The CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme : Behaviour of Neural Systems

External Event - 15th Jul to 4th Aug 2018

Quantitative studies of behaviour are fundamental in our effort to understand brain function and malfunction. Recently, the techniques for studying behaviour, along with those for monitoring and manipulating neural activity, have progressed rapidly. Therefore, we are organizing a summer course to provide promising young scientists with a comprehensive introduction to state-of-the-art techniques in quantitative behavioural analysis.

This 3-week course is a practical “hands-on” introduction to advanced methods in behavioural tracking and analysis and will cover sufficient background such that all participants will be able to establish these techniques in their home laboratories. 

The course is organized in 3 blocks. During the first block, the students will use Drosophila fruit flies as a model organism to demonstrate how modern technology (e.g. video tracking, virtual reality, automation, optogenetics, etc.) can be used for quantitative behavioural experiments. In the second block, students will use zebrafish, flies and rodents to demonstrate how new quantitative analysis methods (unsupervised and supervised ethograms, machine learning, mathematical modelling, etc.) can be used to tackle questions about behaviour and brain function. In the third block, students will deploy these new skills to design and implement a week-long research project of their choice that consolidates this new knowledge, culminating in presentations of their findings. The extended project will offer an opportunity for the participants to undertake novel state-of-the-art research supervised by international experts in the field.

Course directors :

• Gonzalo G. de Polavieja, Champalimaud Research,Portugal
• Benjamin de Bivort, Harvard University, USA
• Megan Carey, Champalimaud Research, Portugal
• Greg Stephens, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Confirmed speakers

Tsevi Beatus, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Gordon Berman, Emory University, USA
Kristin Branson, Janelia Research Campus, USA
Andre Brown, Imperial College London, UK
Iain Couzin, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
Bob Datta, Harvard University, USA
Ofer Feinerman, Weizmann Institute of Sciences, Israel
Giorgio F. Gilestro, Imperial College London, UK

Deborah Gordon, Stanford University, USA
Kate Jeffery, University College of London, UK

Gilles Laurent, MPI Brain Research, Germany
Marcelo Magnasco, Rockefeller University, USA
David Schwab, The City University of New York, USA 

Andrew Straw, University of Freiburg, Germany
Claire Wyart, Brain and Spine Institute, France

For further information please visit https://www.fens.org/Training/CAJAL-programme/CAJAL-courses-2018/BNS2018/