarus, Royal Holloway University of London, and facilitated by Dr María Jesús Maraver, University of Granada. Conceived by Women in Cognitive Science - Europe<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…> & supported by Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…>. This email, its contents and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. In certain circumstances, it may also be subject to legal privilege. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. If you have received this email in error, please notify us and immediately and permanently delete it. Any views or opinions expressed in personal emails are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Royal Holloway, University of London. It is your responsibility to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus free.

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3rd International Workshop On Neurodynamics (NDy’23) June 14-17, 2023 Castro-Urdiales, Spain
by bgutkin 20 Feb '23

20 Feb '23

> 3rd International Workshop On Neurodynamics (NDy’23) > June 14-17, 2023 > Castro-Urdiales, Spain > > http://cody.unizar.es/events/neurodynamics23/ <http://cody.unizar.es/events/neurodynamics23/> > > *** Scientific committee *** > Roberto Barrio, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. > Stephen Coombes, University of Nottingham, UK. > Boris Gutkin, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris. France. > Santiago Ibañez, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain. > Valeri Makarov, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. > Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, University of Exeter, UK. > > Neuroscience is nowadays one of the most collaborative and active scientific research fields as it has been increasingly involving the participation of experts from other disciplines. In particular, computational and mathematical aspects of neuroscience are currently playing an important role both in modeling and replicating experimental findings and in explaining the underlying mechanisms of neurophysiological or cognitive processes. Differential equations are ubiquitous in the modeling of such phenomena and, consequently, nonlinear dynamics and dynamical systems techniques become fundamental sources of new mathematical and computational tools to study neuroscience models. > > The aim of this Third Workshop on Neurodynamics, NDy’23 (first edition and second were NDy’14 and NDy'18) is to present an overview of successful achievements in this rapidly developing collaborative field by putting together different types of applications of nonlinear dynamics (geometrical tools in dynamical systems, numerical methods, computational schemes, dynamical measures,…) to different problems in neuroscience (mononeuronal dynamics, network activity, cognitive problems,…). Additional emphasis will be put on experimental findings seeking for theoretical explanations, and therefore this meeting is focussed on using mathematics as the primary tool for elucidating the fundamental mechanisms responsible for experimentally observed behavior in the applied neurosciences. Importantly, it will draw attention to those pieces of mathematical theory which are likely to be relevant to future studies of the brain. The final goal is spreading together mathematical methodology and neuroscience challenges and stimulating future cross-collaborations among participants, being Mathematical Neuroscience the generic topic for NDy’23. > > Important dates: > Short abstract/Title submission deadline 31st March 2023 > Payment deadline (reduced fee, 240 Euros) 14th April 2023 > Payment deadline (complete fee, 290 Euros) 5 th May 2023 > ******************************** > > > > >

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Postdoc position in Computational Biophysics at Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks
by von Behren, Christina 20 Feb '23

20 Feb '23

Dear Scientists, We would like to draw your attention to the postdoc opportunity below. The Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN)<https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/608362.html> invites applications for a position of Postdoctoral Researcher in Computational Biophysics (all genders welcome) The position will be full-time (currently 39,8 hours/week), German pay grade 13 TV-L, starting as soon as possible. The CIDBN Department "Physics of Biological Systems", headed by Prof. Fred Wolf, offers a fixed-term contract until June 30, 2025 with the perspective of an extension commensurate with building a competitive track record at the frontier of computational biophysics and neural circuit theory. Information is processed in brain circuits through the coordinated action of large-scale circuits of neurons and synapses. Ultimately, it is the nano-scale molecular architecture of neuronal synapses that can make or break the power of neural circuit computation. Progress in a broad suite of nanoscopy techniques is currently uncovering the molecular-level design of synapses subserving functions such as working memory or sensory coding. The spatio-temporal operation of these nano-machines and the efficiency of their design, however, remain to be understood and are core research aims of the Göttingen Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1286 "Quantitative Synaptology". We are inviting applications from theoretical biophysicists, molecular systems biologists, or computational scientists with an ambition to pioneer computational studies of synaptic functional design. We offer a stimulating environment of theoretical neuroscientists, neural data-scientists, and cutting-edge experimentalists associated with CRC 1286. In addition, the institute provides dedicated support for high-performance computing. We are dedicated to supporting the growth of original research personalities at the frontier of computational science and neural circuit theory. The successful applicant will hold an excellent PhD in physics, applied mathematics, computer science, or equivalent, and have a strong interest in high-performance computing in neuroscience or cellular systems biology. We expect excellent analytical and coding skills, interest in working in a transdisciplinary team as well as excellence in scientific writing and reasoning. Experience in non-equilibrium statistical physics, stochastic dynamics, membrane biophysics, ion-channel and biochemical kinetics, buffered Ca-diffusion, and Ca-exocytosis coupling would be advantageous. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University, the University Medical Center, two life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen. The CIDBN is a newly founded transdisciplinary institute whose mission is to foster frontier research at the border of the exact and biological sciences. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please send your e-mail application in one single PDF-document, including a letter of motivation, your curriculum vitae with a list of publications, copies of your certificates and contact information of two references by March 19, 2023 to cidbn(a)uni-goettingen.de<mailto:cidbn@uni-goettingen.de> (subject: Postdoc CIDBN). Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Heinrich-Düker-Weg 12, 37073 Göttingen. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Fred Wolf via e-mail: fred.wolf(a)ds.mpg.de<mailto:fred.wolf@ds.mpg.de>. Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo <https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo%20> Best regards, Christina von Behren ------ Goettingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Goettingen University of Goettingen Heinrich-Dueker-Weg 12 37073 Goettingen Germany

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[CFP, Deadline: March 15] IEEE T-MBMC - Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs
by Murat Kuşcu 17 Feb '23

17 Feb '23

(Apologies if you receive multiple copies.) IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs: Synergies between Bio/Nanotechnologies and Molecular Communications https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/cfp/bio-chem-icts-s… ----------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS Molecular Communications (MC) is a fundamental means of information exchange ubiquitously observed in nature. It has recently attracted the attention of researchers who have been working in information and communication technologies (ICT) and striving to create cooperative nanonetworks of artificial nanomachines, which can be interfaced with or immersed in natural biological systems. Application of ICT tools to this natural modality of communications has laid the foundations of bio-inspired, engineered MC systems, and also contributed to the understanding of natural MC networks. It is no wonder that such fundamental form of communications has been a topic of significant interest in many diverse research fields beyond ICT, such as synthetic biology, systems chemistry, micro/nanorobotics, network medicine, biophysics and physiology, biochemical sensing, lab- and organ-on-chips, bio-interfaces, molecular and biological computing, drug discovery, design and delivery. However, different languages are typically adopted by different fields to refer to the same phenomenon that the ICT researchers call molecular communications, such as chemical communications, biological/cell signaling, interaction networks, which all fundamentally denote information transfer via mass transport and/or biochemical reactions and interactions. Despite the significant overlap in the problem and the application domain, not only the language but also the research methodologies and the solution approaches are diverse, partly due to the apparent lack of strong links between different research communities. On the other hand, closer interactions between these disciplines can create important synergies that can help collaboratively target more challenging research problems and develop unprecedented applications, where the power of true interdisciplinarity is unleashed. These interactions can also help better identify the common motifs in the heterogeneous sea of molecular communication problems and scenarios comprising both biotic and abiotic systems, and help reframe and standardize the way we approach biological and bio-inspired communications in the hope of enabling a common scientific and engineering language. The aim of this Special Issue is to facilitate such interactions by bringing together the contributions of prominent researchers from diverse fields that share a common denominator with the ICT approach to MC. Reflecting different perspectives on natural and engineered molecular communications, and appreciating the diversity of approaches and methodologies, the Special Issue will ultimately help identify the potential interaction pathways between different research areas and communities, that can lead to fruitful collaborations and synergy. To this end, we solicit original contributions (technical or position/survey/tutorial/perspective articles) on a very diverse set of topics including but not limited to: ** Molecular communication among synthetic cells, and between synthetic and natural cells ** Molecular communication among nanoparticles, and between nanoparticles and natural/synthetic cells ** Collective micro/nanorobotic swarms and active matter based on molecular communications ** Physical limits to communication, sensing, and information processing in natural and synthetic bio/nano systems ** Network medicine, communication and network biomarkers of diseases ** Engineering of protein-protein and other molecular interactions, de novo design of proteins and artificial receptors for sensing and molecular communications ** Semantic information in biological networks ** Bio-interfaces (e.g., neural interfaces) relying on molecular interactions, redox reactions, and ionic carriers ** New sensing techniques and chemical & biosensor architectures targeting dynamic bio/chemical signals ** New nanomaterials and device architectures for bio-nano interfaces, and micro/nanomachines & molecular machines capable of molecular communications ** Drug design techniques exploiting molecular interactions, network-based approaches to drug discovery ** Smart drug delivery systems and techniques ** Biological and molecular computing ** Signaling aspects of lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, multi-organ-on-a-chip, body-on-a-chip, disease-on-a-chip applications --------------------------- IMPORTANT DATES Manuscript Submission Deadline: 15 March 2023 First Notification: 30 April 2023 Acceptance Notification: 30 May 2023 Final Manuscript Due: 30 June 2023 Publication Date: September 2023 --------------------------- GUEST EDITORS Murat Kuscu Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Koc University, Turkey Email: mkuscu(a)ku.edu.tr Pasquale Stano Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies University of Salento, Italy Email: pasquale.stano(a)unisalento.it Gregory F. Payne Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research University of Maryland, USA Email: gpayne(a)umd.edu Bige D. Unluturk School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Michigan State University, USA Email: unluturk(a)msu.edu Malcolm Egan University of Lyon, Inria, INSA-Lyon, CITI, France Email: malcolm.egan(a)inria.fr Michael T. Barros School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering University of Essex, UK Email: m.barros(a)essex.ac.uk --------------------------- SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE TMBMC guidelines ( https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/information-for-aut… ). Authors should submit a manuscript through Manuscript Central ( https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tmbmc) ---------------------------

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Registration open for ENCODS 2023
by Delamare, Geoffroy 17 Feb '23

17 Feb '23

Dear fellow students, This year the ENCODS conference will take place again! ENCODS 2023 Faro, Portugal, on 01-02 May 2023! The European Neuroscience Conference by Doctoral Students (ENCODS) is organised by PhD students for PhD students. During the two days you have the opportunity to present your current work in the form of a poster or talk to an international audience. This year's theme is "Labcoats and Laptops: Neuroscience through different lenses", and we're aiming to bring together different disciplines of neuroscience and how we can all work together. In which area of neuroscience do you work? We are sure that your work is a great match for our topic and will contribute to an exciting and interesting dialogue. Here are the important facts: The registration fee is 100 € for FENS members and students at the University of Algarve and 120 € for non-FENS members. Food is provided, we have organised a catering service for you. We are also happy to help you find suitable accommodation and organise a bus transport from the city centre to the venue. University of Algarve: Gambelas Campus Faro, Portugal Registration ends on the 3rd of March!! Register here: https://www.fens.org/news-activities/fens-and-societies-calendar/training-e… https://www.fens.org/careers/networks/encods 17th of March 2023: Arrival of the acceptance letters 31st of March 2023: Deadline to pay the registration fees Follow us across our social media platforms using this link: https://linktr.ee/encods2023 We are very much looking forward to seeing you at ENCODS!!! Your ENCODS 2023 Organizing Committee

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2 PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience at INRIA, Lyon, France, starting on September 2023
by Hugues Berry 16 Feb '23

16 Feb '23

Dear all, 2 PhD positions in computational neuroscience are available in the AIstroSight team, INRIA, Lyon, France (https://team.inria.fr/aistrosight/) starting on September 2023. Our interdisciplinary team aims at developing innovative numerical methods for the search of new drug candidates to treat brain diseases, targeting neurons as well as glial cells. We value diversity, trust, growth, equity and creativity. - Project 1: Modeling compartmentalized second messenger networks in the retinal growth cones. This project is part of an ANR grant, in collaboration with Xavier Nicol's lab in Paris: http://xaviernicol.toile-libre.org/ - Project 2: Modeling the neurovascular unit. This project will consist in developing a mechanistic model of astrocytic endfeet in the context of neurovascular coupling. The project will be carried out in strong collaboration with neuroscientists working on endfeet. The students will be co-supervised by Dr. Audrey Denizot (https://adenizot.github.io/) and Dr. Hugues Berry (https://www.inrialpes.fr/Berry/) We are looking for students who have some experience in programming/mathematical modeling and previous expertise or interest in cell biology/neuroscience. The students must be fluent in English, both speaking and writing. No knowledge of French is required. Most importantly, we are looking for future colleagues who are eager to learn and grow, and who are driven by scientific curiosity. Please reach out to audrey.denizot(a)inria.fr or hugues.berry(a)inria.fr with a one-page statement presenting your interests and goals as well as a CV. Best regards, Hugues BERRY ------------------------ Deputy scientific director of Inria for digital health and biology — Project-Team AIstroSight -- https://team.inria.fr/aistrosight Inria-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Hospices Civils de Lyon-Theranexus Inria Lyon research center Batiment CEI-2 56 Blvd Niels Bohr CS 52132 69603 Villeurbanne cedex France Tel. (Office): +33 (0)4 72 43 75 01 Tel. (Mobile): + 33 (0)6 70 77 63 39 www.inrialpes.fr/Berry

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Funded PhD Scholarship in Developmental Neurorobotics at Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
by Di Nuovo, Alessandro 16 Feb '23

16 Feb '23

About the Project This scholarship will support the PhD candidate to carry out frontier research in Developmental Neurorobotics, a combination of Neuromorphic Computing and Cognitive Developmental Robotics. The PhD candidate will work with the Professor Alessandro Di Nuovo and his team, who have been awarded funding by the EPSRC for his research in the field. We are looking for an outstanding student to work with the team of a new EPSRC project. The research will pioneer the new developmental neuromorphic paradigm, which will be a synergic combination that will go beyond the limitations of the individual paradigms: neuromorphic computing will provide efficient brain-like resources able to process a more accurate representation of the real world, meanwhile developmental robotics will deliver the missing learning mechanisms for complex applications of neuromorphic spiking neural networks. The short-term objective is to demonstrate feasibility and lay the foundation of a biologically plausible framework to simulate the human-like learning process of numerical and abstract cognition, a fundamental characteristic of human intelligence. The team long-term goal is to create an artificial mind for robots that 'grows up' like a child's brain. This will be underpinned by neuromorphic computing which emulates the deep-lying architecture of the brain and will allow it to interpret and adapt to situations. As well as enabling the creation of robots with a human-like ability to reason, behave and interact the creation of an artificial mind will boost research in life sciences disciplines such as neuroscience by allowing researchers to run biologically realistic simulations to test theories. By simulating information on the inner workings of the brain that could not otherwise be detected, it could enhance our understanding of neurodevelopmental and learning disorders and lead to new treatments. Eligibility Information on entry requirements can be found here<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147190&type=184&DID=6…> The ideal candidate should have a Masters degree in Neuromorphic Computing, Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning, or closely related disciplines in AI and Robotics, excellent programming skills and experience in interdisciplinary research. How to apply Your application should be emailed to industry-innovation-admissions(a)shu.ac.uk<javascript:void(0)> Any interested candidates must contact the lead academic, Prof. Alessandro Di Nuovo, a.dinuovo(a)shu.ac.uk<javascript:void(0)>, to discuss your application. The application should explain how the candidate knowledge, skills and experience are relevant to the project short and long-term objectives. For information on how to apply please visit https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/degrees<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=147190&type=184&DID=6…> ________________________________ Funding Notes The PhD studentship provides tuition fees at UK level and a maintenance bursary at the UK Research Councils' national minimum doctoral stipend rate (£17,668 for 2022/23). The scholarship is available for three years of full-time. ________________________________ References Di Nuovo, A., McClelland (2019). Developing the knowledge of number digits in a child-like robot. Nature Machine Intelligence, 1(12), 594-605. Di Nuovo, A., & Jay, T. (2019). Development of numerical cognition in children and artificial systems: a review of the current knowledge and proposals for multi-disciplinary research. Cognitive Computation and Systems, 1(1), 2-11. Di Nuovo, A., & Cangelosi, A. (2021). Abstract Concept Learning in Cognitive Robots. Current Robotics Reports, 2(1), 1-8. Roy, Jaiswal, Panda, (2019). Towards spike-based machine intelligence with neuromorphic computing. Nature, 575(7784), 607-617. Krichmar (2018). Neurorobotics-A Thriving Community and a Promising Pathway Toward Intelligent Cognitive Robots. Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Vol. 12, p. 42. Furber (2016). Large-scale neuromorphic computing systems. Journal of Neural Engineering, 13(5), 51001. Sengupta, et al. (2019). Going deeper in spiking neural networks: VGG and residual architectures. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 95. Quax, D'Asaro,van Gerven, (2020). Adaptive time scales in recurrent neural networks. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 11360.

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Generative Episodic Memory conference - deadline for abstracts
by Vinita Samarasinghe 16 Feb '23

16 Feb '23

The deadline to submit abstracts for GEM 2023 - Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from neuroscience, psychology and philosophy - is fast approaching. The DFG-funded research consortium “FOR 2812 – Constructing scenarios of the past” https://for2812.rub.de is proud to announce a call for abstracts for its biennial conference *GEM 2023* (Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from neuroscience, psychology and philosophy), which will be held *in person*at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany from 12^th to 14^th June 2023. For more information on the conference please visit https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023. *Keynote speakers: * * Ali Boyle (LSE) * Felipe De Brigard (Duke U.) * Christian Leibold (U. Freiburg) * Kenneth Norman (Princeton U.) * Peggy St. Jacques (U. Alberta) * Maria Wimber (U. Glasgow) We invite submissions for symposia, talks and posters. *Please note that all presentations are in person.* *Funding for early career researchers is available *(visit https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023/early_career_researcher_program for more details). Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary conference therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. *Abstract* submission deadlines [GMT +1 (CET)]: Abstract submission – 15.03.2023 Notification of acceptance – 15.04.2023 Submission guidelines: Abstracts mustbe submitted in English and be no longer than 500 words.Submitted work must be original and unpublished andsubmitted electronically athttps://www.conftool.net/gem2023/. Types of submissions: * Talks * Symposia: In addition to submitting individual talks there is also the option to submit a set of talks (henceforth called symposium). Symposiamust be interdisciplinary in nature, i.e., they must contain talks from at least two of the following disciplines: computational neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and must comprise 3 talks. Please note that if one or more of the talks that make up the symposium are rejected the remainingtalks are not automatically rejected. They will be scheduled into the general program by the program committee. * Posters Please ensure that your files are in PDF format and are no larger than 10 MB. We look forward to welcoming you in Bochum. Vinita Samarasinghe Coordinator -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de

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Neuroscience PhD position at Newcastle, UK
by Andrej Bicanski 15 Feb '23

15 Feb '23

Dear Colleagues, Please circulate this to any students that may be interested in a neuroscience PhD project based in Newcastle University (UK), co-supervised by Dr. Quoc Vuong and myself. The Topic: We will explore the cross-domain function of the medial temporal lobe with fully immersive virtual reality and with eye-tracking, using new behavioural paradigms and fMRI. We may also incorporate some modelling. Funding: Funded for 3 years and international students are welcome to apply. Deadline: 2nd of March Link with more information: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/exploring-the-cross-domain-function-o… Happy to receive informal inquiries prior to application. Best wishes, Andrej Dr Andrej Bicanski School of Psychology & Biosciences Institute Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University www.andrejbicanski.com

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Special Issue: Machine Learning in Neuroimaging for Psychiatry
by Rogene Eichler West 13 Feb '23

13 Feb '23

Dear Colleagues, The journal Clinical EEG and Neuroscience is soliciting papers for a special issue on Machine Learning in Neuroimaging for Psychiatry. We especially encourage papers on the development or selection of medications for the treatment of mental health issues. Preference will be given to submissions where the authors include clinicians, rather than a team comprised entirely of data scientists. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/journal/clinical-eeg-and-neuroscience May1 First draft due July 1 Reviews done. Each invited author reviews 2 other invited submissions as this will be a collegial process. Oct 1 Revisions due The curation will be through guest editors of this issue [Martijn Arns, Sebastian Olbrich, and myself] rather than through the journal’s normal submission portal. Please contact me with any questions or potential submission ideas. We look forward to hearing from you. ____________________________________________ Rogene M. Eichler West, PhD, QEEGD Diplomate in Quantitative Electroencephalography Northwest Neuro Professionals, LLC Associate Editor, Sage Publishing Clinical EEG and Neuroscience Senior Research Scientist in Cognitive and Behavioral Modeling Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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Call for paper: Biological and Digital Markers in Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, and Epilepsy using Artificial Intelligence
by Sun Haoqi 13 Feb '23

13 Feb '23

Dear Comp-neuro mailing list members, We invite you to submit your work to Frontiers in Physiology: Biological and Digital Markers in Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, and Epilepsy using Artificial Intelligence. YES - I would like to participate: Click here to Confirm participation Frontiers average article review time: 61 days from submission to final decision NO - I am unable to participate in this project: Click here to decline participation Deadline: Manuscript Submission: July 9th, 2023 Kind Regards, Haoqi Sun Topic Editor, Computational Physiology and Medicine Section, Frontiers in Physiology

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PhD position in Computational Modelling and Machine Learning at IT University of Copenhagen (deadline March 20th)
by Stefan Heinrich 13 Feb '23

13 Feb '23

PhD position at IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark, starting in Summer 2023. Topic: Modelling hierarchical learning of music and speech processing. How does the human brain hierarchically process music or speech? It seems the brain is dynamically adapting to the timescales in the sensation in a way that components of music, such as melodies and low base lines are processed and integrated differently. Furthermore, it seems crucial that the brain is using a statistical learning scheme, thus learning this adaptation by how frequently these components occur. Despite a number of existing neuroimaging studies and scarce attempts to suggest underlying computational principles, research for detailed models is open. We plan modelling the learning of music by studying different computational mechanisms, both, more precise and w.r.t. its functionality close to specific biological neuron models, as well as more coarse, based on general computational principles such as hierarchical network structure, decoding schemes, and distributed activation. The computational research will be conducted side-by-side with a series of empirical EEG studies to verify the validity and further specify the models. The project is part of a cross-departmental initiative between the departments of computer science and digital design aimed at investigating machine-learning-based computational models of the human mind in relation to digital media interaction. Results from this project can enable understanding human information processing better, as well as applying derived computational principles in AI and machine learning approaches of the next generation. Application details: The ideal candidate should have a Masters in Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Science or related fields, as well as a strong interest in interdisciplinary research, at the intersection of Computational Modelling and Machine Learning. The salary scale will be in accordance with the Ministry of Finance’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for a full-time position. ITU is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, competent, and 160 diverse international faculty. Copenhagen has a strong educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and a well-functioning infrastructure. The city is also among the world’s most liveable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Candidates will work together with Stefan Heinrich (stehe(a)itu.dk) and Paolo Burelli (pabu(a)itu.dk) and are encouraged to get in contact to develop the project details together. Link to apply and further application details: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=181… Application deadline: 20 March 2023, at 23:59 CET. -- *************************** Dr. Stefan Heinrich Assistant Professor Computer Science Department IT University of Copenhagen https://stefanheinrich.net/ ***************************

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