- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Project Manager opening @ the Max Planck Institute (Frankfurt, Germany)

by Lucia Melloni

Dear all, Please help us spread the word and to reach out to potential candidates! We have an opening for a Project Manager position in my group at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics. The prospective candidate will be in charge of managing a very exciting large-scale international collaboration involving 11 institutions across Europe, the US and China running an adversarial collaboration project aimed at understanding the neural foundations of consciousness. This is an ideal opportunity for someone willing to take challenges, with a keen interest in organisational and managerial aspects of science and who wants to gain insight into large scale projects including handling of subcontracts. Prior experience in an academic research institution is a big plus.This is a full-time position for 3 years with a possibility for extension. More information on the job requirements and the position can be found here: https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/institut/jobs/project-manager-research-group-… <https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/institut/jobs/project-manager-research-group-…> For enquiries concerning this job opportunity please contact Dr. Lucia Melloni: lucia.melloni(a)ae.mpg.de <mailto:lucia.melloni@ae.mpg.de>. Please submit your application - preferably online in a single pdf - including a CV and a cover letter describing your background, experience and motivation as well as the names of two references, who have previously agreed to be contacted, no later than September 6, 2019 to: job(a)ae.mpg.de <mailto:job@ae.mpg.de> Looking forward to the applications! Best wishes, Lucia Melloni

Aug. 14, 2019

PhD position: Machine learning to record and enhance sleep and lucid dreaming

by Martin Dresler

Hi, Arenar B.V. and the Donders Institute offer a joint PhD position combining data science/AI and wearable EEG technology with sleep/dream research. In this project, the wearable sleep EEG headband iBand+ will be further developed and applied in several experimental studies. First, we will develop automatic sleep stage detection algorithms using machine learning strategies. We will then implement closed-loop acoustic stimulation procedures to enhance sleep slow oscillations to improve deep sleep. We will further develop combined acoustic and visual stimulation procedures which will allow to enhance self-awareness during sleep (i.e. lucid dreaming) and subsequent mood in the morning. The validity and efficacy of these procedures will be tested experimentally in large longitudinal studies in naturalistic home-based settings. The successful candidate will be centrally involved in the development, will lead different research projects within this general framework; will be closely involved in daily supervision of MSc students assisting the project; and will participate in the vibrant Donders Graduate School. Job details • 4 years at Donders, extension to permanent position at Arenar possible • Deadline: 31 August 2019 • Starting date: October/November, but somewhat flexible • Salary: starting with € 40000 gross per year Candidate profile • MSc-level background in Data Science, ML, AI, computer sciences, or adjacent field; • Proficiency in Python, C, C++, statistics • Interest in sleep, lucid dreaming, meditation • The capacity to participate in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, international research environment; • Fluency in written and spoken English. Candidates who only partially meet this profile are nonetheless strongly encouraged to apply! Organization The PhD project is a collaboration between Arenar B.V. and the Donders Institute. Arenar B.V. is a Dutch technology start-up based in Nijmegen, founded in 2016 by a team of engineers/developers with a combined technical industry experience exceeding 40 years working at leading technology companies such as NXP, Philips, Texas Instruments. Work in Arenar’s small enthusiastic team offers plenty of flexibility, responsibility and lots of influence on the product development. In particular, Arenar develops the iBand+ ( http://www.ibandplus.com) and many more upcoming innovative products. The project is embedded in the infrastructure of the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, providing a unique and stimulating learning environment for young researchers, including a high-profile graduate school and in-house methodological expert courses. Sleep research is a vibrant and rapidly growing field at the Donders Institute, with several new research groups in human and animal sleep research. The project is further embedded in the Radboud University Medical Center. Radboud UMC strives to be a leading developer of sustainable, innovative and affordable healthcare to improve the health and wellbeing of people and society in the Netherlands and beyond. Application Please apply with a brief motivation letter explaining your interest and qualifications regarding the position, your prior research/work experience, a CV, and contact information of two professional references: https://www.radboudumc.nl/en/vacancies/70061-phd-candidate-machine-learning… For specific questions about this position, please contact martin.dresler(a)donders.ru.nl Cheers, Martin -- Donders Sleep & Memory Lab, Radboud University Medical Center Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, Netherlands https://dreslerlab.org

Aug. 13, 2019

Call for Papers: NeurIPS2019 Workshop on Biological and Artificial Reinforcement Learning

by Sara Zannone

Call for Papers NeurIPS2019 Workshop Biological and Artificial Reinforcement Learning Workshop website: https://sites.google.com/view/biologicalandartificialrl Submission deadline: September 7, 11:59 PM Pacific Time, 2019 Contact: BiologicalArtificialRL(a)gmail.com We invite you to submit papers (up to 5 pages, excluding references and appendix) in the NeurIPS 2019 format. The focus of the work should relate to biological and/or artificial reinforcement learning. Potential topics include but are not limited to: - Benchmark tasks that can compare/contrast capabilities of artificial vs biological agents - Hierarchical RL/ skill learning - Inductive biases and priors - Representations for RL - Model-based/ Model-free learning - Lifelong learning - Intrinsic motivation/ learning in absence of extrinsic rewards - Role of memory in learning In line with the guidelines defined by the NeurIPS organising committee, we can only accept original work that is not published in the main NeurIPS conference. However, we welcome published work from other non-machine learning focused venues, particularly work that has previously appeared in Neuroscience or Cognitive Science venues such as Cosyne, RLDM, CogSci and CCN. Submission link: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/NeurIPSWSBARL2019/ For any enquiries please reach out to us at BiologicalArtificalRL(a)gmail.com . On behalf of the organizers, Raymond Chua, Feryal Behbahani, Sara Zannone, Rui Ponte Costa, Claudia Clopath, Blake Richards, Doina Precup

Aug. 13, 2019

Postdoc in neural data analysis

by Mark Humphries

A 3 year postdoc post is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries, at the University of Nottingham (UK) In this project, our aim is to test the overarching hypothesis that movement transitions are encoded by the same neural population reconfiguring its joint activity, for both rhythmic and discrete movements. We will tackle this question using newly-available population recordings during rhythmic movement transitions in Aplysia and discrete arm movement transitions in monkeys, The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes information about and actions in the world. For more see: https://www.humphries-lab.org Queries: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk Deadline: 5th September Full details, and to apply: https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2 [http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/org/images/socialmedia.png]<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Job Vacancy at the University of Nottingham: Research Associate/Fellow (Fixed term)<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research fellow to join the Humphries’ group on the MRC-funded project “Uncovering the neural basis of movement transitions”. The Humphries’ group researches fundamental... jobs.nottingham.ac.uk Professor Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Fellow | Chair in Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike 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 contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

Aug. 9, 2019

Luminous Workshop on Consciousness - University of Oxford - Call for Abstracts

by Aureli Soria Frisch

————————————————— Luminous Workshop on Consciousness ————————————————— Dear Group members, If you are interested in research about the mind, and particularly on consciousness and how to measure and alter it, please read further. In the framework of the Luminous Project (http://www.luminous-project.eu/ <http://www.luminous-project.eu/>), a workshop will take place in November at the University of Oxford, around the following axes: consciousness, its measurement and modification, computational modelling of consciousness, and the related ethical issues and dilemmas arising from these matters. Book 21st November in your agenda now. To read more, find here the main page of the event with additional details: http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/workshop-studying-measuring-and-al… <http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/workshop-studying-measuring-and-al…> A Call for Abstracts has been issued requesting for contributions, see the specific information at: http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/call-for-abstracts-workshop-studyi… <http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/call-for-abstracts-workshop-studyi…> Note also that the day before the workshop itself, an open public lecture on these same subjects will take place in the evening (registration details for this lecture are to be provided as they become available). Hoping to see you in Oxford, we send you in the meantime our kindest greetings, Organising Committee: Katie Warnaby & Jostein Holmgren, University of Oxford; Aureli Soria-Frisch & Eleni Kroupi, Starlab; Julia Moser & Hubert Preissl, University of Tubingen ________________________________________ Aureli Soria-Frisch (Dr.-Ing.) Director of Neuroscience Starlab Consulting Division Barcelona Offices: Av. Tibidabo, 47 bis - 08035 Barcelona - Spain tel. +34 93 254 03 70, +34 93 254 03 66, Ext -02 skype aureli.soria-frisch twitter @aurelisofr linkedin es.linkedin.com/pub/aurelisoriafrisch <http://es.linkedin.com/pub/aureli-soria-frisch/6/b93/294/>________________________________________ Starlab, Living Science http://starlab.es <http://starlab.es/> Click here <http://www.starlab.es/email_confidentiality_and_data_protection_policy> to read our e-mail confidentiality and data protection policy

Aug. 8, 2019

call for papers: NeurIPS 2019 Workshop on ‘Context and Compositionality in biological and artificial neural systems’

by Alexander Huth

(Apologies for cross-post) NeurIPS 2019 - Workshop on ‘Context and Compositionality in biological and artificial neural systems’ Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver CANADA Fri Dec 13th or Sat Dec 14th https://context-composition.github.io <https://context-composition.github.io/> Workshop abstract: The ability to integrate semantic information across narratives is fundamental to language understanding in both biological and artificial cognitive systems. There have been enormous strides in NLP and Machine Learning to develop architectures and techniques that effectively capture these effects. We have moved away from traditional bag-of-words approaches that ignore temporal ordering to RNNs, Temporal CNNs and Transformers that incorporate contextual information at varying timescales. While these architectures have lead to SoTA performance on many difficult language understanding tasks, it is unclear what representations these networks learn and how exactly they incorporate context. Interpreting these networks, systematically analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of different elements, such as gating or attention, and reflecting on the capacity of the networks across various timescales are open and important questions. On the biological side, recent work in neuroscience suggests that areas in the brain are organized into a temporal hierarchy in which different areas are not only sensitive to specific semantic information but also to the composition of information at different timescales. Computational neuroscience has moved in the direction of leveraging deep learning to gain insights about the brain. By answering questions on the underlying mechanisms and representational interpretability of these artificial networks, we can also expand our understanding of temporal hierarchies, memory and capacity effects in the brain. In this workshop we aim to bring together researchers from machine learning, NLP, and neuroscience to explore and discuss how computational models should effectively capture the multi-timescale, context-dependent effects that seem essential for processes such as language understanding. We believe that this will not only lead to a deeper understanding of biological language systems but also better artificial systems that can leverage these insights and understand language better. Call For Papers Paper submission deadline: Mon September 9th, 2019 22:00 PM UTC Decision Notification: Sun September 29th, 2019 22:00 PM UTC Submit at: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/CNTXTCOMP2019/ <https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/CNTXTCOMP2019/> The site will start accepting submissions on August 7th. We invite paper submissions on the following topics, or any related or relevant work: • Contextual sequence processing in the human brain • Compositional representations in the human brain • Systematic generalization in deep learning • Compositionality in human intelligence • Compositionality in natural language • Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models • New approaches to compositionality and temporal processing in language • Hierarchical representations of temporal information • Datasets for contextual sequence processing • Applications of compositional neural networks to real-world problems Formatting Instructions: All submissions must be in PDF format. Submissions are limited to four content pages, including all figures and tables; additional pages containing only references are allowed. You must format your submission using the NeurIPS 2019 LaTeX style file. Submissions that violate the NeurIPS style (e.g., by decreasing margins or font sizes) or page limits may be rejected without further review. All submissions should be anonymous. Accepted papers will be presented during a poster session, with spotlight oral presentations for exceptional submissions. The accepted papers will be made publicly available as non-archival reports, allowing future submissions to archival conferences or journals. The review process is double-blind. We also welcome published papers that are within the scope of the workshop (without re-formatting, if the paper is already 4 pages or shorter). Already-published papers do not need to be anonymous. They are eligible for poster sessions and will only have a very light review process. Please redirect questions and all future correspondence to shaileejain(a)utexas.edu <mailto:shaileejain@utexas.edu>. Workshop Organizing Committee Javier Turek, Alexander Huth, Shailee Jain, Christopher Honey, Tal Linzen, Leila Wehbe, Emma Strubell, Kyunghyun Cho and Alan Yuille -- ALEXANDER G. HUTH, PhD | Assistant Professor The University of Texas at Austin Departments of Computer Science & Neuroscience

Aug. 7, 2019

Open Source Brain workshop 2019: Call for presentations/demos of open datasets and tools

by Gleeson, Padraig

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this due to cross-posting] The 2019 Open Source Brain workshop will be held in Alghero, Sardinia on 9-11th September 2019. There are a number of presentation slots still available for attendees to present open experimental data sets/databases/tools/simulators/libraries relevant to the goals of the meeting. Full details: http://www.opensourcebrain.org/docs/Help/Meetings#OSB_2019 Open Source Brain (http://www.opensourcebrain.org) is a platform for sharing and collaboratively developing models in computational neuroscience. Models of cells and circuits in standardised formats can be visualised, analysed and simulated through a standard web browser. A key driver for the development of this technology is to improve accessibility, scientific scrutiny, reproducibility and reuse of models of brain function. The platform is described in a recent paper in Neuron: https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(19)30444-1 The 2019 OSB Workshop will highlight the latest features of OSB and engage current and future users of the platform through invited talks, posters, hands on demonstrations, and user presentations. Since we are substantially expanding the functionality of Open Source Brain to enable sharing of standardized experimental data used to build and test the models of neurons and circuits, this year’s meeting will have two key themes: 1) Accessible sharing of cellular neuroscience data Through support for the Neurodata Without Borders (NWB) format, OSB will facilitate sharing of multiple types of experimental data used to constrain computational models, including electrophysiological recordings, Ca2+ fluorescence imaging, 2D, 3D and 4D imaging and behavioural data. Challenges, requirements and solutions to data standardization will be discussed. 2) Modelling cortical structures across scales Cortical networks are modelled at many scales from abstract representations of interacting populations (neural masses) to networks of biophysically and morphologically detailed cell models. NeuroML is being expanded to cover a greater range of these models, which will allow them to be shared and simulated on OSB, facilitating comparison of models and ideas between researchers. This ongoing work is taking place as part of the SIG on Standardised Representations of Network Structures<https://www.incf.org/activities/standards-and-best-practices/incf-special-i…>. Registration The registration fee for the meeting for 3 days will be £130. This will help cover organisation and speaker costs, meeting room hire, lunch, tea and coffee for 3 days and one workshop dinner. Please register here<https://onlinestore.ucl.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/faculty-of-life-scienc…>. Registration closes on 1st September 2019. Confirmed speakers Yazan Billeh (Allen Institute, USA) Matteo Cantarelli (MetaCell Ltd) Alex Cayco Gajic (UCL, UK & École Normale Supérieure, France) Sharon Crook (Arizona State University, USA) Jeffrey S. Diamond (NINDS, USA) Ian Duguid (University of Edinburgh, UK) Matt Earnshaw (University College London, UK) Jan Fousek (Aix Marseille Université, France) Padraig Gleeson (University College London, UK) Boris Marin (Universidade Federal do ABC, Brazil) Diego Restrepo (University of Colorado, USA) Oliver Reubel (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, USA) Simon Schultz (Imperial College, UK) Angus Silver (University College London, UK) Sacha van Albada (Jülich Research Centre, Germany) For more details please see: http://www.opensourcebrain.org/docs/Help/Meetings#OSB_2019 The OSB 2019 organising committee Padraig Gleeson Matt Earnshaw Angus Silver

Aug. 7, 2019

Registration open for #ABC2019 & #MARR2019 | CAMBRIDGE | 11-13 SEPT 2019

by Máté Lengyel

<http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/> #ABC2019 & #MARR2019 | CAMBRIDGE | 11-13 SEPT 2019 <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/> Cambridge Neuroscience invites you to #ABC2019 & #MARR2019 Updated programmes now online! THE 7TH CAMBRIDGE NEUROSCIENCE SYMPOSIUM ‘ARTIFICIAL AND BIOLOGICAL COGNITION’ IS AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 12-13TH 2019 AT THE WEST ROAD CONCERT HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. Abstract submission extended until August 16th 2019! #ABC2019 <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/> comprises seven sessions including ‘Reinforcement Learning’, ‘Navigation’, ‘Robotics’, ‘Communication’, ‘Vision’ ‘Mental Health’ and ‘Neuroethics of AI’. The programme features many distinguished national and international speakers. This is generally a very popular meeting, which attracts an international audience of up to 500 delegates. The Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley plenary lectures are a major feature within the programme. We are delighted to welcome Demis Hassabis and Catherine Dulac to Cambridge. In addition to all of the refreshment breaks there are additional fun opportunities to network at a drinks reception, followed by a Gala dinner, at Trinity College in the evening on September 12th 2019; and a drinks reception following the close of the symposium on September 13th. #Marr2019 <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/pages/about-marr.html>: In addition, we are hosting a special satellite meeting to celebrate David Marr, one of the founding fathers of computational neuroscience, on the 50th anniversary of his thesis. Come join us at St John’s College on Wednesday 11th September 2019 for ‘David Marr, 50 years on’. We will be raising a glass to David Marr on the stunning rooftop terrace of Newnham College following the meeting. <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/> <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/pages/abc-programme.html> <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/pages/marr-programme.html> <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/events/ABC2019/pages/registration.html> Contact: coordinator(a)neuroscience.cam.ac.uk <mailto:coordinator@neuroscience.cam.ac.uk> Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CamNeuro <https://twitter.com/CamNeuro> Cambridge Neuroscience: https://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/ <mailto:coordinator@neuroscience.cam.ac.uk> -- Dr Dervila Glynn Cambridge Neuroscience IRC Coordinator Room 402, Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, United Kingdom Email: coordinator(a)neuroscience.cam.ac.uk <mailto:coordinator@neuroscience.cam.ac.uk> Phone: 00 44 (0)1223 334063 Web: http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/ <http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/> Join the conversation on @CamNeuro <https://twitter.com/CamNeuro>

Aug. 6, 2019

Postdoc and PhD student position using EEG & neural networks to investigate language (Potsdam, Germany)

by Milena Rabovsky

Dear colleagues, I am looking for a Postdoc and a PhD student to join my newly established Cognitive Neurosciences Lab at the University of Potsdam (Germany) as described in more detail below, and would be very grateful if you forward this announcement to potentially interested candidates. Many thanks and best wishes, Milena Rabovsky --------------------------------------- Cognitive Neurosciences Lab at the University of Potsdam Postdoctoral and PhD student position The newly established Cognitive Neurosciences Lab at the University of Potsdam (PI Milena Rabovsky) is looking for a Postdoc to focus on neural network modeling of brain potentials during sentence comprehension and a PhD student to investigate prediction and adaptation during language comprehension using EEG. The positions are funded by an Emmy Noether grant from the German Research Foundation focused on investigating the processing of language and meaning in the brain using EEG and deep neural network models (see e.g., Rabovsky, Hansen, & McClelland, 2018, Nature Human Behaviour). Preferred starting date for both positions is November 1, 2019 (but can be discussed). Postdoc position The salary and benefits are determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TV-L 13 Ost, 100%). This is a temporary position initially limited to a term of 24 months (with possible extension). Project and responsibilities The goal of this project is to train a neural network model of sentence comprehension that has been successfully used to simulate language related brain potentials (Rabovsky, Hansen, & McClelland, 2018, Nature Human Behaviour) on a large-scale semantically labeled training corpus. Prospectively, the trained model will allow for (in collaborations with others in the lab) the simulation of language related brain potentials using stimulus materials from empirical experiments, and the comparison of representations in the model with representations in the brain via representational similarity analysis. Requirements - very good Master and PhD in relevant field (Cognitive Sciences, Computer Science, Computational Linguistics, Machine Learning, Data Science, Computational Neuroscience, etc.) - excellent computational skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python,…) - deep learning/ deep neural network modeling skills - capacity to work independently - excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills (in English) - strong interest in several aspects of the lab’s research focus, i.e., neural network models, cognitive neurosciences, language, meaning - high motivation and commitment In addition, the ideal candidate has - experience with deep neural network language models - excellent track record in a relevant field PhD student position The salary and benefits are determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TV-L 13 Ost, 65%; please note that 65% of full staff member positions are the current norm for PhD student positions in Germany). This is a temporary position initially limited to a term of 36 months (with possible extension). Project and responsibilities The goal of this project is to investigate the relation between prediction errors and adaptation/ learning during language comprehension, as reflected in event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Specific tasks include designing and programming the experiments, collecting and analyzing the data (behavioral and EEG), interpretation of the results as well as presentation of the results at international conferences and publication of the results in international peer-reviewed journals. Requirements - very good Master in relevant field (Cognitive Sciences, Cognitive Neurosciences, Psychology, etc.) - experience with and interest in neuroscientific methods (preferably EEG) - solid statistical skills - good programming skills (e.e., MATLAB, Python, R,…) - excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills (in English) - strong interest in several aspects of the lab’s research focus, i.e., cognitive neurosciences, prediction, adaptation, language, meaning, event-related brain potentials - high motivation and commitment In addition, the ideal candidate has - excellent skills in advanced statistical analyses - experience in research on language, prediction and/ or implicit memory The University strives to maintain gender balance among its staff. Severely disabled applicants shall receive preference in case of equal qualifications. We expressly invite applications from people with migration backgrounds. Please send your application (including letter of motivation, CV, at least 1 [PhD position] or 2 [Postdoc position] names of potential referees, copies of academic certificates) as a single pdf file to bewerbung(a)uni-potsdam.de until August 31 for full consideration (late applications may be considered until the position is filled). Please direct informal inquiries to Milena Rabovsky at milena.rabovsky(a)gmail.com. The official ads can be downloaded here (there are some aspects that relate to German laws and may be confusing for potential international applicants - please get in touch if you have questions!) Postdoc position: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/fileadmin01/projects/verwaltung/docs/Dezernat3/A… PhD student position: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/fileadmin01/projects/verwaltung/docs/Dezernat3/A…

Aug. 5, 2019

Job Opening: Research Assistant Professor in Data Science and Engineering at Hong Kong Baptist University

by COMP HKBU

The Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Baptist University, presently offering BSc, MSc, MPhil, and PhD programmes, invites outstanding applicants for the following position. *Research Assistant Professor in Data Science and Engineering (PR0059/19-20)* The Research Assistant Professor position is created and funded as part of the strategic research development initiatives in the Department. The appointee will be provided with a conducive research environment, and will work within an established group of faculty in the Department. He/she is also expected to perform group-based high-impact research and to undertake some teaching duties. Applicants should possess a PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, and demonstrate abilities to conduct high-quality research in one of the following areas: (i) data analytics and information management; (ii) data security and privacy. Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term contract of two to three years. Re-appointment thereafter will be subject to mutual agreement. For enquiry, please contact Prof Jianliang Xu (email: xujl(a)comp.hkbu.edu.hk. More information about the Department can be found on its website ( http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk) *Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.* *Application Procedure:* Applicants are invited to submit their applications at the HKBU e-Recruitment System (jobs.hkbu.edu.hk) with samples of publications, preferably three best ones out of their most recent publications/works. Applicants should also request two referees to send in confidential letters of reference, with *PR* number (stated above) quoted on the letters, to the Personnel Office (Email: recruit(a)hkbu.edu.hk) direct. Those who are not invited for interview four months after the closing date may consider their applications unsuccessful. All application materials including publication samples, scholarly/creative works will be disposed of after completion of the recruitment exercise. Details of the University's Personal Information Collection Statement can be found at http://pers.hkbu.edu.hk/pics. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment for the post advertised, and the appointment will be made according to the terms and conditions then applicable at the time of offer. *Closing date: 30 August 2019 (or until the position is filled)* URL: https://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/v1/?page=job_vacancies&id=532

Aug. 5, 2019

Lab manager position available in in the Max Planck Institute in Tuebingen Germany

by Zhaoping Li

*The Department for Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems of the **Max-Planck-Institute for Biological **Cybernetics*studies the processing of sensory information (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactoy) in the brain and the use of this information for directing body movements and making cognitive decisions. Theresearch is highly interdisciplinary, and usestheoretical and experimental approaches, including human psychophysics, and animal behavior, imaging, electrophysiology, and computational modelling. Department website:_https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/sensory-and-sensorimotor-systems_ We are currently looking for a *Lab Manager (m/f/d) 100%* to join us at the next possible opportunity. *Responsibilities* You will support, coordinate, and/or manage * scientific equipment and purchases * IT/programming * website, wiki, and social media content * general administrative processes at the department * project planning and managing deadlines * internal and external workshops and other events *Requirements* * Completed university degree (Master’s level) in natural sciences (Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Biology or a similar field), ideally a PhD * Strong command of both English and German**(at least C1 level) * Good skills in IT/programming * The willingness and capability to learn about the research topics * Very strong management and organizational skills * Team player * Independent and responsible * A high level of resilience and professionalism *We offer:* We offer highly interesting, challenging and varied tasks; you will work closely and collaboratively with scientists, students, programmers, administrative staff, and IT support to help achieve the scientific goals of the department. A dedicated team awaits you in an international environment with regular opportunities for further education and training. The salary is paid in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVoeD Bund), according to your qualifications. This position is initially limited to two years, with the possibility of a permanent contract. The Max-Planck-Society seeks to employ more handicapped people and strongly encourages them to apply. Furthermore, we actively support the compatibility of work and family life. The Max-Planck-Society also seeks to increase the number of women in leadership positions and strongly encourages qualified women to apply. The Max-Planck-Society strives for gender equality and diversity. *Your application* Your application must contain a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and relevant certificates. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered. The position is available immediately and will be open until filled. Preference will be given to applications received by *August 31, 2019. *We look forward to receiving your online application by E-Mail in PDF format (in one file) to:_lizhaopinglab@tuebingen.mpg.de <mailto:lizhaopinglab@tuebingen.mpg.de>_, where also informal inquiries can be addressed.

Aug. 3, 2019

Postdoc position in modeling in vivo dendritic activity of cortical pyramidal neurons

by Erik De Schutter

The Computational Neuroscience Unit (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu) of Prof. Erik De Schutter at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is starting a project on modeling behaviorally relevant dendritic activity in layer 5 cortical pyramidal neurons. This will be a collaboration with Prof. Wen-Biao Gan at the New York University School of Medicine (https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/wenbiao-gan) who will provide in vivo data to constrain the models. The goal is to build quantitative models that capture how synaptic input drives dendritic calcium spiking in the apical tuft, how this activity is transmitted down the apical dendrite and changes somatic output as demonstrated, for example, in Cichon and Gan, Nature 2015. Candidates should have a PhD in (computational) neuroscience with good knowledge of dendritic physiology and experience in using the NEURON software to simulate compartmental models of neurons. Previous experience in modeling pyramidal neurons is a plus but not required. OIST is a young, fast-growing research-oriented interdisciplinary graduate university, located on the subtropical paradise island of Okinawa (https://www.visitokinawa.jp/) Despite being a newcomer in the academic world, OIST was recently ranked as #10 in the world on the Normalized Nature Index (https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2019/institution/academic-normali…) It offers attractive financial and working conditions in an English language graduate university. Starting date any time before begin 2020. Send curriculum vitae, summary of research interests and experience, and the names of three referees to Prof. Erik De Schutter at erik(a)oist.jp

Aug. 3, 2019

Fwd: [Job][Postdoc]: 4yrs senior researcher position and Phd scholarship on Modelling beliefs dynamics of social media users with machine learning methodologies at University of Essex funded by VolkswagenStiftung (Volkswagen Foundation)

by Dimitri Ognibene

** Apologies for cross-postings ** Dear Colleagues, I would be very grateful if you could forward this job advert to anybody who could be interested. The highlight is on machine learning for user interaction modelling. Here are some information for the positions. ** Application deadline 14th of August** To apply https://vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?… <https://vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?…> https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BTV423/senior-research-officer-in-social-media-m… <https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BTV423/senior-research-officer-in-social-media-m…> A PhD scholarship on the same topics is also out with deadline on the 30th of August Check <http://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/jobs>http://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/ <http://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/>jobs Kind regards, Dimitri *Postdoc and Phd Positions in: Modelling beliefs dynamics of social media users with machine learning methodologies at University of Essex funded by VolkswagenStiftung (Volkswagen Foundation)* Project: Courage Applications are invited for a 4 years position of Senior Postdoctoral Research Officer and a PhD shcolarship on ht project “COURAGE: A Social Media Companion Safeguarding and Educating Students”. This project is an international collaboration funded by VolkswagenStiftung (Volkswagen Foundation) as part of the Artificial Intelligence and the Society of the Future funding initiative. The project partners include the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain), the Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche of the National Council of Research ITD-CNR (Italy), Hochschule Ruhr West (Germany) and the Rhine-Ruhr Institute for System Innovation (Germany). The project aims to develop a Virtual Social Media Companion that educates and supports teenage school students facing the threats of social media such as discrimination and biases as well as hate speech, bullying, fake news and other toxic content. The project involves a substantial experimentation aspect in collaboration with multiple schools around Europe. It will thus provide a unique chance to perform interventions to test the validity of social interaction theories and governance methods. The Essex team will drive two strands of this work, the machine-learning-based user beliefs dynamics modelling aspect and the process of analysing visual and textual content. More specifically, we aim at developing Bayesian computational models of beliefs dynamics of social media users to support governance and educational strategies. These models will also be applied to evaluate socially relevant variables, such as trust and inclusion. We will build on and implement state-of-the-art CV, NLP & AI methods to provide measurements of sentiment, bias, hatefulness, veracity, polarization, and sensationalism of social media content. In addition, we will drive forward the state of the art in detecting hate speech and biased content. The companion will actively counteract this kind of content, balancing it with opposite perspectives and proposing specifically themed challenges adopting ideas used in games. The successful candidate will be based in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at Colchester Campus of The University of Essex. The post is available for four years with a start date from September 2019. To apply: https://vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?… <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jobs.ac.uk%2Fjob%2FBSW396%2F…> For more information: https://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/jobs?authuser=0 <https://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/jobs?authuser=0> Applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Dimitri Ognibene <mailto:dimitri.ognibene@essex.ac.uk> (dimitri.ognibene(a)essex.ac.uk <mailto:dimitri.ognibene@essex.ac.uk>) for informal enquiries and further information on research objectives. -- Dimitri Ognibene, PhD Lecturer in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Department of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, UK http://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/ <http://sites.google.com/site/dimitriognibenehomepage/> Skype: dimitri.ognibene

Aug. 1, 2019

Postdoctoral fellowships at the Neuromathematics Center in Sao Paulo State, Brazil

by Antonio Roque

*Positions for Postdoctoral Researchers* The Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics (NeuroMat), hosted by the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), is offering two post-doctoral fellowships for recent PhDs with outstanding research potential. The research will involve collaborations with experimental and theoretical groups and laboratories associated to NeuroMat. The research to be developed by the post-doc fellows shall be strictly related to ongoing research lines developed by the NeuroMat team. The project may be developed at USP (main campus, São Paulo), USP campus Ribeirão Preto or University of Campinas (UNICAMP). We seek candidates capable of developing independent research in one of the research lines below. 1. Stochastic and/or computational modeling of the brain functioning; 2. Acquisition, processing and quantitative analysis of electrophysiological data; 3. Biomedical devices for neuroscience research. Candidates to the first research line are required to have at least one of the profiles below: - A strong background in probability theory with emphasis on stochastic processes. Previous knowledge of rigorous statistical mechanics or random graphs will be favorably considered; - A strong mathematical and / or computational background and experience with computers and programming. Previous experience with development and / or simulation of neural brain models, complex networks, and parallel computing will be favorably considered. Candidates to the second research line are required to have at least one of the profiles below: - A strong background in neuroscience with previous experience in neurophysiological data acquisition, processing and analysis, and knowledge of computer programming; - A strong background in computer science with experience in the development of algorithms, software tools and data bases. Previous research experience in neuroscience or related areas will be favorably considered. Candidates to the third research line are required to have at least one of the profiles below: - A strong background in electromagnetism and biomedical engineering. Previous knowledge of transcranial magnetic stimulation or magnetic / electric field simulation will be favorably considered; - A strong background in computer science and control software development expertise. Previous experience with neuroscience and neuronavigation systems will be favorably considered. Previous experience with multidisciplinary research teams is welcome for all the above research lines. The initial appointment is for one year, with a possible extension to up to four years, conditional on research progress. The fellowship is competitive at international level, and fellows benefit from extra funds for travel and research expenses plus limited support for relocation expenses. *Application Instructions* Applicants should complete and submit the application form. The following documents and information are requested (please see the form for further details): - Summary of the CV, in the FAPESP format (see www.fapesp.br/en/6351 for instructions); - List of publications, with links to those available online; - A summary of the research plan for the next year, up to 5 pages length. It should explicitly state for which of the three above profiles the candidate is applying. It should also address its place within the framework of the NeuroMat research program. - Pointers to other research-related output, such as software, web pages. Candidates should be willing to send copies of publications, if requested; - Any further information deemed relevant to the application. In addition to the above, we require at least 2 recommendation letters. Those should be mailed by the recommenders directly to postdoc-appl(a)numec.prp.usp.br. *FAPESP requirements* a. The candidate should have concluded a doctorate less than seven years before the beginning of the PD fellowship. b. The fellowship demands full-time dedication to the research project (except under conditions outlined in resolution PR No 13/2009, 15 July 2009). c. The fellowship holder may not hold any formal or informal employment nor receive, during the term of the fellowship, a fellowship from another entity, salary or remuneration deriving from the exercise of activities of whatever nature (except under conditions outlined in the decree PR No 13/2009, 15 July 2009). For more information about the scholarships see http://www.fapesp.br/bolsas/pd. *Timetable* Candidates are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience until August 27, 2019. Appointments are expected to start by October 1st, 2019. The initial period of the position lasts for 12 months, with possible renovations for up to four years. This opportunity is open to candidates of any nationality. The selected candidates will be awarded FAPESP Post-Doctoral fellowships in the amount of R$ 7,373.10 monthly and a research contingency fund, equivalent to 15% of the annual value of the fellowship, which should be spent in items directly related to the research activity. Check the rules of FAPESP post-doctoral fellowships at: http://www.fapesp.br/en/5427. -- Dr. Antonio C. Roque Professor Associado Departamento de Fisica FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo 14040-901 Ribeirao Preto-SP Brazil - Brasil E-mails: antonior(a)usp.br <antonior(a)ffclrp.usp.br> aroquesilva(a)gmail.com URL: www.sisne.org Tels: +55 16 3315-3768 <+55%2016%203315-3768> (sala/office); +55 16 3315-3859 <+55%2016%203315-3859> (lab) FAX: +55 16 3315-4887 <+55%2016%203315-4887>

Aug. 1, 2019

Recent research article

by Osva Velarde

Dear Colleagues, We are happy to share with you our work about the mechanisms of phase-amplitude cross frequency coupling (PAC) in models of biologically plausible neural networks. We think this work opens a new and valuable connection between theory of dynamical systems and the field of signal processing in neural networks and other biophysical systems. In particular, one of the proposed tools, the Time Locked Index (TLI), is suitable to efficiently quantify the harmonic content of experimental recordings. Hope you find this useful. Feedback is most welcome. "Bifurcation structure determines different phase-amplitude coupling patterns in the activity of biologically plausible neural networks" O M Velarde, E Urdapilleta, G Mato, and D Dellavale. NeuroImage https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116031 The paper is freely available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334582958_Bifurcation_structure_de… Source code for TLI computation:https://github.com/damian-dellavale/Time-Locked-Index With kind regards, Osvaldo Matías Velarde Departamento de Física Médica Instituto Balseiro - Centro Atómico Bariloche R8402AGP Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentinaosva_velarde@yahoo.com.arosva.m.velarde@gmail.com https://fisica.cab.cnea.gov.ar/fisicamedica/

July 31, 2019

Opening for Group Leader of Bio Data Science group

by Romuald Janik

Dear Colleagues, Starting from Fall 2019, the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland will host a 4-year interdisciplinary project Bio-Inspired Artificial Neural Networks The broad aim of the project is to put together Neuroscience and Machine Learning research and gather insight from the brain analyzed over a wide range of scales in order to develop novel machine learning architectures and algorithms. The project comprises Machine Learning, Cognitive and Physics groups and in addition three new groups will be formed: a low level neuroscience group, a Bio Data Science group and a more technical computer science group. We are looking in particular for candidates for a Group Leader of the Bio Data Science group. The main aims of the Bio Data Science group located at the Faculty of Physics is to perform extensive analyses of massive fMRI data (both in-house and publicly available), possibly also of other modalities like diffusive MRI or MEG/EEG. These analyses will be targeted at i) developing machine learning based diagnostic algorithms, ii) extracting insights from data on connectivity/dynamical properties of neuronal networks, iii) comparisons with artificial neural networks. In addition, the group is expected to closely cooperate with the Physics group of the project on testing physics motivated hypothesis and implementing machine learning architectures. Of course, the group is very much welcome to pursue also other goals related to the project "Bio-Inspired Artificial Neural Networks". The Leader of the Bio Data Science group should therefore have expertise in machine learning as well as experience/knowledge on dealing with the specific peculiarities of the fMRI datasets like preprocessing requirements/artifacts as well as general knowledge about other modalities. The position is for 3 years. Deadline for application is 23rd August. The call with details is on the website http://bionn.matinf.uj.edu.pl/. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me (romuald.janik(a)gmail.com) Best regards, Romuald Janik

July 31, 2019

Fully funded PhD position in neuroscience about cone photoreceptor signal transduction at Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris

by Juergen Reingruber

Please forward this offer among potentially interested students. Thanks. Jürgen Reingruber Topic: Development of a Mathematical Model of Signal Transduction and Adaptation in Mammalian Cone Photoreceptors Field: Computational Neuroscience, Sensory Transduction Location: Institute of Biology École Normale Supérieure, Paris Supervision: Jürgen Reingruber, IBENS Collaboration: G. Fain and A. P. Sampath from UCLA Funding: 42 months by ANR, starting earliest in October 2019 Project description: We are looking for a PhD student for an interdisciplinary project between physics, mathematics computer science and neuroscience. Cone photoreceptors are the fundamental retinal neurons underlying our daylight vision. In spite of their importance for our visual perception, a comprehensive biophysical model showing how cones convert light into an electrical signal has not yet been developed. In close partnership with our experimental collaborators from UCLA, the student will analyze new (and worldwide unique) electrophysiological recordings to develop the first molecular model for the light response in cones. He will use asymptotic analysis and simulations to obtain a precise understanding of how cones respond and adapt during daylight. He will perform simulations with molecularly modified models to study how sensory transduction is altered in a diseased photoreceptor, which is important for understanding and treatment of photoreceptor dysfunctions. More details about the project can be found here: http://www.biologie.ens.fr/~reingrub/content/PhDDescription.pdf Lab and Environment: The lab where the research will be conducted is located in the Institute of Biology at École Normale Supérieure in the Latin Quarter in Paris. The ENS is a leading multidisciplinary research center and part of the PSL university. It is located in the heart of Paris right next Collège de France, Institute Curie, EPSCI (school of engineering), Sorbonne and other universities. The lab provides high speed internet, a powerful workstation (iMac) and access to Bioclust, the IBENS computing cluster. The lab comprises PhD students and postdocs with background in physics, applied mathematics and computer science. Candidate: The candidate should have a solid background in physics, applied mathematics, computer science or equivalent. Her/he should be highly motivated and interested in neuroscience and biology. Ideally the candidate should have skills and experience in modeling, analysis of dynamical systems, stochastic processes as well as programming and running simulations using either Matlab, C/C++, Comsol or Python. To apply, please send a CV and a motivation letter to 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

July 31, 2019

[jobs] Postdoc on “Understanding of Visually Mediated Social Signs in Humans and Robots” at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)

by Giulio Sandini

Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Research Line at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Erzelli, Genoa, is seeking to appoint one postdoctoral position focusing on the use of the iCub humanoid robot to investigate the role of body-mediated (embodied) social signals in human-robot collaborative interaction and to identify the minimum subset of signals enabling mutual understanding in human-robot communication in realistic, application oriented, scenarios. The research activities will be carry out under the supervision of Dr. Francesco Rea and Prof. Giulio Sandini (https://www.iit.it/careers/openings/opening/969-postdoctoral-position-in-th… ) The activity will be carried out within a Joint Lab recently established between IIT and a major produrre in the automotive sector, dedicated scientific and technical activities, including training, in the field of signs-based social communication mediated by robots. The research for this Postdoctoral position will involve: a) the development of methods and relative software to generate robot behaviors for natural mutual understanding, b) the design and implementation of novel models of immediate perception of the human partner state, and c) the design of experiments, testing and analysis/validation in human-robot interaction experiments. The first goal of the research is modelling how the robot could adapt its perception and behaviour to the individual needs of the partner during an interaction, with potential implications for communicative technology. The second goal of the research is to exploit how these models can be transferred to novel robotic designs. -- Prof. Giulio Sandini Founding Director - Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Center for Human Technologies Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Unit Via Enrico Melen 83 - Building B - 16152 GENOVA Phone: +39 010 2897 227 https://www.iit.it/giulio-sandini https://www.iit.it/rbcs

July 31, 2019

Abstract submission extension to the next 15th Granada Seminar on Stochastic and Collective Effects in Neural Systems

by Prof. Dr. Joaquín J. Torres

Dear Computational Neuroscience community This is a kind reminder that the deadline for abstract submission to the next "15th Granada Seminar on Computational and Statistical Physics" that will be held in Granada Spain, next September 17-20, 2019 in the Science Faculty of the University of Granada, Spain, has been extended to the next August 31th, 2019. The Granada Seminar is a topical conference whose pedagogical power is especially channelled towards young researchers. In fact, one interesting aspect of this meeting is the opportunity given to young researchers to present their results and to discuss their problems with leading specialists. The Granada Seminar is Organized by the "Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Granada, and it is Sponsored by: - Institute Carlos I, for theoretical and computational physics, University of Granada: http://ic1.ugr.es/home/ - European Physical Society This year edition the main topic of the conference is "Stochastic and Collective Effects in Neural Systems" including Biological aspects, Modeling, Dynamics, Networks, Function and Applications. The aim of this meeting is to bring together scientists interested in Neural Systems and their statistical and collective effects from real experiments, theoretical and computational models to applications. Confirmed Main Speakers: Roberto Barrio, Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain): Insect movement gaits: neuron model, CPG and patterns Ginestra Bianconi, Queen Mary University of London (UK) Jesús Cortés, Ikerbasque (Spain) Lucilla de Arcangelis, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (Italy) Jose Maria Delgado, Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Spain): Learning as a functional state of the brain Andrea Gabrielli, Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi (Italy): Brain Network Topology Maps Schizophrenia Dysfunctional Substrates Andre Longtin, University of Ottawa (Canada): Detecting and Learning in Noisy Neurons: From Dendrites to Spontaneous Movements Joaquin Marro, Universidad de Granada (Spain):Is the Mind just an assembly of Phase Transitions? Jorge F. Mejías, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) Geza Odor MTA EK-MFA (Hungary) Cyriel Pennartz, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Predictive representations and population coding in visual and multisensory systems Dietmar Plenz, NIH National Institute of Mental Health (USA) Ander Ramos, Tecnalia (Spain) Alex Roxin, CRM Barcelona (Spain):A network model of place-cell turnover in CA1 Mavi Sánchez-Vives, Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques (Spain) Samir Suweis, Universita di Padova (Italy): Simple (but not too simple) models to investigate complex brain dynamics Yuhai Tu, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center (USA): Optimal coding strategies in the periferal olfactory systems: Compressed sensing for an array of nonlinear olfactory receptor neurons with and without spontaneous activity Pablo Varona, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain) Pau Vilimelis Aceituno Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciencies (Germany) Marius Yamakou Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences (Germany) People interested to attend the conference and present their contributions please follow the link below for further information: http://ergodic.ugr.es/cp/index.php Contributions to the conference will be invited to submit an original manuscript for a forthcomming "Special Issue on Emergent Effects in Stochastic Neural Networks with Application to Learning and Information Processing", in the Elsevier Journal "Neurocomputing" (Impact Factor: 4.072, being Q1 in the ISI JCR) -- Prof. Dr. Joaquín J. Torres Department of Electromagnetism and Physics of the Matter. Institute "Carlos I" for Theoretical and Computational Physics. University of Granada.

July 30, 2019

NEURON course at SFN 2019 meeting

by Carnevale, Nicholas

Space is still available for the NEURON course that will be held at a location on the campus of the Feinberg School of Medicine in downtown Chicago, as a satellite session to the 2019 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. This course is for you if you're * a lab director trying to decide whether to add computational modeling to your research program * a grad student or postdoc who is just getting started in modeling * an established NEURON user who wants to find out about NEURON's latest features It starts with a practical introduction that reviews basic concepts, presents a workflow for building and using mechanistic models of cells and networks, and moves on to topics that include: * how to speed up simulations * how to use Python with NEURON (while still taking advantage of NEURON's GUI!) * how to model reaction-diffusion with the RxD class For more information and the registration form, see https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/chi2019/chi2019.html --Ted -- This message was composed in plain text and may contain plain text formatting of source code, tables, and lists. Reading it in a client that ignores "excess" whitespace characters or line breaks may destroy that formatting, making this message unreadable. Outlook does that by default; learn how to disable the "Auto Remove Line Breaks" ""feature"" at support.microsoft.com

July 29, 2019

Associate professor in theoretical neuroscience position at Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

by Paul Tiesinga

Dear colleagues Were are recruiting a new faculty in the general area of theoretical (and/or computational) neuroscience at the associate professor level. The position is based in the Neuroinformatics department at the Faculty of Science at Radboud University (Nijmegen, the Netherlands) and embedded in the Donders Institute. We are especially encouraging female candidates to apply. Detailed information about the position, as well as instructions of how to apply are found at https://www.academictransfer.com/nl/284454/associate-professor-of-theoretic… . Informal enquiries can be directed to Paul Tiesinga (p.tiesinga(a)science.ru.nl, Head of department) or Bert Kappen (b.kappen(a)donders.ru.nl, Chair of the search committee). Should you know of excellent candidates that may not have been reached by this advertisement, please feel free to forward this email to them or to forward their contact information to us at the aforementioned email addresses. Best regards, Paul Tiesinga, on behalf of the search committee.

July 29, 2019

search for neuro faculty at Northwestern University

by Sara A. Solla

The Department of Physiology at Northwestern University, where I work, seeks a full-time tenure track Investigator at the rank of Assistant, Associate or full Professor. Applications from the circuit, systems, and computational neuroscience community would be welcomed. Northwestern has a large neuroscience community consisting of over 150 faculty members, located on both Chicago and Evanston campuses, providing many opportunities for collaboration. The scientific environment is collegial, collaborative, and rich with core facilities, robust cross-disciplinary graduate training programs, and diverse expertise. Candidates should have a PhD, MD/PhD or MD degree, significant research experience, and evidence of sustainable extramural funding. Those seeking appointment at the associate or full professor level should have a record of outstanding research productivity and sustained grant support. When applying, please upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a two-page description of research accomplishments/plans, and a completed list of references form to suggest the names of individuals who could write letters of reference on your behalf. See https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/faculty-position-in-neuroscience-f…

July 26, 2019

Three-year postdoc position in auditory neuroengineering at Imperial College London

by Reichenbach, Johann D T

Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) Duration: Three years, with possibility of extension Sensory Neuroengineering group Imperial College London PI: Dr. Tobias Reichenbach http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/ Imperial College London is a science-based institution with the greatest concentration of high-impact research of any major UK university. The Faculty of Engineering, consistently rated among the best in the world, is made up of 10 academic departments and is committed to increasing its research activity by focusing on engineering-led multidisciplinary growth areas that target a number of global challenges. All of our academic departments are located on a single campus in South Kensington, giving a concentration of talent that creates a stimulating and vibrant research community. You can find out more about our staff benefits, including generous annual leave entitlements and our excellent professional development opportunities, here: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/job-applicants/staff-benefits/. This project is part of a recently funded EPSRC fellowship with the project partners Google and Oticon as well as further academic partners in Aachen, Paris and London. It tackles multisensory integration, one of the main issues in real-world speech comprehension. Multisensory speech perception such as through lip reading can indeed help to better understand a talker in background noise. However, the neural mechanisms behind this multisensory integration remain poorly understood This research project will tackle this challenge through experimental and mathematical techniques. Neuroimaging data acquisition will focus on EEG recordings, which will be analysed using advanced statistical models including deep neural networks. The project will also explore computational models of multisensory integration in cortical networks. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree/ MSc (or equivalent) in engineering, mathematics, physics or neuroscience with experience in signal processing, machine learning as well as human neuroscience. More information and a link to the application form can be found here: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/ENG00933/research-assistantassoc… Application deadline is 29 September 2019. ------------------------------------------- Tobias Reichenbach Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London South Kensington Campus SW7 2AZ London, UK http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/

July 26, 2019

Post-Doc position (Neuronal Rhythms in Movement unit, OIST, Okinawa)

by Marylka Yoe Uusisaari

OIST is a young, fast-growing research-oriented interdisciplinary graduate university, located on the tropical paradise island of Okinawa ( https://www.visitokinawa.jp/) OIST relies on a cross-disciplinary approach, with an emphasis on creativity and exchange, to offer unique, individualized graduate training. Despite being a newcomer in the academic world, OIST was recently ranked as #10 in the world on Normalized Nature Index ( https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2019/institution/academic-normali… ). The Neuronal Rhythms in Movement (nRIM; https://groups.oist.jp/nrim) unit at OIST is looking for an inspired applicant with a PhD in neuroscience, bioengineering, neuromechanics, biophysics or similar related field to lead a collaborative, generously-funded project exploring how abstract patterns of neuronal activity are translated into precisely-timed motor actions using rodents. Our main focus is on natural movements such as running on uneven surface, climbing and jumping that require continuous modulation of behavioral programs. The successful applicant will be combining our novel, high-resolution 3D motion capture system with deep-brain imaging (Inscopix nVoke system) and optical/pharmacological manipulation to disentangle the circuitry mechanisms underlying fine motor control. The work will be conducted in tight collaboration with in vitro physiologists and anatomists, and complemented with computational approaches from our collaborators. Working with nRIM at OIST offers access to impressive research infrastructure including state-of-the-art imaging as well as scientific computing facilities. Importantly, we are dedicated to training early-career scientists for their best possible future and offer high-level professional and career development in form of personalized counseling, workshops and seminars, in addition to extensive opportunities for travel and networking within academia and industry as well as coaching in grant-writing. nRIM is a tight group of extraordinary individuals, and to ensure perfect fit to the group, shortlisted applicants will be invited to visit OIST for a 3-day interview meeting before any decisions are made. Qualifications: - A PhD (obtained within last 5 years) in relevant disciplines, such as biosciences, neuroscience, bioengineering, physics or computer science - Experience in building and programming (MATLAB) experimental systems - A record of first-author, high-impact publications is not required as we do not believe that scientific excellence necessarily correlates with them. However, a record of research and publication activity is required. - Prior experience with animal handling, olivo-cerebellar systems or calcium imaging is greatly appreciated even if not necessarily required; however, motivation and capability to learn new approaches such as these is a must. - nRIM is a team endeavor; thus, ability to work effectively with a group is a must - Capabilities related to managing complex data, record-keeping, and planning experimental schedules are indispensable. In accordance of OIST regulations, salary and benefits, including paid leave and summer holidays, health care and relocation support to Okinawa, will be offered at a competitive rate based on age and experience. Furthermore, as a part of OIST strategies for Good Research Environment, dedicated mentoring will be provided to ascertain best possible career development for researchers at all stages. The working language at all operational levels is English, and Japanese language classes are offered on-site free of charge. OIST is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer implementing progressive workplace policies and strongly encourages applications from women and other under-represented groups. Whenever possible, OIST will attempt to help in finding employment for the employee’s partner. To apply, please send a cover letter describing your motivation for this position, CV & publications list, as well as contact information for 2 referees to uusisaari(a)oist.jp by September 30th, 2019. Informal queries are also welcomed.

July 26, 2019

Computational Neuroscience opportunity -- startup tackling brain disorders with ML

by Nate Boyd

System1 (system1.bio) is a drug discovery company for neurological and psychiatric disorders, combining applied research in 3D cell culture biology (cerebral organoids) and machine learning. We are looking for a senior scientist to lead development of our experimental neuroscience and machine learning platform. Help us create a unified understanding of neural pathways and drug interactions from calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and other data sets. Steer our research, coordinate efforts across biology and computation, and build our neuroscience team as we grow. This position reports to the CEO. Founded by repeat entrepreneurs and researchers from respected labs, System1 is assembling a multidisciplinary team with the goal of increasing understanding of how our neural circuitry works, how it fails, and how to heal it. We're located in San Francisco and have raised $30M of venture funding to date. More about us: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rAW8riYpupEoynWLM7quNFFCrL_FTkDdJJleoS9… Organoid technology review: http://dev.biologists.org/content/144/6/938 Contact: nate(a)plusplustalent.com Warm regards, Nate Boyd linkedin.com/in/nateboyd

July 26, 2019

Open postdoctoral researcher position at Stanford

by Aaron Milstein

A postdoctoral research position is available in the lab of Dr. Ivan Soltesz in the Dept. of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, also affiliated with the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford. The position is fully funded by NIMH through an NSF-NIH Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience research grant awarded to Stanford Instructor Dr. Aaron Milstein. The project is an international collaboration with Dr. Marlene Bartos at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The postdoctoral researcher will be co-mentored by Drs. Soltesz and Milstein. We are seeking a talented scientist to use modern computational modeling and data analysis methods to understand the roles of specific inhibitory and excitatory cell types found in hippocampal microcircuits in controlling spatial learning and memory. In particular, we are interested in nonlinear signal integration and associative synaptic plasticity mechanisms in the dendrites of granule cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, and their regulation by a unique class of excitatory interneurons implicated in epilepsy, the dentate mossy cells. This position represents a unique opportunity be co-mentored by multiple investigators at the forefront of the field, and includes funded travel to interact with experimental collaborators and to attend research conferences in the U.S. and Europe. We urge interested applicants to read the following papers describing our recent work, and to include in their cover letter any insighful comments and questions that they may have: http://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan3846 http://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan4074 http://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0191-2 Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, bioengineering, or computer science Prior experience in modeling biological neural circuit function and/or plasticity in health and/or disease Required Application Materials: C.V. Contact information for 2 professional references A brief personal statement describing your perspective on biological neural circuit function and/or plasticity, including insightful comments and questions pertaining to recent publications by Drs. Aaron Milstein, Ivan Soltesz, Marlene Bartos and colleagues Stanford is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Apply here: https://postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/opportunities/open-postdoctoral-p…

July 25, 2019

The Virtual Brain Node#9 Workshop, August 31 2019, Warsaw

by Julie Courtiol

*TheVirtualBrain <https://www.thevirtualbrain.org/>* team is organising its *Node 9 Workshop on August 31, in Warsaw, Poland*! Please consider attending the workshop and sharing the information to your group in case this would be useful for them! For more infos, click here <https://www.thevirtualbrain.org/tvb/zwei/newswire-event-single/253901-works…> Hope to see you there! Best regards, Julie Courtiol Research Fellow Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin ---------------------------------------- The workshop is dedicated to a theoretical and practical *understanding of large-scale brain network modeling using the open-source neuroinformatics platform The Virtual Brain (TVB)*. This simulation environment enables the biologically realistic modeling of whole-brain network dynamics across different brain scales, using personalized structural connectome-based approach. Configurable brain network models generate macroscopic neuroimaging signals including functional MRI, intracranial and stereotactic EEG, surface EEG and MEG for single subjects. Researchers from different backgrounds can benefit from an integrative software platform including a simulation core written in Python and a supporting framework for data management (generation, organization, storage, integration and sharing). The workshop is an official training event of the *NeuroInformatics 2019 <https://www.neuroinformatics2019.org/>* that will be held on September 1-2, also in Warsaw. *:: Workshop Format * • Lectures • Hands-on tutorials *:: Workshop Program Overview* • Architecture of TVB • Theoretical background of large-scale brain network modeling • Interacting with TVB using GUI and/or CLI • Personalization pipeline • Modeling resting-state networks, brain disorder, stimulation, mouse brain activity, etc. *Please make sure to register early as we only offer limited seats to ensure there are enough tutors for you.* *REGISTRATION CLOSES JULY 31st, 2019* *IMPORTANT TO NOTE* **Anyone is welcome to register to TVB Node #9!** You DO NOT need to be registered for NeuroInformatics 2019 in order to register for this workshop. Registration for TVB Node #9 workshop is separated from registration to NeuroInformatics 2019. *REGISTER HERE <https://en.xing-events.com/tvb-node9>*

July 25, 2019

open faculty and fellow positions at CSHL

by Engel, Tatiana

Dear colleagues, I would like to bring to your attention the open Fellow and Faculty positions at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Fellow position is an opportunity for early independence for candidates who recently finished or are about to finish their PhD, it provides resources for building a small research group and a possibility of promotion to the faculty. Both positions include computational/theoretical neuroscience. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the positions or how to apply. 1) Faculty: https://www.cshl.edu/about-us/careers/faculty-positions/ 2) Fellow: https://www.cshl.edu/research/fellows-programs-at-cshl/cshl-fellows-program… Sincerely, Tatiana -- Tatiana Engel, PhD Assistant Professor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (+1) 408 409 3647

July 25, 2019

Postdoctoral Position in Pain and Affect

by Atlas, Lauren (NIH/NCCIH) [E]

Our lab, the Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain (ANP Lab), is recruiting one to two postdoctoral researchers with expertise in computational modeling, fMRI, and/or affective science to lead new projects on the psychological modulation of pain and emotional experience using high field imaging (7-Tesla MRI). Our lab is part of NIH's intramural research program, and is affiliated with the intramural programs of NCCIH, NIMH, and NIDA. For more information on postdoctoral positions within NIH, see 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. For more information about our research, see: https://nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural/atlas-lab We are looking for someone to spearhead new projects using high field imaging (7T-FMRI) to examine pain and perception across domains. 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 and 2) analysis of fMRI data using statistical parametric mapping packages (SPM, AFNI, etc.). Programming skills in MATLAB, C, and/or Python are highly desirable. These requirements will be flexible for candidates with clinical experience in pain populations. Appointments and salary are commensurate with research experience and accomplishments. 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. How To Apply Applicants should submit a CV, a brief description of research interests and career goals, and the names of three references to: lauren.atlas(a)nih.gov(Investigator/Chief, Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain, NCCIH/NIMH/NIDA, NIH). 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.

July 24, 2019

Dual Award PhD (UH/WSU) in Neuromorphic olfaction - deadline and scope extended

by Michael Schmuker

Now open for all applicants! An exceptional opportunity for a dual award PhD in Neuromorphic olfaction is open at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, that includes a year abroad at Western Sydney University, Australia. The successful candidate will obtain a PhD degree from both UH and WSU. We offer an exciting 3-year project in Neuromorphic computing under joint supervision of Dr Michael Schmuker (UHERTS), and Dr André van Schaik (WSU). The first and third year of the programme will be spent in the Biocomputation research group at UH, with the second year spent at the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, led by André van Schaik (WSU). The successful candidate has the unique opportunity to join two vibrant and research-driven teams at opposite ends of the world and carry home two PhD awards. The ideal candidate has an exceptional interest in at least one of neuromorphic computing, event-based data science, chemical sensing. The position comes with a bursary of £15,009 per year. Airfare to and from WSU in Australia is covered, too. There is no restriction on the candidate’s current country of residence. Interested? Please get in touch informally with Dr. Michael Schmuker <mailto:m.schmuker@biomachinelearning.net> by email as soon as possible. Don’t delay! Shortlisting will begin on 29th July 2019 (extended deadline). How to apply Download the application form <https://www.herts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/31105/uh-application-fo…>, fill it out, save it to your disk, and return it to: Lynette Spelman and Emma Thorogood <mailto:doctoralcollegeadmissions@herts.ac.uk> Research Student Administrators University of Hertfordshire College Lane Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB tel: +44 (0)1707 286083 — Dr Michael Schmuker AFHEA Reader in Data Science Biocomputation Group University of Hertfordshire https://biomachinelearning.net <https://biomachinelearning.net/>

July 23, 2019

CFP Frontiers Research Topic: Closing the Loop: From Human Behavior to Multisensory Robots

by Pablo Barros

Call For Papers - Frontiers Research Topic: Closing the Loop: From Human Behavior to Multisensory Robots I. Aim and Scope The ability to efficiently process crossmodal information is a key feature of the human brain that provides a robust perceptual experience and behavioral responses. Consequently, the processing and integration of multisensory information streams such as vision, audio, haptics, and proprioception play a crucial role in the development of autonomous agents and cognitive robots, yielding an efficient interaction with the environment also under conditions of sensory uncertainty. This Research Topic invites authors to submit new findings, theories, systems, and trends in multisensory learning for intelligent agents and robots with the aim to foster the development of novel and impactful research which will contribute to the understanding of human behavior and the development of artificial systems operating in real-world environments. II. Potential Topics Topics include, but are not limited to: - New methods and applications for crossmodal processing and multisensory integration (e.g. vision, audio, haptics, proprioception) - Machine learning and neural networks for multisensory robot perception - Computational models of crossmodal attention and perception - Bio-inspired approaches for crossmodal learning - Multisensory conflict resolution and executive control - Sensorimotor learning for autonomous agents and robots - Crossmodal learning for embodied and cognitive robots III. Submission - Abstract - 28th August 2019 - Paper Submission - 02nd December 2019 We have special discounts for open access papers participating in this research topic. If you have any further question, please let us know. More information: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/9321/closing-the-loop-from-huma… IV. Guest Editors Pablo Barros, University of Hamburg, Germany Doreen Jirak, Hamburg University, Germany German I. Parisi, Apprente, Inc., USA Jun Tani, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan -- Dr. Pablo Barros Postdoctoral Research Associate - Crossmodal Learning Project (CML) Knowledge Technology Department of Informatics University of Hamburg Vogt-Koelln-Str. 30 22527 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 40 42883 2535 Fax: +49 40 42883 2515 barros at informatik.uni-hamburg.dehttp://www.pablobarros.nethttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/people/barros.htmlhttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/

July 23, 2019

Open positions in human-machine interaction at Imperial College London

by Eden, Jonathan

We at the human robotics group (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/human-robotics) use an integrative approach of neuroscience and robotics to investigate human sensorimotor control, and to design efficient human-machine interaction, assistive devices and training systems for neuro-rehabilitation. We have openings for 2 postdoctoral and 5 PhD positions for projects related to: - predictive haptic coding in animals and for robotics (https://www.ph-coding.eu/) - haptic communication between humans and with robots (see Takagi et al. Nature Human Behaviour 2017, PLoS Computational Biology 2018, eLife 2019; Li et al. Nature Machine Intelligence 2019.) - sensorimotor augmentation and control of supernumerary limbs (see Abdi et al. Scientific Reports 2016; Mehring et al. Nature Communication 2019) - technology for social neurorehabilitation (Mace et al. J of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2017, in collaboration with https://www.gripable.co/) - development of neural activity in infants born preterm and with cerebral palsy (see DallOrso et al. Cerebral Cortex 2018, Mutalib et al. J of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2019) Interesting applicants with suitable background(s) can submit a CV and <1 page of motivation for such position to <j.eden(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:j.eden@imperial.ac.uk>> with title "HRG position: <your name>". You can also ask for information at the same address. We are looking for postdocs with a strong background in computational modelling. These postdocs will have the opportunity to work with our network of collaborators and to be involved in guiding of PhD students in their respective projects. Suitable backgrounds for Ph.D. applicants may be in physics, related engineering fields and computer science. Note that the funding is only for the EU/EEA/UK level of fees for PhD studies at Imperial. However candidates from outside the EU are welcome to apply if they have suitable complementary funding. I look forward to your application! Etienne Burdet www.imperial.ac.uk/human-robotics<http://www.imperial.ac.uk/human-robotics> eburdet(a)ic.ac.uk<mailto:eburdet@ic.ac.uk> Imperial College London South Kensington campus SW7 2AZ London, UK

July 23, 2019

NIH-BRAIN funded computational neuroscientist postdoc position @ Dierssen's lab Barcelona

by Linus Manubens Gil

A computational neuroscientist researcher position is available in the lab of Mara Dierssen<https://www.crg.eu/en/programmes-groups/dierssen-lab> at the CRG. The Cellular and Systems Neurobiology lab at the Center for Genomic Regulation, a leading renowned center for biomedical research in Europe offers a full-time contract for a research assistant. We seek a physicist, computational biologist, computational engineer or mathematician to collaborate on (1) the imaging and analysis of whole mouse brains using light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, (2) the development of a computational framework for studying the relation between multiscale 3D neuromorphological properties and neuronal network connectivity with applications in the study of Down syndrome and (3) the analysis of stereo-EEG recordings applied to the study of seizure generation in intractable epilepsy. The projects are led by the team leader of the Cellular and Systems Neurobiology group Dr Mara Dierssen and the candidate will tightly collaborate with the team of Dr Bing Ye (UMichigan). If interested, please apply at: https://recruitment.crg.eu/content/jobs/position/computational-biologist-re… Find detailed information on the position in the link and below. Best! Linus Manubens-Gil, PhD Lab 522.04 - Cellular & Systems Neurobiology Systems Biology Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) c/Dr. Aiguader 88 08003, Barcelona About the team/ lab/ department The Dierssen lab is centered on understanding cognition and behavior and their perturbation in intellectual disability. We are an interdisciplinary team of physicists, bioinformaticians and experimental biologists, and we focus on data collection (behavior, 3D imaging, genomic data) of many variables of the system (longitudinal behavioral analysis, mesoscopic analysis of neuronal networks, gene expression patterns). We take advantage of computer modeling and bioinformatics analysis (gene networks, neuronal network modeling, etc.) to tackling classical unresolved questions in the field, such as: (a) pathological disturbances of structural optimality in single cell and neuronal networks, (b) genomic dependence of cognitive disturbances, (c) identification of predictive non-invasive biomarkers, (d) discovery of pro-cognitive therapies. Whom would we like to hire? Professional experience Must Have · Experience in computer programming (MATLAB/Python/R/C++) is required · Experience in brain clearing experimental protocols is highly desirable Desirable but not required/ Nice to have · Experience in Light-Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy imaging and terabyte-sized dataset handling is desirable · Experience in designing and developing computational methods for three-dimensional modelling is recommended · Experience with and/or the ability to quickly acquire skills in electrophysiological recordings and analysis (e.g. EEG/EMG) is desirable Education and training · PhD in physics, computational neuroscience/biology, mathematics, computational engineering or related fields Languages · Fluent level of English Technical skills · A formal training and strong background in programming and modeling · Good script programming skills (MATLAB, Python, R, C++, shell scripting) · Laboratory animal care training (in accordance with RD 53/2013, category B) will be highly valued Competences · Highly developed organization skills The Offer · Contract duration: 3 years · Estimated annual gross salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and consistent with our pay scales. · Target start date: September 15, 2019 We provide a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructures, and unique professional career development opportunities. We offer and promote a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation. The CRG is committed to reconcile a work and family life of its employees and are offering extended vacation period and the possibility to benefit from flexible working hours. Application Procedure All applications must include: 1. A motivation letter addressed to Dr Mara Dierssen. 2. A complete CV including contact details. 3. Contact details of two referees. All applications must be addressed to Dr. Mara Dierssen and be submitted online on the CRG Career site - http://www.crg.eu/en/content/careers/job-opportunities Deadline: Please submit your application by 15/08/2019

July 22, 2019

Special Issue "Probabilistic Inference in Goal-Directed Human and Animal Decision-Making" [journal Entropy, IF=2.419]

by Domenico Maisto

Dear Colleagues, please consider submitting a research article/review to the special issue of *Entropy* <https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy> “*Probabilistic Inference in Goal-Directed Human and Decision-Making*”. This special issue aims to focus on recent computational, methodological, algorithmic advances regarding inferential processing in decision-making with particular attention on efficiency and biological plausibility. Topics include: - *computational and neuronal circuits* involved in goal-directed decision making, with a focus on the inferential mechanisms; - *novel probabilistic models and methods* in decision making including information-theory approaches, statistical and free-energy minimization, hierarchical models, deep networks - *decision-making applications* in ethological, social, psychological, psychiatric, robotics, and computer science research. *Entropy <https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy>* is an online open access interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal of growing popularity providing an advanced forum for the development and/or application of entropic and information-theoretic studies in a wide variety of applications. Author Benefits: - *Open Access*: free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions. -* High visibility*: indexed by the Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science), MathSciNet (AMS), Inspec (IET), Scopus and other databases. - *Rapid publication*: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision provided to authors approximately 19.1 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 5 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2018). More information on the special issue website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/probabilistic_inference Looking forward to your contributions Dr. Francesco Donnarumma <francesco.donnarumma(a)istc.cnr.it> Dr. Domenico Maisto <domenico.maisto(a)icar.cnr.it> Dr. Ivilin Stoianov <ivilin.stoianov(a)istc.cnr.it> Guest Editors

July 19, 2019

Postdoc position in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience - TU Dresden - Correction

by Lorenz Goenner

(Apologies for re-posting because of a broken web link) Dear colleagues, the Systems Neuroscience Lab (Prof. Michael Smolka) at TU Dresden invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Computational Neuroscience The position is initially limited until June 30 th, 2023, and is subject to TV-L remuneration (E13 scale, 100%). Within the Technische Universität Dresden, the Section of Systems Neuroscience is closely associated with the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology and the Neuroimaging Center, which offers excellent research collaborations (e.g. Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Prof. Stefan Kiebel) and infrastructure (3 Tesla MRI scanner for full-time research, MRI-compatible EEG and eye tracking, as well as TMS and TDCS). Our international and multidisciplinary group conducts cognitive neuroscience research at the cutting edge and the translation to clinical applications. In order to better understand human action control we investigate cognitive processes such as value-based decision-making and learning. On the clinical side we study how these neuro-cognitive mechanisms contribute to the complex behavioral dysfunctions observed in mental disorders. Our lab is engaged in two Collaborative Research Centers (CRC). The CRC 940 ‘Volition and Cognitive Control: Mechanisms, Modulators, and Dysfunctions’, and the newly established TRR 265 ‘Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions’. These centers combine research in cognitive and computational neuroscience with research in clinical psychology and psychiatry. The position is an ideal opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary group of researchers, and contribute to a wide range of projects investigating computational and neuronal underpinning of human behavior Your tasks: • Computational modelling of behavioural data from decision-making tasks • Improving existing and developing new methods (e.g., reinforcement/temporal difference learning, Markov models, Bayesian and active inference models) with support by an experienced modelling group • Preparing manuscripts and presenting results at conferences • Instructing and supervising PhD students Your profile: • University degree (master or diploma) with a strong quantitative background (e.g., computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics, computer science, statistics) • Doctoral degree and documented interest in Computational Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology • Expertise in computational modelling of behavioural data • Programming skills in common software environments (e.g., Python, MATLAB) • Keen interest in collaboration with experimental researchers to study complex human behaviour • Expertise in neuroimaging data analysis would be advantageous We offer you: • Being part of the CRCs and their scientific activities • Working in a highly interdisciplinary team with leading cognitive and computational neuroscientists We look forward to receiving your complete application (one PDF-document including a cover letter with a brief summary of research interests, full CV, and two references) until July 29th, 2019. To apply and for informal inquiries, please contact: Prof. Michael Smolka (michael.smolka(a)tu-dresden.de)

July 17, 2019

[journals] CfP: Special Issue on Inter- and Intra-subject Variability in Brain Imaging and Decoding

by Chun-Shu Wei

Dear Colleagues, In collaboration with the journal Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, we are bringing together a selected group of international experts to contribute to an open-access article collection on: Inter- and Intra-subject Variability in Brain Imaging and Decoding ( https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/10801/inter--and-intra-subject-… ) We welcome you to submit your work in the field of brain imaging and decoding. Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via either of the following three journals: Frontiers in Neuroscience (Brain Imaging Methods), Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience or Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. ABOUT THIS RESEARCH TOPIC Pervasive and elusive human variability, both across and within individuals, poses a major challenge in interpreting and decoding human brain activity. Differences in brain anatomy and functionality across individuals contribute to the inter-subject variability. Within an individual, changes in neural processing, non-stationarity of brain activities, the variation of neurophysiological mechanisms, and various unknown factors might give rise to the intra-subject variability. Recently, there has been an increasing number of studies that have focused on appreciating rather than ignoring variability. Through the lens of variability, they have led to a better insight into individual differences and cross-session variations, facilitating precision functional brain mapping and decoding based on individual variability and similarity. For instance, the robustness of brain decoding has been improved by transfer learning techniques that are capable of tackling variability in data collected from different subjects across different sessions and days. On the other hand, the applicability of a neurophysiological biometric relies on its manifest inter-subject variability and minimal intra-subject variability. Critical questions, therefore, arise regarding how inter- and intra-subject variability can be observed, analyzed and modeled, what pros and cons researchers might gain from the variability, and how to deal with the variability in brain imaging and decoding. The goal of this Research Topic is to encourage researchers to examine human variability in brain imaging and decoding, with a focus on both advantages and disadvantages of inter- and intra-subject variability in mapping and modeling brain functions. We welcome empirical, theoretical and meta-analytical work and encourage authors to re-examine their datasets through the scopes of human variability rather than averaged observations and overall interpretations. Subtopics of interest include, but are not limited to: • The imaging and characteristics of inter- and intra-subject variability in neuroimaging data. • Evaluating and tracking variability within a single subject and across multiple subjects. • Obtaining neuroscientific findings from leveraging the variability in brain activities. • Enhancing the performance of brain decoding against or through variability. • Generic model learning of brain imaging • Transfer learning and model adaptation based on inter-/intra-subject variability Keywords: variability, neuroimaging, brain mapping, brain decoding, functional brain modeling, brain-computer interface, EEG, MEG, fMRI, fNIRS Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review. GUEST EDITORS Tzyy-Ping Jung, University of California, CA, United States Corey Keller, Stanford University, CA, United States Junhua Li, University of Essex, United Kingdoms Yuan-Pin Lin, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan Masaki Nakanishi, University of California, CA, United States Johanna Wagner, University of California, CA, United States Chun-Shu Wei, Stanford University, CA, United States Wei Wu, Stanford University, CA, United States Yu Zhang, Stanford University, CA, United States IMPORTANT DATES 17th August 2019 – Abstract submission deadline 15th December 2019 – Manuscript submission deadline I look forward to your response. Kind Regards, Chun-Shu Wei Topic Editor, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience On behalf of the Topic Editors. Chun-Shu Wei, Postdoctoral Fellow, Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University cswei.tw(a)gmail.com | 858.380.8231 | https://sites.google.com/view/cswei/

July 16, 2019

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) vacancy in Berlin-based startup

by hamed bahmani

*Dopavision GmbH* is a digital-health startup based in Berlin with the mission to disrupt vision care with digital solutions. We are backed with venture capital and a research grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We are developing a digital solution for myopia control which aim at modulating retinal dopamine by artificial light, in order to regulate the eyeball growth. We have successfully conducted proof-of-concept experiments and are now moving into pre-clinical investigations together with national and international academic partners. We are a team of 4 experienced scientists and startup entrepreneurs and supported by renowned scientific advisors and strategic pharmaceutical partners. We are now looking for a *Chief Medical Officer (CMO) *to join the leadership team and prepare, lead, and conduct the next stage human clinical studies. If you are passionate about eye, vision, clinical studies or digital health technologies and enjoy working in an early-stage startup, then we would like to get to know you! *Your Responsibilities* · Develop our clinical investigation strategy in order to successfully launch our product as a validated medical device · Decide on the overall company strategy as a member of the leadership team · Lead our clinical investigations through all phases – you’re responsible to achieve our scientific goals and manage the project · Manage our (not-so-small) budget for clinical investigations and contribute to fund-raising activities · Build and lead your team for medical and clinical investigations · Innovate clinical study protocols for our digital medical devices, e.g., by designing new blinding and placebo methods suitable for our break-through intervention · Work closely with our regulatory and product development team, as well as the science team to align activities and solve problems together · Become an expert in previously conducted clinical studies on myopia control, eye and vision care, and existing scientific literature · Build strong partnerships with industry partners from the pharmaceutical or medical device sector, and academic partners all around the world · Write and publish the results for internationally renowned scientific journals, and present them at international conferences · Communicate the clinical strategy to investors and business stakeholders *Your Qualifications* · MD or PhD in medical sciences, vision sciences, or life sciences with proven research experience · > 5 years of experience in clinical investigations in the pharmaceutical, health care, or medical device industry, thereof 3-5 years in a leadership or project management position · Experience in digital healthcare is a plus · Ideally deep expertise in at least one of the following areas: neurobiology of the eye, ophthalmology, myopia, or optics of the eye · Working knowledge of pharmaceutical or medical device regulatory frameworks · Excellent communication skills and fluent in English; German is a plus · Strategic thinking and excellent problem-solving abilities · Entrepreneurial experience or business experience in Asia is a big plus *What we offer* · Competitive base salary plus equity · You build the team with us and define the way our company will work – as employee number 5 · Shape the future of digital medicine and address an unmet medical need that affects billions of people world-wide · Invent new protocols and ways to perform clinical investigations for digital health care together with sharp minds in the team · Continue building your scientific career by publishing your findings in renowned international journals and present them at conferences · Work together with the best scientists in the field of myopia research from all around the world – Asia, Australia, and Europe, among others · Work together with opinion leaders in digital health in Germany from our partner Flying Health, as well as our internationally leading pharmaceutical partner · Build a great, fast-learning organization with us, with a flat hierarchy and direct communication · Offices in Mindspace, the coolest co-working space in the heart of Berlin (at least in our opinion) with free yoga classes, coffee and happy hours on the terrace Sounds like your next adventure? Apply online at http://www.dopavision.com/career-cmo.html – we’re looking forward to getting to know you! Not sure? Still take a moment to reach out to get to know us or ask your questions: jobs(a)dopavision.com *Location: *Berlin *Position: *Full-time Best regards, Dr. Hamed Bahmani Founder and Managing Director, Dopavision GmbH

July 16, 2019

Final call for the Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox

by Stewart Heitmann

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox Online Course July 1-19, 2019 Final Announcement. Enrolments close on Friday. The Modeller’s Workshop is an on-line course is for researchers and students who wish to use the Brain Dynamics Toolbox to simulate their own dynamical models. Participants learn the art of programming differential equations in Matlab and how to use the toolbox to solve those equations interactively. Topics include programming Ordinary Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, Delay Differential Equations, Stochastic Differential Equations, Auxiliary Plot Functions and command-line tools. Example code is provided in all cases. https://bdtoolbox.org/p/modellers-workshop/ Important Dates Enrolments close Friday 19th July, 2019. Stewart Heitmann | Computational Scientist Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute | Lowy Packer Building | 405 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Australia E: s.heitmann(a)victorchang.edu.au<mailto:s.heitmann@victorchang.edu.au> | @VictorChangInst ______________________________________________________________________ The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's Email is scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.

July 16, 2019

NEURON course at SFN 2019 meeting

by Carnevale, Nicholas

Using NEURON to Model Cells and Networks Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 from 9 AM to 5 PM at a downtown Chicago location. Satellite event to the 2019 Society for Neuroscience Meeting This course provides a practical introduction to building and using models of neurons and networks with NEURON. Covered topics include basic concepts, workflow for building and using models, speeding up simulations with parallel hardware from multicore personal computers to massively parallel supercomputers, using Python with NEURON, and modeling reaction-diffusion with the RxD class. The registration deadline for this course is Friday Oct. 4, but you should sign up early because space is limited. See https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/chi2019/chi2019.html for more information and a link to the registration form. --Ted

July 16, 2019

Open position as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in Berlin-based startup

by hamed bahmani

*Dopavision GmbH* is a digital-health startup based in Berlin with the mission to disrupt vision care with digital solutions. We are backed with venture capital and a research and development grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We are developing a digital solution for myopia control which can take the form of a smartphone app or an application for a virtual or augmented reality device, as well as smart glasses. We have completed proof-of-concept studies and are moving into pre-clinical investigations and technology development. We are a team of 4 experienced scientists and startup entrepreneurs and supported by renowned scientific advisors and strategic industry partners. We are now looking for a *Chief Technology Officer (CTO) *to join the leadership team and advance our product and technology strategy. If you are passionate about digital health and cutting-edge technologies and enjoy working in an early-stage startup where you can combine your strategic thinking with your hands-on mentality to develop a great consumer product, then we would like to get to know you! *Your Responsibilitie**s* · Develop our technology strategy to build a medical device which will be clinically validated and comply with medical device regulations · Decide on the overall company strategy as a member of the leadership team · Define and implement the hardware platform, software platform/technology stack and the systems infrastructure for our product · Lead the development of our application: Prototypes for different stages of experiments, and the final product · Build and lead your team of top-of-the-field developers and IT experts · Manage our product development and IT budget, and relations with external providers · Implement necessary processes for a digital medical device development setup: ISO-certification for quality management, technical documentation, and data protection · Work closely with our regulatory and clinical investigations team to successfully conduct clinical investigations, and apply for regulatory approval, risk management evaluations etc. · Communicate the technology strategy to partners and investors *Your Qualifications* · Proven experience as a CTO or similar leadership role in digital technology companies · Considerable years of experience in developing technology in a medically regulated context, ideally in a pharmaceutical, medical device or optics company · Knowledge on current digital technology trends, e.g., VR/AR/MR, eye tracking technology, smart wearables, digital displays · Track record of building successful consumer digital products, e.g., web applications, games, apps or similar · Experience with mobile native development frameworks · Understanding of budgets and business-planning · Experience with German/international data protection requirements · Excellent communication skills and fluent in English; German is a plus · Proven to be an inspiring leader to people and teams · Strategic thinking and excellent problem-solving skills · BSc/BA or higher in Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering or a related field; MBA or other relevant graduate degree is a plus *What we offer* · Competitive base salary plus equity · You build the team with us and define the way our company will work – as employee number 5 · Shape the future of digital medicine and address an unmet medical need that affects billions of people worldwide · Develop a product used as a real medical treatment that can change thousands of lives · Build a great, fast-learning organization with us, with a flat hierarchy and direct communication · Access to our network of peers and partners who are shaping the Berlin ecosystem of digital health · Offices in Mindspace, the coolest co-working space in the heart of Berlin (at least in our opinion) with free yoga classes, coffee and happy hours on the terrace Sounds like your next adventure? Apply online at http://www.dopavision.com/career-cto.html – we’re looking forward to getting to know you! Not sure? Still take a moment to reach out to get to know us or ask your questions: jobs(a)dopavision.com *Location:* Berlin *Position:* Full-time Best regards, Dr. Hamed Bahmani Founder and Managing Director, Dopavision GmbH

July 15, 2019

POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS, BROWN UNIVERSITY (TRUCCOLO LAB)

by Wilson Truccolo

Applications for postdoctoral positions in Computational Neuroscience are invited for the laboratory of Dr. Wilson Truccolo in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. The positions are for the development of theoretical and data-driven stochastic models of neuronal network dynamics, including applications to propagation and control of epileptic seizures, and collective dynamics in neocortex. Neural data consist of recordings of ensembles of single-neurons and high-density local field potentials obtained via multiple intracortical microelectrode arrays implanted in human and non-human primates. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience and modeling of stochastic neural dynamics. Related publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/) Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Truccolo (wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu) Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees should be sent to wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu. -- Wilson Truccolo, Ph.D. Pablo J. Salame '88 Goldman Sachs Associate Professor of Computational Neuroscience Department of Neuroscience & Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

July 15, 2019

Code release: SpykeTorch

by MASQUELIER Timothee

We are proud to release our SpykeTorch open source code! https://github.com/miladmozafari/SpykeTorch SpykeTorch is an efficient PyTorch-based simulator of convolutional spiking neural networks, in which the neurons emit at most one spike per stimulus, and use rank-order-coding. It currently supports the STDP and Reward-modulated STDP learning rules. It can reproduce various recent papers by us and others. A Jupyter tutorial is provided, and an extensive documentation can be found here: http://cnrl.ut.ac.ir/SpykeTorch/doc/ See also the SpykeTorch paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.00625/ Milad Mozafari, Mohammad Ganjtabesh, Abbas Nowzari-Dalini and Timothée Masquelier

July 15, 2019

Dual Award PhD (UH/WSU) in Neuromorphic olfaction

by Michael Schmuker

An exceptional opportunity for a dual award PhD position in Neuromorphic olfaction is open for EU/UK candidates at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, that includes a year abroad at Western Sydney University, Australia. The successful candidate will obtain a PhD degree from both institutions. We offer an exciting 3-year project in Neuromorphic computing under joint supervision of Dr Michael Schmuker (UHERTS), and Dr André van Schaik (WSU). The first and third year of the programme will be spent in the Biocomputation research group at UH, with the second year spent at the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, led by André van Schaik (WSU). The successful candidate has the unique opportunity to join two vibrant and research-driven teams at opposite ends of the world and carry home two PhD awards. The position comes with a bursary of £15,009 per year. Airfare to and from WSU in Australia is covered, too. The PhD is due to start in October 2019. EU/UK candidates with an exceptional interest in at least one of Neuromorphic computing, Event-based data processing, and chemical sensing should get in touch informally with Dr. Michael Schmuker <mailto:m.schmuker@biomachinelearning.net> by email as soon as possible. Shortlisting will begin on 21st July 2019. How to apply Download the application form <https://www.herts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/31105/uh-application-fo…>, fill it out, save it to your disk, and return it to: Lynette Spelman and Emma Thorogood <mailto:doctoralcollegeadmissions@herts.ac.uk> Research Student Administrators University of Hertfordshire College Lane Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB tel: +44 (0)1707 286083 — Dr Michael Schmuker AFHEA Reader in Data Science Biocomputation Group University of Hertfordshire https://biomachinelearning.net

July 11, 2019

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience - recent articles

by Stephen Coombes

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience publishes research articles on the mathematical modelling and analysis of all areas of neuroscience. The Impact Factor of the journal is 2.091 The current list of journal articles is available at http://www.mathematical-neuroscience.com/ : Drift–diffusion models for multiple-alternative forced-choice decision making Alex Roxin https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… A modified Hodgkin–Huxley model to show the effect of motor cortex stimulation on the trigeminal neuralgia network Mohammadreza Khodashenas, Golnaz Baghdadi and Farzad Towhidkhah https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… Linking demyelination to compound action potential dispersion with a spike-diffuse-spike approach Richard Naud and André Longtin https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… Efficient calculation of heterogeneous non-equilibrium statistics in coupled firing-rate models Cheng Ly, Woodrow L. Shew and Andrea K. Barreiro https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… Special Issue from the 2017 International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience Zachary P. Kilpatrick, Julijana Gjorgjieva and Robert Rosenbaum https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… All articles are Open Access. ------------------------------------------------------- Stephen Coombes Professor of Applied Mathematics School of Mathematical Sciences Nottingham, UK Tel: 0115 846 7836 http://www.maths.nott.ac.uk/~sc/ ------------------------------------------------------- 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 contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

July 11, 2019

3-year Research Associate in ActiveAI - University of Sheffield, UK

by Michael Mangan

Are you a talented and ambitious computer scientist, computational neuroscientist or machine learner? Are you looking for an opportunity to develop the next generation AI algorithms that are required to realise the third wave of AI? We have a rare opportunity for a Research Associate to work on this problem within the Dept of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield (a world top 100 university) and in collaboration with world-leading neuroscientists in Australia through the prestigious £1.2m EPSRC Centre to Centre project (ActiveAI: active learning and selective attention for rapid, robust and efficient AI). Your primary role will be to develop a new class of ActiveAI controllers for problems in which insects excel but deep learning methods struggle. These problems have one or more of the following characteristics: (i) learning must occur rapidly, (ii) learning samples are few or costly, (iii) computational resources are limited, and (iv) the learning problem changes over time. Insects deal with such complex tasks robustly despite limited computational power because learning is an active process emerging from the interaction of evolved brains, bodies and behaviours. Through a virtuous cycle of modelling and experiments, you will develop insect-inspired models, in which behavioural strategies and specialised sensors actively structure sensory input while selective attention drives learning to the most salient information, massively reducing the search space. In this way, we will both advance neuroscience and enable ActiveAI solutions which are efficient in learning and final network configuration, robust to real-world conditions and learn rapidly. You will work under the supervision of Dr Mike Mangan, and Professors Eleni Vasilaki and James Marshall, within the Department of Computer Science (top five in the UK in the most recent REF) in partnership with UK-based research collaborators in the £4.8m EPSRC Brains on Board Programme Grant. You will also lead a new collaboration with world-leading research partners in Australia (led by Prof Andrew Barron, Macquarie University) through extended secondments. You should be educated to PhD level (or be close to completion) in a related computational field (or equivalent industrial experience), with excellent skills in computational modelling, ideally the use of neural networks to either model biological systems or to solve complex tasks. Previous experience of GPU computing, embedding models onto robots, verification of models through neuroscientific or behavioural assays, are desirable although not essential, but candidates must have an aptitude for learning or improving these skills. The formal advert with application guidelines can be found here -> http://tiny.cc/gq268y -- Dr. Mike Mangan *Lecturer in Machine Learning & RoboticsSheffield Robotics & Dept of Computer ScienceUniversity of Sheffield* https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/dcs/people/academic/mmangan

July 11, 2019

Bristol workshop 9-13 September 2019 - The Neuroscience Data Challenge

by Conor Houghton

The Neuroscience Data Challenge is a collaborative workshop which will bring people together to apply modelling and data approaches to neuroscience. It will be a workshop and hackathon designed to give us the opportunity to work as colleagues to solve problems. The Neuroscience Data Challenge will be held in Bristol from 9-13 September 2019. All are welcome, there is no fee and there are some bursaries for students and postdocs. The format is based on the "study week" that is successful and popular in applied mathematics - there will be four neuroscience problems presented at the start of the week and we will self-organize around working on them together in groups. We are hoping for an informal, fun and productive week of collaborative research! For more information go to http://www.bristol.ac.uk/neural-dynamics/information/neuroscience-data-chal… All Welcome Conor on behalf of the organizing committee: Conor Houghton, Cian O'Donnell, Rui Ponte Costa, Amelia Burroughs. ________________________________________________________________________________ The Neuroscience Data Challenge is being supported by Reimagining Recruitment, a study funded by the EPSRC and hosted by Bath University, it aims to examine the success of collaborative workshops like this.

July 9, 2019

Postdoc position in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience - TU Dresden

by Dimitrije Markovic

Dear colleagues, We are looking for candidates for a four-year post-doctoral position in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience. The position is part of the newly established Transregio (TRR) 265 Funding Programme: "Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions". The candidates should show strong interest in combining research in cognitive and computational neuroscience with research in clinical psychology and psychiatry. The position is an ideal opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary group of researchers, and contribute to projects investigating computational and neuronal underpinning of human behaviour. For further details and application instructions, please see https://www.uniklinikum-dresden.de/de/jobs-und-karriere/stellenangebote/wis… Note : the application deadline has been extended to 31 July 2019. Best wishes, Dimitrije Markovic ============================= Dr. Dimitrije Markovic Post-Doc at Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany Lab website: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni Phone: +49-351-463-43146 Personal website: http://dimarkov.github.io/ =============================

July 9, 2019

Post doc at the NYU ECoG Lab

by Lucia Melloni

Are you looking for an ambiguous postdoc opportunitu? keep reading ... The NYU ECoG group has an exciting opportunity for a postdoctoral fellow to contribute to a project aimed at unravelling laminar cortical computations and validating laminar resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans. Laminar fMRI is becoming increasingly popular as it enables the study of feedback and feedforward flow of information in the living human brain (e.g., Muckli, Current Biology 2015). Yet, the neurovascular and physiological computations underlying laminar signals are not well understood. Our group is part of an exciting international collaboration that aims to rigorously validate laminar fMRI against laminar electrophysiology and develop a proper neurovascular coupling model. The postdoctoral fellow would contribute to this team effort involving researchers at NYU Langone Health, the Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Minessotta (Essa Yacoub), and Maastrich University (Elia Formisano, Federico de Martino, Kamil Uludag). The project is funded by a BRAIN initiative RO1 grant. The role of the postdoc is to perform laminar electrophysiology in human subjects with epilepsy and as well as to conduct laminar fMRI in the same patients. We are seeking an enthusiastic and ambitious postdoc, with a strong background in human and/or animal electrophysiology and a desire to learn high-field MRI. No previous experience with MRI is required. A strong background in signal processing, and strong quantitative skills (e.g., Matlab, C++, Python) are required. The initial post is for 1 year with the opportunity to renew for up to 4 years. Postdoctoral researchers will be given the opportunity to participate in other lab research endeavors, and they are expected to make a strong contribution to the lab's overall research efforts. The research facilities at NYU are exceptional and include laminar electrophysiology setups as well as 7T MRI. The postdoc will join a vibrant community of researchers within NYU (NYU ECog, NYU Neuroscience Institute, and the NYU Center for Neural Science) and across the consortium of investigators at University of Minnesota and University of Maastricht. This is an excellent post for candidates who want to expand their research repertoire and learn new techniques, and to position themselves uniquely in the scientific landscape, leveraging laminar fMRI in humans to understand cortical computations. The possibility of dual training in electrophysiology and fMRI is unique. Interested individuals should apply by sending a cover letter, a CV and names of 2 referees who have agreed to provide recommendation letters to Lucia Melloni (lucia.melloni(a)nyulangone.org <mailto:lucia.melloni@nyulangone.org>) and Sasha Devore (sasha.devore(a)nyulangone.edu <mailto:sasha.devore@nyulangone.edu>). The post will be open until August 15, 2019. For any inquires please contact Lucia Melloni at lucia.melloni(a)nyulangone.org <mailto:lucia.melloni@nyulangone.org>

July 9, 2019

PhD Position / Computational Neuroscience / Bordeaux, France

by Nicolas Rougier

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Position: Phd in Computational Neuroscience Keywords: Basal Ganglia, Frontal Cortex, Decision Making, Planning Duration: 3 years, starting 01/09/2019 Location: Bordeaux, France Net salary: 1680 euros / month Contact: Fréderic Alexandre & Nicolas Rougier ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mnemosyne (https://team.inria.fr/mnemosyne/) is an Inria research team associated with Labri, Bordeaux's computer research laboratory, hosted at the Neurocampus in Bordeaux (https://www.bordeaux-neurocampus.fr/) We work closely with labs in Neurosciences and Medicine in order to understand executive functions such as decision, reasoning and planning, using computational models of the main structure involved (frontal cortex, basal ganglia and hippocampus). We are currently looking for a motivated doctoral student to join us on the theme of decision making modeling, considering in particular the integration of indices of a different nature. This work is part of a collaborative project with the city and the university of La Rochelle and the funding for the thesis is secured (salary of 1680 euros net per month). The candidate may come from different Masters (computer science, cognitive science, neuroscience) and must have experience in computational neuroscience and machine learning with an interest in a bio-inspired approach. In addition to the CV, a letter of motivation will be proposed before an interview. Application to be sent to Frederic.Alexandre(a)inria.fr and Nicolas.Rougier(a)inria.fr

July 5, 2019

15th Granada Seminar on Stochastic and Collective Effects in Neural Systems

by Prof. Dr. Joaquín J. Torres

Dear Computational Neuroscience community This is an official announcement of the next "15th Granada Seminar on Computational and Statistical Physics" that will be held in Granada Spain, next September 17-20, 2019 in the Science Faculty of the University of Granada, Spain. The Granada Seminar is a topical conference whose pedagogical power is especially channelled towards young researchers. In fact, one interesting aspect of this meeting is the opportunity given to young researchers to present their results and to discuss their problems with leading specialists. The Granada Seminar is Organized by the "Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Granada, and it is Sponsored by: - Institute Carlos I, for theoretical and computational physics, University of Granada: http://ic1.ugr.es/home/ - European Physical Society This year edition the main topic of the conference is "Stochastic and Collective Effects in Neural Systems" including Biological aspects, Modeling, Dynamics, Networks, Function and Applications. The aim of this meeting is to bring together scientists interested in Neural Systems and their statistical and collective effects from real experiments, theoretical and computational models to applications. Confirmed Main Speakers: Roberto Barrio, Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain): Insect movement gaits: neuron model, CPG and patterns Ginestra Bianconi, Queen Mary University of London (UK) Jesús Cortés, Ikerbasque (Spain) Lucilla de Arcangelis, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (Italy) Jose Maria Delgado, Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Spain): Learning as a functional state of the brain Andrea Gabrielli, Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi (Italy): Brain Network Topology Maps Schizophrenia Dysfunctional Substrates Andre Longtin, University of Ottawa (Canada): Detecting and Learning in Noisy Neurons: From Dendrites to Spontaneous Movements Joaquin Marro, Universidad de Granada (Spain):Is the Mind just an assembly of Phase Transitions? Jorge F. Mejías, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) Cyriel Pennartz, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Predictive representations and population coding in visual and multisensory systems Dietmar Plenz, NIH National Institute of Mental Health (USA) Ander Ramos, Tecnalia (Spain) Alex Roxin, CRM Barcelona (Spain):A network model of place-cell turnover in CA1 Mavi Sánchez-Vives, Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques (Spain) Samir Suweis, Universita di Padova (Italy): Simple (but not too simple) models to investigate complex brain dynamics Yuhai Tu, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center (USA): Optimal coding strategies in the periferal olfactory systems: Compressed sensing for an array of nonlinear olfactory receptor neurons with and without spontaneous activity Pablo Varona, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain) People interested to attend the conference and present their contributions please follow the link below for further information: http://ergodic.ugr.es/cp/index.php Contributions to the conference will be invited to submit an original manuscript for a forthcomming "Special Issue on Emergent Effects in Stochastic Neural Networks with Application to Learning and Information Processing", in the Elsevier Journal Neurocomputing (Impact Factor: 4.072, Q1) -- Prof. Dr. Joaquín J. Torres Department of Electromagnetism and Physics of the Matter. Institute "Carlos I" for Theoretical and Computational Physics. University of Granada.

July 4, 2019