Dear colleagues,

This July 5^th, there will be a “Building mechanistic multiscale models with NEURON and NetPyNE” tutorial at CNS*2025, all day in room 6. To attend, please be sure you have registered for the tutorials at the conference: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2025-registration

This tutorial will introduce multiscale modeling using NEURON 9.0 and NetPyNE. The tutorial will combine background, examples and hands on exercises covering the implementation of models at four key scales: 

• single neuron electrophysiology (e.g. action potential propagation),
• intracellular dynamics (e.g. calcium buffering, protein interactions),
• neurons in extracellular space (e.g. spreading depression), and 
• networks of neurons. 

For single cell simulations, we will utilize NEURON through Python, simulating point cells and incorporating realistic morphology information from NeuroMorpho.Org.

For network simulations, we will use NetPyNE, a high-level interface to NEURON supporting both programmatic and GUI specification that facilitates the development, parallel simulation, and analysis of biophysically detailed neuronal circuits. We conclude with an example that links intracellular molecular dynamics with network spiking activity and local field potentials. 

The NetPyNE tutorial will be carried out online using the Open Source Brain web platform (http://v2.opensourcebrain.org), and will include an introduction to NeuroML, a standardized computational neuroscience language to describe detailed models of neurons and neural networks.

The tutorial highlights recent substantial developments and new features in both NEURON and NetPyNE. Basic familiarity (e.g. loops, functions, variables, if) with Python is recommended. No advanced programming experience or prior knowledge of NEURON or NetPyNE is required.

Speakers will include: Salvador Dura-Bernal, William W Lytton, Robert A McDougal, and Adam JH Newton

Preliminary Schedule:

09:00 -0 9:20 Introduction to multiscale modeling (WWL)
09:20 - 10:10 NEURON scripting (RAM)
10:10 - 10:40 Coffee break
10:40 - 12:00 Reaction-diffusion simulations (AJHN)
12:00 - 13:00 Lunch break
13:00 - 14:30 NetPyNE graphical web application (SD)
14:30 - 15:00 Coffee break
15:00 - 16:00 NetPyNE scripting (SD)

Best regards,

Robert McDougal