jim bednar november 2010 doctoral training centre in neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience
TRANSCRIPT
Jim BednarNovember 2010
Doctoral Training Centre in Neuroinformatics and
Computational Neuroscience
Informatics and the Life Sciences
The genome, cells, the brain, societies
can be described as computational devices
The School of Informatics includes:
- Bioinformatics (study of the genome)
- Systems biology (study of networks in cells)
- Neuroinformatics (study of information
processing in brains and brain-like processing in
computers)
Find the biggest computerFind the biggest computer
Neuroscience+Informatics = NeuroInformatics
Biggest goal: Understanding the brain !
Wide ranging impact on:
basic science
health care and quality of life
CS and engineering
Understanding the brain is probably the most difficult
scientific and engineering problem today
Scientific Areas
Cortical maps in the visual systemComputational models of plasticity and memory maintenance Experiments and models of head direction anticipation in rats
Current PhD projects examples:
1) Computational Neuroscience2) Cognitive science3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools4) Software systems and applications5) Neuroengineering
Scientific Areas
ERP studies of familiarity and semantic memory Models and experiments on stereoscopic visionImaging studies of the human basal ganglia.
Current PhD projects examples:
1) Computational Neuroscience2) Cognitive science3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools4) Software systems and applications5) Neuroengineering
Scientific Areas
Bayesian tractography of MRI dataAutomated NMR spectroscopy of brain metabolitesValidated co-registration and segmentation of multi-modal MRI
Current PhD projects examples:
1) Computational Neuroscience2) Cognitive science3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools4) Software systems and applications5) Neuroengineering
Scientific Areas
Probabilistic models of handwritingAttention steered computer vision Bayesian multi-modal sensory integration
Current PhD projects examples:
1) Computational Neuroscience2) Cognitive science3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools4) Software systems and applications5) Neuroengineering
Scientific Areas
1) Computational Neuroscience2) Cognitive science3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools4) Software systems and applications5) Neuroengineering
Resolving attractive and aversive stimuli in insect nervous systemsNeuromorphic system to integrate visual and auditory mapsNavigation by snapshots in desert ants and robots
Current PhD projects examples:
Doctoral Training Centre
• New way of PhD training
• Taught courses and research
• 4 years in total
1st yr: coursework
2nd -4th yr: PhD research
• Group of 10-20 students in each year
PhD projects
Primary department. Aug 07
InformaticsImagingNeurosciencePsychologyElec. Eng.
• Students heavily involved in defining PhD project
• Two supervisors per PhD project
• Projects often interdisciplinary across departments
Environment
• Yearly retreat
• Weekly journal club
• Yearly DTC day
• Industry day
Applying to the DTC
• This year: additional positions available in
Software Systems and Applications
• Application form on the website:
www.anc.ed.ac.uk/dtc
• First deadline is in January
• Applications are accepted throughout the year
• Fully funded for UK students
• You can do an MSc first
Career opportunities
• Main career aim of most students: academic career
• Industry interest is rising, but still small
More info
• Today: Adrianna Teriakidis, Room 3.02
• www.anc.ed.ac.uk/dtc