Workshop on The Neural Code: Multilevel and Computational Approaches.
Call for Participation
Edinburgh, Scotland, May 28-June 1, 2001
Organized by :
- Nigel Goddard
- David Willshaw
Supported by :
- MRC & EPSRC (UK)
- EU Thematic Network in Computational Neuroscience
- Carnegie Trust
- Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation
- Division of Informatics, University of Edinburgh
Background:
Neurons use action potentials (or more informally spikes) to signal over long distances. Networks of neurons use spikes as a substrate to represent sensory data, carry out its processing, and store information in memory. There are many ideas as to the exact nature of the neural code, involving rate coding, temporal coding (involving precise spike timings) and the role of correlations between neurons. Recent advances in neuronal recording techniques mean that hundreds of neurons can now be recorded from simultaneously; the analysis of this amount of data poses computational as well as algorithmic/modelling challenges.
Goals :
To be able to address the key questions, it is necessary to bring together biologists, physicists, computer scientists and statisticians. Together they have understandings of the biological system and the sensory world it inhabits, properties of and techniques to analyze complex interacting systems, and methods to analyze the data in light of the models available. Thus the workshop will be concerned with theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding the neural code, particularly with respect to analysis of multineuron data and theoretical approaches which can inform these analyses.
Format :
The meeting will be organized in a small workshop style with emphasis on short presentations from invited speakers and from participants, round table discussions, and open debates on emerging topics. Time will be scheduled for informal, self-organised, small-group activities. Computers will be available to support explorative work and demonstrations.
Programme:
The WORKSHOP PROGRAMME and other information is under development and will be available at http://www.anc.ed.ac.uk/workshops
How to apply?
In addition to the invited speakers, a limited number of places will be available to interested scientists, who will be chosen on the basis of the contribution they can make to the workshop. We will organize pre-registration via this website.
A number of places are reserved for junior faculty, postdoctoral researchers and senior graduate students who are early on in a research career in the areas covered by the workshop and who could gain significantly from exposure to the workshop presentations and discussions. We expect to have some travel/accommodation stipends for some of these participants who do not have access to their own funding to participate.
If you are interested please fill out the electronic registration form. Please explain briefly (one A4 page maximum) your background and interest in this workshop. In addition, please indicate if you would like to make a 20-30 minute presentation, and if so please provide a provisional title for your talk. If you are junior faculty, a postdoctoral researcher, or senior graduate student, and would need a travel/accomodation stipend to participate, please indicate this.
Before you can access the pre-registration form, you need a user name and password on the neuroinf.org server. Click on `Logon' below and then use the `Register' button. All information provided at registration will be automatically transferred to the application form.
We will contact you via Email within 7 days from submission of this pre-registration.