Summer of Spikes: Neurons, Networks and Oscillations in the Brain

Training in Neuroscience: Models, Tools and Techniques

Nov 30 2009 - Feb 3

Synopsis

Brain activity occurs within a complex web involving interactions between individual brain cells, or neurons, inside massive interconnected networks. To understand how these networks operate to produce complex behaviours,

researchers often use computational tools to model neural activity.

Gaining insights into the inner workings of the brain requires input from, and has massive benefits for, medicine, biology, physics, mathematics, computers, and technology.

The Summer of Spikes course will take you to the leading edge of this compelling multidisciplinary research.

Guest lecturers will include renowned international speakers as well as eminent scientists from the University of Queensland from diverse fields of research, including Neuroscience, Engineering, and Computer Sciences.

Download the flyer.

Guest Speakers

A host of nationally and internationally renowned guest speakers will address the class. Many of these speakers will be available for some time (days and in some cases weeks) for questions, discussions and inspiration!

Date and Time	Speaker	Title	Room
Dec. 2^nd2 pm	Pankaj Sah http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au//index.html?page=13990	What are synapses and what is synaptic plasticity?	QBI seminar room, 7^th floor
Dec. 15^th2 pm	Francois Windels http://www.thewindels.org/html/francois_windels.html	How do we relate network models to the biology of the brain?	QBI seminar room, 7^th floor
Dec. 15^th3 pm	Bruno van Swinderen http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=71665	How do we relate these approaches to understanding an area of the brain?	QBI seminar room, 7^th floor
Jan. 6^th2 pm	Jean-Marc Fellous http://www.u.arizona.edu/~fellous/	Basic issues in neural data analyses: Finding patterns.	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 11^th2 pm	Jean-Marc Fellous http://www.u.arizona.edu/~fellous/	Neuromodulatory power... same neurons, different functions.	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 12^th2 pm	Jean-Marc Fellous http://www.u.arizona.edu/~fellous/	It's time for spikes! Spike timing and spike patterns	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 18^th2 pm	Guy Wallis http://www.hms.uq.edu.au/Guy-Wallis	Categorisation and generalisation using self-organising, competitive neural systems	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 20^th2 pm	Anthony Burkitt http://bionicvision.org.au/anthony-burkitt	TBA	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 25^th2 pm	Michael Breakspear http://sites.google.com/site/systemsneurosciencegroup/people/michael-breakspear	Populations of spiking neurons: From bifurcations to moments and hierarchies	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Jan. 27^th2 pm	David Reutens http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au//index.html?page=91422	TBA	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
Feb. 1^st2 pm	Benedikt Grothe http://www.zi.biologie.uni-muenchen.de/institute/zi/abtlgn/neurobiologie/AG_Grothe.htm	Time and the Brain	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
			QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
	Janet Wiles http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~janetw/	TBA	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor
	Gordon Wyeth http://www.it.uq.oz.au/~wyeth/	TBA	QBI lecture hall, 7th floor

Course Website

The official course website details the course content, course assessment and timetable. This course will be offered over the summer semester at the end of 2009 as ELEC4001 and ENGG7301.

Queries

For all enquiries please contact Janet Wiles (j.wiles at itee.uq.edu.au).

FAQ

Q. How do I enrol?

A. Send an enrolment request with your name and student number to the Query contact above (j.wiles at itee.uq.edu.au). Within a few days you should receive an email response and be able to enrol in the course through SI-net in the usual way.

Q. How will I be assessed?

A. Assessment is based on participation (attendance and involvement at lectures, invited guest talks, tutorials and pracs), and an assignment. The assignment is worth 80%, split into a project statement (pass/fail), an initial proposal (25%) and a final report (55%). See the course website for more information.

Q. Can I be paid to do this course?

A. A limited number of summer scholarships are available for full time work with ITEE and QBI researchers, which can be combined with the project work for this course. See the course website for more information.

Q. Can I attend the lectures without enrolling?

A. All students and staff are welcome to attend lectures, but they will not be able to attend the practicals and tutorials.

Watch this space for further updates.