Physics of Brains

18 and 19 November 2020 from 13.00 - 17.00
Virtual meeting via Zoom
Prof. Tom McLeish (University of York, Physics)
Prof. Tony Morland (University of York, Psychology)
Prof. Mark Leake (University of York, Biology and Physics)
Dr. Daniel Baker (University of York, Psychology)

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Workshop Overview

There is increasing and intense interest in the physical science, and mathematical modelling of aspects of brain and mind that animate most multicellular species. Electrophysiology of neurons and nerves, on the one hand, and modelling and application of neural nets, on the other, are examples of long-standing research programmes at or motivated by the molecular level of structure. Similarly the field of psychophysics has developed sophisticated non-invasive methods for investigation of perception, memory and learning in humans. Yet there is also huge scope for the application of methodologies both experimental and theoretical, from branches of science not currently associated strongly with neuroscience.  Advanced imaging, electromagnetic methods, adaptive optics are experimental examples, statistical mechanics and stochastic non-linear systems are promising theoretical tools. The application of novel methods from the physical sciences to brains was identified strategically by the EPSRC Life Science Interface, and has remained a strategic imperative, included in the Roadmap for Physics of Life produced by PoLNet under the key theme of ‘information flow in biological systems’. Yet this workshop represents the first PoLNET workshop to focus on neuroscience.  The overall question is, what current challenges in brain science could be met by bringing new physical science methods, experimental and theoretical, to bear, together with biomedical, psychological and biological science.

Who should attend?

We invite participation by academic, industrial and clinical research scientists in the UK who are interested in the central goal of generating new collaborative research interactions at the physical/life sciences interface focused on brain research. There is particular encouragement for the participation of the health care professionals.

Provisional Programme

Sessions and invited speakers
Plenary:
Bill Bialek (Princeton) 'Statistical physics for networks of real neurons: Progress and problems'
Symposia
(1) Perception
Questions: What non-invasive methodologies can reveal the stages of processing in perception? What challenges face the modelling of perception at different levels?
Speakers:
Kenneth Harris (UCL)
Hannah Smithson (Oxford) 'Looking into the Brain: high resolution imaging of the living human eye'
Daniel Baker (York) 'Algorithms underlying neural signal combination'
(2) Neuroimaging, measurement and other techniques
Questions: What are new techniques of imaging telling us about cortical architecture and function? How do indirect spatio-temporal methods complement imaging? How can imaging contribute to a multi-scale model of neurological structure and function?
Speakers:
Amanda Ellison (Durham) 'If the Physics of Life is a powerful beat, what does the rhythm of the brain tell us?'
David Halliday (York) 'Neuromorphic computing systems - spiking neural networks, astrocyte-neuron networks'
Pareshkev Nachev (UCL) 'Mapping complex causal fields in the focally injured human brain'
Alard Roebroeck  (Maastricht) 'Multiscale investigation of human cortical architecture with light sheet microscopy and MRI'
(3) Neural nets and brains
Questions: To what extent can we say that neural nets model brains faithfully? What tools from nonlinear dynamics of complex systems and statistical mechanics illuminate neural nets?
Speakers:
Fred Wolf (MPI Göttingen) 'Measuring and Modelling Neural Networks'
Thierry Mora (ENS Paris) 'Statistical mechanics of emergent properties in a neural population code'
Viola Priesemann (MPI Göttingen)  'Phase transitions and information flow in neural systems'
Francesca Mastrogiuseppe (UCL) 'Linking connectivity, dynamics and computations in low-rank recurrent neural networks'
(4) Animal Models (to clinical brain science)
Questions: what have we learned from animal models about representation underpinning perception and its alteration in diseased states? What further progress can be made in 3R developments?
Speakers:
Remi Monasson (ENS Paris)  'Neurological representations of space in mammals'
Alessandro Treves (SISSA Trieste) 'Grid cells embrace disorder, and turn into an ultrametric glass'
Alex Wade (York) 'Altered visual processing in Drosophila and humans associated with
genetic neurological disease'

Registration

Registration for this event is FREE. Registration for this event is FREE. If you would like to attend, registration is mandatory. Once registered, a link will be provided. For any queries related to registration, please email: k.h.baker@dur.ac.uk.