[MURG] Postdoc and PhD position available in computational neuroscience (fwd from wsenn@cns.unibe.ch)

[Eugen Leitl]

----- Forwarded message from Walter Senn <wsenn at cns.unibe.ch> -----

From: Walter Senn <wsenn at cns.unibe.ch>
Date: Sat, 08 May 2004 14:46:17 +0200
To: Comp-neuro at neuroinf.org
Subject: Postdoc and PhD position available in computational neuroscience
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Reply-To: Walter Senn <wsenn at cns.unibe.ch>

A postdoc and a PhD position is available by October 1, 2004, in the 
computational neuroscience group at the Institute of Physiology, 
University of Bern, Switzerland.

We are studying biophysical models of neurons and synapses in the 
context of cortical information processing and learning. The aim of our 
reaearch is  to relate dynamic properties of isolated neurons and 
synapses (studied in in vitro experiments by the groups of H.-R. 
Luescher and M.E. Larkum in our Institute) to higher cognitive 
functions. In our recent work we described slow adaptation of cortical 
neurons as measured in vitro in our lab [1], and related it to the 
cortical representation of time [2]. Other experimental and theoretical 
research in our lab shows that top-down input onto dendrites of layer 5 
pyramidal cells can modulate the gain of these neurons [3], as observed 
in attentional experiments in vivo. In a current project we are studying 
spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) in the context of pattern 
classification and reinforcement learning [4]. These algorithms will be 
tested against data from in vitro experiments on long-term plasticity 
performed in our lab.

Ideal candidates have a strong background in neural networks and/or 
computational neuroscience, and are interested to work at the interface 
between computational theories and electrophysiology. Please send CV, 
addresses of three references, and a half page description of your work 
and interests to wsenn at cns.unibe.ch (but no doc-files, if possible).

Walter Senn and Stefano Fusi
http://www.cns.unibe.ch/


[1] Neocortical pyramidal cells respond as integrate-and-fire neurons to 
in vivo-like input currents.
  A. Rauch, G. La Camera, H-R Lüscher, W. Senn and S. Fusi. Journal of 
Neurophysiology, 90:1598-1612 (2003)
  http://www.cns.unibe.ch/publications/ftp/paper_transferfunction.pdf

[2] Climbing neuronal activity as an event-based cortical representation 
of time.
  J. Reutimann, V. Yakovlev, S. Fusi and W. Senn. The Journal of 
Neuroscience, 24:3295-3303 (2004)
  http://www.cns.unibe.ch/publications/ftp/paper_climbing_activity.pdf

[3] Top-down dendritic input increases the gain of layer 5 pyramidal 
neurons.
  M. Larkum, W. Senn and H.-R. Lüscher, Cerebral Cortex, in press (2004)
  http://www.cns.unibe.ch/publications/ftp/paper_gain_modulation04.pdf

[4] Learning with bounded synapses generates synaptic democracy and 
balanced neurons.
  With a proof of the perceptron convergence theorem for bounded synapses.
  W. Senn and S. Fusi, submitted (2004)
  http://www.cns.unibe.ch/publications/ftp/paper_bounded_synapses04.pdf

-- 

Walter Senn                   Phone office: +41 31 631 87 21
Physiological Institute       Phone home:   +41 31 332 38 31
University of Bern            Fax: +41 31 631 46 11
Buehlplatz 5                  Email: wsenn at cns.unibe.ch
CH-3012 Bern                  http://www.cns.unibe.ch/~wsenn/



----- End forwarded message -----
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Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a>
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