Connectionists: Open PhD positions in Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience

[Serafim Rodrigues]

Dear All,


Up to 11 PhD positions are open at BCAM - Basque Centre for Applied
Mathematics, Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) under the Severo Ochoa program. We
invite students in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics (or Biophysics),
Computer Science, Neuroscience or related fields to apply for projects
within the Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN)
research group led by Ikerbasque Professor Serafim Rodrigues.



MCEN was created with the mission to bridge the gap between mathematics and
experimental neuroscience and to crucially enable mathematicians to come
closer to neuroscientific experiments and understand the mathematical
challenges in neuroscience. We are an interdisciplinary research group that
also includes an experimental lab named NeuroMath. It is equipped with
state-of-the-art electrophysiology and a setup for the design and
implementation of neuromorphic analog circuits.



MCEN promotes multidisciplinary projects combining insights from
neuroscience, mathematics, physics and computation. The PhD student will
work in one of our research lines, namely:



●      Developing mathematics for neuroscience to explain
neurophysiological observations of both normal and pathological brain
states (e.g. epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease), as well as, determining
brain’s computational principles [1,2].

●      Developing models at the interface between statistical physics and
computer science to determine theoretical principles of intelligent agents’
perception and behavior in complex environments [3,4].

●      Developing advanced data-science methods based on topological and
geometrical data analysis to determine invariants of neuroscientific data
[4].

●      Developing closed-loop machine-brain interfaces for alternative
clinical therapies (e.g. deep-brain stimulators for epilepsy) and analog
neuromorphic circuits [5].

●      Finding drug targets via molecular simulations of protein complexes
[6]. This involves understanding protein interfaces, and docking of small
therapeutic molecules.



The Candidate will be co-supervised by Prof. Serafim Rodrigues, Dr. Miguel
Aguilera and Dr. Rodrigo Azevedo. Contracts will be 4-year long and will
also cover doctoral course tuition fees and predoctoral mobility (up to
6,860€ in total). The candidate will profit from MCEN’s large network of
collaborators in Europe (to name a few: France, Germany, The Netherlands,
Portugal, UK) and also outside of Europe (to name a few: Brazil, Canada,
Japan, Turkey, USA).



Applications are open until 26 January 2023 and incorporation is possible
between Sept 2023 and Sept 2024 (more information here
<http://www.bcamath.org/predoctoral2022/>). Interested candidates, who have
already completed their MSc degree or are in the process of completing it,
should contact Prof. Rodrigues:srodrigues at bcamath.org, Dr. Aguilera
sci at maguilera.net, Dr. Azevedo : razevedo at bcamath.org



*References*

[1] M Desroches, J Rinzel and S Rodrigues, *Classification of bursting
patterns: A tale of two ducks*, PLoS Comput Biol *18*(2): e1009752, 2022.

[2] S Rodrigues, M Desroches, M Krupa, JM Cortes, TJ Sejnowski and AB
Ali, *Time-coded
neurotransmitter release at excitatory and inhibitory synapses*, PNAS *113*(8):
E1108-E1115, 2016.

[3] M Aguilera, SA Moosavi and H Shimazaki, *A unifying framework for
mean-field theories of asymmetric kinetic Ising systems*. Nat Commun *12*(1):
1-12, 2021.

[4] Aguilera, M., & Bedia, M. G. (2018). *Adaptation to criticality through
organizational invariance in embodied agents*. Scientific reports, *8*(1),
1-11

[5] A Guidolin, M Desroches, JD Victor, KP Purpura and S Rodrigues, *Geometry
of spiking patterns in early visual cortex: a topological data analytic
approach*, J Roy Soc Interface *19*(196): 20220677, 2022.

[6] V Salari, S Rodrigues, E Saglamyurek, C Simon and D Oblak, *Are
Brain–Computer Interfaces Feasible With Integrated Photonic Chips?*, Front
Neurosci *15:* 1710, 2022.

[7] Z Liu, RA Moreira, A Dujmović, H Liu, B Yang, AB Poma and MA
Nash, *Mapping
mechanostable pulling geometries of a therapeutic anticalin/CTLA-4 protein
complex*, Nano Lett *22*(1): 179-187, 2021.







-- 
Serafim Rodrigues
Ikerbasque Research Professor
Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN) Group
Leader
*BCAM - *Basque Center for Applied Mathematics
Alameda de Mazarredo, 14
E-48009 Bilbao, Basque Country - Spain
Tel. +34 946 567 842
srodrigues at bcamath.org | www.bcamath.org/srodrigues |
www.ikerbasque.net/serafim-rodrigues

Old Mathematicians never die
They just "tend to infinity"
-Anonymous

*(**matematika mugaz bestalde)*
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