Jim Bednar November 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 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 system Computational models of plasticity and memory maintenance Experiments and models of head direction anticipation in rats Current PhD projects examples: 1) Computational Neuroscience 2) Cognitive science 3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools 4) Software systems and applications 5) Neuroengineering

Scientific Areas ERP studies of familiarity and semantic memory Models and experiments on stereoscopic vision Imaging studies of the human basal ganglia. Current PhD projects examples: 1) Computational Neuroscience 2) Cognitive science 3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools 4) Software systems and applications 5) Neuroengineering

Scientific Areas Bayesian tractography of MRI data Automated NMR spectroscopy of brain metabolites Validated co-registration and segmentation of multi-modal MRI Current PhD projects examples: 1) Computational Neuroscience 2) Cognitive science 3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools 4) Software systems and applications 5) Neuroengineering

Scientific Areas Probabilistic models of handwriting Attention steered computer vision Bayesian multi-modal sensory integration Current PhD projects examples: 1) Computational Neuroscience 2) Cognitive science 3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools 4) Software systems and applications 5) Neuroengineering

Scientific Areas 1) Computational Neuroscience 2) Cognitive science 3) Clinical imaging algorithms and tools 4) Software systems and applications 5) Neuroengineering Resolving attractive and aversive stimuli in insect nervous systems Neuromorphic system to integrate visual and auditory maps Navigation 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 1 st yr: coursework 2 nd -4 th yr: PhD research Group of students in each year

PhD projects 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: 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