Positions Available: VISUALIZATION FOR BRAIN RESEARCH

[Michael A. Arbib]

ABOUT THE USC BRAIN PROJECT

Professors Michael Arbib (Director), Michel Baudry, Theodore Berger,
Peter Danzig, Shahram Ghandeharizadeh, Scott Grafton, Dennis McLeod,
Thomas McNeill, Larry Swanson, and Richard Thompson are about to
start the second year of a major grant from the Human Brain Project (a
consortium of federal agencies led by the National Institute of Mental
Health) for a 5 year project, "Neural Plasticity: Data and Computational
Structures" to be conducted at the University of Southern California.

The Project will combine research on databases with the development of
tools for database construction and data recovery from multiple databases,
simulation tools, and visualization tools for both rat neuroanatomy and
human brain imaging.  These tools will be used to construct databases for
research at USC and elsewhere on mechanisms of neural plasticity in
basal ganglia, cerebellum, and hippocampus.  The grant will also support
a core of neuroscience research linked to several ongoing research programs
to explore how experiments can be enhanced when coupled to databases
enriched with powerful tools for modeling and visualization.  The project
is a major expression of USC's approach to the study of the brain which
locates neuroscience in the context of a broad interdisciplinary program in
Neural, Informational, and Behavioral Sciences (NIBS).

The status of our work may be viewed on WWW at

http://www-hbp.usc.edu:8376/HBP/Home.html


ABOUT THE POSITIONS

The grant and related funding will allow us to hire two computer
professionals to help us develop visualization tools for the USC Brain
Project.

VISUALIZATION PROGRAMMER:  Three years experience programming and
developing graphical software.  UNIX, C++, DBMS experience.
Internet protocols also desirable.  Ability link visualization software
with object based data base and simulation tools.  Background in
neuroscience is not required but proven communication skills and ability to
analyze scientific data are valuable.

IMAGE ANALYSIS DEVELOPER:  Three years experience programming and
developing graphical software.  UNIX, C++, DBMS experience.
Internet protocols also desirable.  Emphasis on streamlining existing image
analysis code and developing new algorithms for warping 3D data
sets.  Additional ability to manage the growth of a large archive of MRI
and functional image data sets is valuable.

Send CV, references, and letter addressing above qualifications to Paulina
Tagle, Center for Neural Engineering, USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2520;
Fax (213) 740-5687; paulina at pollux.usc.edu. USC is an equal opportunity
employer.