Fully funded PhD fellowship in computational neurosciences 

at the CerCo laboratory (CNRS UMR 5549, Toulouse France) and in collaboration with the IPAL laboratory (IRL 2955, Singapore)

Benoit Cottereau / Timothée Masquelier

Starting date: Second semester of 2024

Supervisors: Benoit Cottereau, research director at CNRS (CerCo & IPAL, contact: benoit.cottereau@cnrs.fr) and Timothée Masquelier, research director at CNRS (CerCo,

contact: timothee.masquelier@cnrs.fr)

Keywords: Vision, Computational neurosciences, Artificial intelligence (AI), Spiking neural networks, Event-based cameras, Neuro-ophthalmology.

A fully funded PhD fellowships is available to work at the CNRS (Cerco laboratory in Toulouse and also IPAL in Singapore) under the supervision of Benoit Cottereau (CNRS research director) and Timothée Masquelier (CNRS research director). The aim of the project is to develop computational models that explain how the visual system evolves following the onset of pathologies associated with visual field deficits (e.g., in patients with macular degeneration or retinis pigmentosa). We will be specifically interested in the neuroplasticity mechanisms that may underly the visual rehabilitations observed in some animal models of these pathologies (see e.g., Shao et al., 2014; Burnat et al., 2017). It will be realized using spiking neural networks trained with data collected by event-based cameras from partially occluded visual scenes (see e.g., Moore et al., 2021). The outputs of the networks after training will be compared to those observed in neural recordings and/or in behavioural experiments realized in patients (the CerCo has a privileged connection with the Retina Center of the Purpan hospital in Toulouse).

The candidates should be willing to work in a multidisciplinary environment which combines AI, neurosciences and ophthalmology, have a good level in English, very good mathematical and programming skills and be interested in neurobiology. Some knowledge in neurosciences/ cognitive sciences would be a plus.

The research will mainly take place in Toulouse, a student city (Toulouse is the second university hub in France) with high quality of life located in the south west of France (close to the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean Sea and the Spanish border). Stays in Singapore (a multicultural and attractive city of south-east Asia) are also planned. The position will be fully funded during the three years of the PhD, with standard French salaries. 

Applications should be sent to benoit.cottereau@cnrs.fr and timothee.masquelier@cnrs.fr,  including a CV and 2 names of references.

References:

- Burnat, K., Hu, T. T., Kossut, M., Eysel, U. T., & Arckens, L. (2017). Plasticity beyond V1: reinforcement of motion perception upon binocular central retinal lesions in adulthood. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(37), 8989-8999.

- Moore, J. A., Tuladhar, A., Ismail, Z., Mouches, P., Wilms, M., & Forkert, N. D. (2023). Dementia in Convolutional Neural Networks: Using Deep Learning Models to Simulate Neurodegeneration of the Visual System. Neuroinformatics, 21(1), 45-55.

- Shao, Y., Keliris, G. A., Papanikolaou, A., Fischer, M. D., Zobor, D., Jägle, H., ... & Smirnakis, S. M. (2013). Visual cortex organisation in a macaque monkey with macular degeneration. European journal of neuroscience, 38(10), 3456-3464.