(AN I.B.R.O. NEUROSCIENCE SCHOOL)

August 19th – September 13th, 2002, OBIDOS, PORTUGAL

DIRECTORS: Klaus Obermayer (Technical University Berlin, Germany)
Alessandro Treves (SISSA, Trieste, Italy)
Eilon Vaadia (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel)
Alain Destexhe (CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France)

LOCAL ORGANIZER: Vasco Galhardo (University of Porto, Portugal)

The EU Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience introduces students to the panoply of problems and methods of computational neuroscience, simultaneously addressing several levels of neural organisation, from sub-cellular processes to operations of the entire brain.

The course consists of two complementary parts. A distinguished international faculty gives morning lectures on topics in experimental and computational neuroscience. The rest of the day is devoted to practical training, including learning how to use simulation software and how to implement a model of the system the student wishes to study on individual unix workstations.

The course gradually introduces students to essential neuroscience concepts and to the most important techniques in modelling single cells, networks and neural systems. Students learn how to apply software packages like GENESIS, MATLAB, NEURON, XPP, etc. to the solution of their problems. The lectures will cover specific brain functions, each week topics ranging from modelling single cells and their biophysical properties to the simulation of simple circuits, large neuronal networks and system level models of the brain. The course ends with a presentation of the students’ projects.

The EU Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience is designed for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, physics, electrical engineering, computer science and psychology. Students are expected to have a basic background in neurobiology as well as some computer experience. Students of any nationality can apply.

A total of 30 students will be accepted. About 20 students will be from the European Union and affiliated countries (Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein and Norway plus all countries which are negotiating future membership with the EU). These students are supported by the European Commission and we specifically encourage applications from researchers who work in less-favoured regions of the EU and women. There will be no tuition fee but students are expected to pay for travel and part of their subsidence costs. A limited number of fellowships will be available, further informations are on the course website under ‘fellowships’.

More information and application forms can be obtained: http://www.neuroinf.org/courses

Please apply electronically only, using a web browser.

Contact address:
– mail: Camilla Bruns, Technical
University Berlin, Faculty
of Computer Science,
FR 2-1
Franklinstr. 28/29,
10587 Berlin, Germany

Phone: +49-(0)30-314-73442
Fax: +49-(0)30-314-73121
– e-mail: bruns@cs.tu-berlin.de

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
April 3, 2002

Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection procedures by May 20, 2002.