- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

PhD project in recurrent neural network models of neural dynamics
by Mark Humphries Dec. 22, 2023

Dec. 22, 2023

A 4-year fully-funded PhD studentship project with Professor Mark Humphries and Professor Stephen Coombes is available for October 2024 start, through the University of Nottingham's BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme. The striatum is central to an extraordinary range of disorders, from Parkinson's disease to OCD, but our best models for its function are outdated and contradicted by recent data. In this project, we will test the hypothesis that the striatum is a special class of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) that use purely inhibitory connections. We will build and analyse this class of networks, deriving predictions for the computations that striatum performs, and for the activity of neuron populations in the striatum. We will then test these predictions in two large-scale datasets of population recordings from striatum in freely-exploring mice from the studies of Klaus et al (Neuron, 2017) and Markowitz et al (Cell, 2018). The DTP offers 2 lab rotations and wide-ranging training modules. If successful, the PhD student will join the Humphries' lab ( https://www.humphries-lab.org/) and be part of the School of Psychology's extensive postgraduate support network. Closing date:12 noon (GMT) Friday 12th January 2024. For full studentship details and how to apply see here: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/bbdtp/apply/how-to-apply.aspx Professor Mark Humphries | Professor of Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike Book: "The Spike: An Epic Journey Through the Brain in 2.1 Seconds" (Princeton UP) out now in paperback: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691241487/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.

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Book: Principles of Computational Modelling in Neuroscience
by Gaute Einevoll Dec. 21, 2023

Dec. 21, 2023

We are very pleased to announce our new book: Principles of Computational Modelling in Neuroscience 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, October 2023 Hardback, paperback and ebook. URL: www.cambridge.org/highereducation/isbn/9781108716420 David Sterratt, University of Edinburgh U.K. Bruce Graham, University of Stirling U.K. Andrew Gillies, Psymetrix Limited Gaute Einevoll, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) David Willshaw, University of Edinburgh U.K. Taking a step-by-step approach to modelling neurons and neuralcircuitry, this textbook teaches students how to use computational techniques to understand the nervous system at all levels, using case studies throughout to illustrate fundamental principles. Starting with a simple model of a neuron, the authors gradually introduce neuronal morphology, synapses, ion channels and intracellular signalling. This fully updated new edition contains additional examples and case studies on specific modelling techniques, suggestions on different ways to use this book, and new chapters covering plasticity, modelling extracellular influences on brain circuits, modelling experimental measurement processes, and choosing appropriate model structures and their parameters. The online resources offer exercises and simulation code that recreate many of the book's figures, allowing students to practice as they learn. Requiring an elementary background in neuroscience and high-school mathematics, this is an ideal resource for a course on computational neuroscience. Key features: Presents all models within the context of biological scenarios to connect computational models with real neurobiology. Highlights and explains mathematical details in boxes alongside the main text, so readers can follow the discussion easily and clearly. Shows how to choose an appropriate model structure and to set its parameter values. Demonstrates how to translate a mathematical formulation of a model into a simulation. Prof. Bruce Graham, Emeritus Professor of Computing Science Division of Computing Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA Coauthor of "Principles of Computational Modelling in Neuroscience", CUP, 2nd Edition 2023<https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/principles-of-computational…>.

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NEST Conference 2024 — Save the date 17/18 June 2024
by Hans Ekkehard Plesser Dec. 21, 2023

Dec. 21, 2023

Dear Colleagues, The NEST Initiative is excited to invite everyone interested in Neural Simulation Technology and the NEST Simulator to the NEST Conference 2024. Save the date for the virtual conference taking place on June 17–18, 2024! The annual NEST Conference provides an opportunity for the NEST Community to meet, exchange success stories, swap advice, learn about current developments in and around NEST spiking network simulation and its application. We particularly encourage young scientists to participate in the conference! Registration and abstract submission will open early next year. For more information on the event please visit the conference website https://nest-simulator.org/conference. We are looking forward to seeing you in June and wish you happy holidays and a good start into the new year! Hans Ekkehard Plesser and colleagues [Image] -- Prof. Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Department of Data Science Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no<mailto:hans.ekkehard.plesser@nmbu.no> Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

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PhD position in computational psychiatry / computational neuroscience
by Klaus Obermayer Dec. 21, 2023

Dec. 21, 2023

* * *Neural Information Processing Group @ Technische Universität Berlin (Berlin, Germany))* Faculty IV - Institute of Software Engineering and Theoretical Computer Science *PhD Position in Computational **Psychology**(salary level TV-L E13 100%)* *Visual Information Sampling Using Eye-movements and Overt Attention in Dynamic Scenes*** *Reference number:*IV-790/23 (starting date: May 1st, 2024/ for up to threeyears / closing date for applications for full consideration: January 18th, 2024 / applications will be accepted until the position is filled). *Working field:*This position is part of an interdisciplinary project between psychology, computational neuroscience, and computervision. The successful candidate will conduct model-based data analyses of human behavioral and eye-tracking data andwill perform the computational modelling of eye-movement patterns with help of the ScanDy saccade predictionframework(cf. Roth N., Rolfs M., Hellwich O., and Obermayer K. (2023), Objects Guide Human Gaze Behavior in Dynamic Real-World Scenes, PLoS Comput. Biol. 19, e1011512). Investigations will address the relationship between task, gaze behavior, and scene memorization wheninspecting dynamic scenes andthemechanisms and functional consequences of inter-individual differences inhuman visual sampling strategies. The candidate is supposed to join the PhD program of the Cluster of Excellence “Science of Intelligence” (https://www.scienceofintelligence.de/, specifically projects PJ 01 and PJ 57) which this position is part of. Information about our research group can also be found at https://www.tu.berlin/en/ni. *Requirements:*Successfully completed university degree (Master, Diplom or equivalent) in Computational Neuroscience, ComputerScience, Physics, Mathematics, or related fields. Applicants should have very good programming skills, a very good command of the Englishlanguage, a solid mathematicalbackground, competence in machine learning, and a strong interest in visual perception. Working experience in the fieldof computational neuroscience and an additional background in psychology and / or neuroscience is an advantage. Please send your application with the usual documents only by e-mail to Prof. Dr. Obermayer at*klaus.obermayer(a)tu-berlin.de*, quoting the *reference number*.

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The Canadian Neuroanalytics Scholars (CNS) Program
by Joern Davidsen Dec. 20, 2023

Dec. 20, 2023

The Canadian Neuroanalytics Scholars (CNS) Program The Canadian Neuroanalytics Scholars (CNS) Program is now accepting Notices of Intent for the 2024 recruitment cycle. Up to 10 scholars will be awarded $70,0000 per year for up to two years, plus access to training and mentorship from CNS Program partners. Who is eligible? The applicant must: * Be affiliated with a Canadian post-secondary institution * Have less than 5 years of full-time training after completion of a doctoral degree * Current PhD students can apply if their degree will be completed before the program start date The proposed supervisor must: * Hold a full-time faculty position at a degree-granting research institution in Canada, such as the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) at the University of Calgary which is one of the Partner Institutes of the CNS Program (potential supervisors in Computational Neuroscience at the HBI can be found here<https://hbi.ucalgary.ca/computational-neuroscience/graduate-specialization/…>) * Conduct research primarily in the field of neuroscience * Only supervise one scholar awarded from this competition; i.e., a supervisor can only be associated with a single applicant Info Sessions: December 21, 9 am MT | Registration<https://em.ucalgary.ca/MTYxLU9MTi05OTAAAAGQHSqYb0R5x2IpQ_ao-XT-9nQ9ZVBFSQ5I…> more in January (see link below) NOI Deadline: January 31, 2024 12 pm (noon) MT Details and Application<https://em.ucalgary.ca/MTYxLU9MTi05OTAAAAGQHSqYb8HOeVw0opHaxQ77YPFe2LoYmeRG…> --- Dr. Jörn Davidsen Professor of Physics & Humboldt Research Fellow University of Calgary www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen<http://www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen>

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Post-doctoral research scientist position: Communication in complex audio-visual virtual environments
by Bernhard Seeber Dec. 20, 2023

Dec. 20, 2023

Dear List, we are inviting applications for a post-doctoral research scientist to join our team for research on communication in complex audio-visual virtual environments. Your responsibilities: - Development of novel techniques for investigating communication ability in interactive audio-visual virtual reality involving the analysis of body, head and facial movements and of gestures - Development of analysis methods for behavioral responses and statistical analysis of the results - Research on binaural hearing and speech in complex acoustic conditions with normal hearing listeners - Publication in English-language scientific journals and presentations at conferences - Supervision of student projects, assistance with teaching and with raising external funding. Your qualifications: - Successfully completed doctoral degree (PhD) in one of the following areas: psychoacoustics, audio technology, virtual reality, speech, multimodal interaction, signal processing, or a related area - Knowledge and experience desirable in designing and analyzing psychophysical experiments, virtual reality techniques, behavior analysis, audio signal processing, machine learning, auditory scene analysis, binaural hearing, speech perception and speech tests - Very good programming skills in Matlab, Python, or C/C++ - Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as experience with scientific publications - Interest in basic research and the development of complex technical systems in virtual reality - Flexibility and good interpersonal skills - Interest in supervising students, helping with teaching and raising external funds. Our offer: We offer you the opportunity to join a dynamic, interdisciplinary team, to work with cutting-edge technical equipment, including an interactive audio-visual virtual reality system hosted in an anechoic chamber, and to learn about the latest methods in hearing research. As part of the DFG collaborative research center "Hearing acoustics: Perceptual principles, Algorithms and Applications" (https://uol.de/en/sfb-1330-hearing-acoustics) you will work closely with our project partners at the University of Oldenburg. Our close interaction with the Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience Munich, the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, the Hearing Research Network Munich, our extensive cooperation with industry and with scientific partners, and the numerous talks and courses offered at TUM create an attractive environment with excellent perspectives for personal development. Please see www.aip.cit.tum.de, http://y2u.be/yN7vD1khTOI and www.tum.de for information. The position is available from 01.04.2024 and initially limited to 30.06.2026. Salary is according to the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of the Länder (TV-L/E13, 100%). TUM strives to raise the proportion of women in its workforce and explicitly encourages applications from qualified women. The position is suitable for disabled persons. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of generally equivalent suitability, aptitude and professional performance. Munich - the city famous for the Oktoberfest, high-end cars and its unique location to the Alps - is a bustling, international and interesting place to live which offers a wide range of opportunities to engage in cultural and leisurely activities - from opera to skiing. Interested? I look forward to answering your questions on the phone (+49 89 289 28282) or by email. Please send your expressive application by email no later than 31 January 2024 to Prof. Bernhard Seeber, aip(a)ei.tum.de. As part of your application, you provide personal data to the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Please view our privacy policy on collecting and processing personal data in the course of the application process pursuant to Art. 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (GDPR) at https://portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung. By submitting your application you confirm to have read and understood the data protection information provided by TUM. The job advertisement can also be found at: https://portal.mytum.de/jobs/wissenschaftler/NewsArticle_20231220_160335 Have a merry Christmas and all the best for the new year! Bernhard -- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernhard U. Seeber Audio Information Processing Department of Computer Engineering School of Computation, Information and Technology Technische Universität München Arcisstrasse 21 D-80333 Munich, Germany Office: +49 89 289-28282 Fax: +49 89 289-28211 Mobile: +49 (0)174 928 6338 Visitors: Theresienstrasse 90, building N5, room N6504 Web: www.ce.cit.tum.de/aip https://www.youtube.com/@audioinformationprocessing www.bseeber.de Key affiliations: Department of Computer Engineering, CIT Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering (MIBE) Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI)

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PhD positions in Neuroscience at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown
by Memming Park Dec. 19, 2023

Dec. 19, 2023

Applications are now open <https://fchampalimaud.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b9d91fb510403415e68…> for the International <https://fchampalimaud.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b9d91fb510403415e68…>Neuroscience Doctoral <https://fchampalimaud.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b9d91fb510403415e68…> Programme <https://fchampalimaud.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b9d91fb510403415e68…>. A central goal of the programme is to foster inquiry and discovery by encouraging active participation, critical thinking, and problem-solving among the students. Top evaluated candidates will receive an offer to participate in the PhD programme, which nominally comprises an initial year of classes and lab rotations followed by research in the selected lab. Students will apply for fellowships as part of the curriculum, but success in acquiring external fellowships is not required. A full list of laboratories and their research can be found here <https://fchampalimaud.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b9d91fb510403415e68…> . We’re seeking talented students from all over the world, and from a range of different backgrounds – from life sciences to physics, from mathematics to computer science – to work at the frontiers of knowledge in a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative environment. English is the main language. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email: appindp(a)research.fchampalimaud.org Deadline: January 31, 2024 Interviews and open house: Early-mid March 2024 Final results: End of March 2024 2024 edition starting date: September 2024 --- Group Leader, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal Neural Dynamics = CATNIP Lab http://catniplab.github.io/

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PhD position on reservoirs with dynamic synapses (Göttingen, Germany)
by Fauth, Michael Dec. 19, 2023

Dec. 19, 2023

The Institute of Biophysics at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany, is looking to fill a Ph.D. position (German Salary Scale TV-L E13, 75% (29.85 weekly hours) for 3 years). This post is designed to foster young researchers and give the successful applicant the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. The position should be filled by March 1rst 2024 or soon thereafter. The positions will be affiliated with the groups of Dr. Michael Fauth and Prof. Florentin Wörgötter. The Project: Based on mathematical modeling and analysis, we aim to understand how the dynamics of synapses (e.g., synaptic plasticity) will not only shape neuronal activities in recurrent neuronal networks, but also carry out computation. We propose that networks optimally exploit this computational power through continuous rewiring of synapses -- that is creating synapses with different properties and stabilizing synapses with the right dynamics at the right place. We will test this using the abstract framework of reservoir/echo state networks and envision applications both in neuroscience and machine learning. Your Profile: Suitable candidates should have - a Master degree or Diplom in physics, mathematics, computer science or comparable subjects, - excellent mathematical and coding skills (e.g., Python, C++), in particular: -- solid knowledge about linear algebra, differential equations and dynamical systems as well as their numerical simulation, -- basic knowledge in machine learning and optimization as well as computational neuroscience, - good skills in scientific communication (including proficiency in English), - the ability to self-organize and independently solve problems, - and the motivation to perform leading-edge research in a lively, multidisciplinary research environment Optimally, you also have first experiences with - echo state networks and reservoir computing - stochastic processes - information theory - using GPUs for fast computing The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. The PhD candidate should enroll into the Göttingen Graduate School for Neuroscience, Biophysics and Molecular Bioscience to profit from their excellent training and supervision infrastructure. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please send your e-mail application, preferably in one single PDF-document, including a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae, copies of your certificates and contact information of at least two references until 21th of January, 2024 to Dr. Michael Fauth, e-mail: mfauth[at]gwdg.de. (Online-)Interviews will likely be held on February 5-7th. We will ask the candidates to give a 10min talk about their previous work (e.g. thesis project). If you have any questions, please contact Dr Michael Fauth via the above e-mail. Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo

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12 PhD positions and 2 PostDoc positions on "Curiosity" - Göttingen
by Viola Priesemann Dec. 19, 2023

Dec. 19, 2023

Dear all, in Göttingen, we have 12 open PhD positions and 2 PostDoc Positions within our new "Graduiertenkolleg" - PhD school on "Curiosity", starting summer 2024. We will investigate "curiosity" jointly from the perspective of computational neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/681631.html PIs include Nivedita Mani, Alex Ecker, Claudia Fichtel, Julia Fischer, Julia Ostner, Hannes Rakoczy, Anne Schacht, Sascha Schroeder, Caspar Schwiedrzik, Oliver Schuelke, Fabian Sinz, Michael Wibral, Florentin Woergoetter, and myself (Viola Priesemann). Please find all open positions here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/open+positions/681638.html On Wednesday, 20.12.2023 at 12:00 (CET) we will host an informal information session. For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (application.priesemann(a)ds.mpg.de) or our coordinator Rowan Titchener rtg2906(a)uni-goettingen.de. Best regards, Viola Priesemann -- Prof. Dr. Viola Priesemann Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization & Georg-August-University Göttingen Am Fassberg 17, 37077 Göttingen https://priesemann-group.github.io www.viola-priesemann.de viola.priesemann(a)ds.mpg.de

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Computational neuroscientist positions at Nathan Kline Institute
by Neymotin, Samuel (NKI) Dec. 18, 2023

Dec. 18, 2023

Several postdoctoral scientist positions are available at the Nathan Kline Institute (NKI) for Psychiatric Research (https://www.nki.rfmh.org<https://www.nki.rfmh.org/>) to work on computational neuroscience research funded by NIH and DoD grants. NKI offers the scientists a highly interdisciplinary environment spanning research at cutting-edge electrophysiology labs, high-performance computing for computational neuroscience, and human fMRI behavioral experiments and data analysis. The funded grants at NKI involve collaborations with leading research institutions including Columbia, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, University of Texas, SUNY Downstate, University of Tennessee, Carnegie Mellon University, Brown, and Stanford. Our NIH-funded projects rely on recently developed, detailed biophysical circuit models of the auditory system. Postdocs will use the models to investigate the brain's dynamic circuit motifs underlying internal vs. external-oriented processes in the auditory and interconnected brain areas. Postdocs will build upon models constrained by electrophysiology data and use the models to devise neuromodulation strategies for inducing/suppressing circuit dynamics, testable in vivo. NKI also has NIMH funding to investigate the origin of electrophysiological biomarkers observed in the auditory system of animal models of schizophrenia (mismatch negativity, altered oscillatory patterns), and using modeling to predict circuit-level origins and treatments. An additional NIH-funded BRAIN award uses modeling of the auditory system to optimize new DISC electrodes developed by our colleagues at UTexas, which could dramatically improve brain computer interfaces. Our DoD projects involve developing computational models of the hippocampal and entorhinal cortex circuits used in spatial navigation, higher level decision making circuits including prefrontal cortex, and integrating these circuit models with agents learning to solve spatial navigation tasks using neurobiologically-inspired learning rules. Postdocs will also integrate these models with basal ganglia models that weigh evidence/context for improved decision-making (developed by colleagues at CMU). Postdocs will also work with applied mathematicians and data scientists at University of Tennessee to use topological data analysis to improve understanding the structure and representations of neuronal circuits used in spatial reasoning, facilitated through detailed circuit modeling. Postdocs will also have the opportunity to collaborate with Army Research Lab computational neuroscientists and mathematicians, with the ultimate aim of using the models developed to improve human-agent teaming. Applicants should have a strong background in: multiscale neural modeling using NEURON/NetPyNE, Python software development, neural/electrophysiology data analysis, machine learning, software development, writing/presenting research, and applying for grants. To apply for positions, email a CV and cover letter to Sam Neymotin (samuel.neymotin(a)nki.rfmh.org) The position requires presence at NKI (Orangeburg, New York), with part-time telecommuting allowed. ________________________________ IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail is meant only for the use of the intended recipient. It may contain confidential information which is legally privileged or otherwise protected by law. If you received this e-mail in error or from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, you are strictly prohibited from reviewing, using, disseminating, distributing or copying the e-mail. PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY OF THE ERROR BY RETURN E-MAIL AND DELETE THIS MESSAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEM. Thank you for your cooperation.

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