Canonical Neural Computation 2012

 A workshop at Villa La Pietra, Florence, 3-5 May 2012


The goal of the workshop is to identify key neural computations that are repeated in multiple species and brain regions. Such canonical neural computations would be repeated modularly to apply the same set of algorithms to different problems.

Identifying canonical neural computations is essential as they constitute a bridge between circuits and behavior. The circuits perform computations, and the computations result in behavior.

The canonical computations can be discovered in various ways: from the responses of neuronal populations and systems, from the underlying circuits, from behavior in the healthy brain and from dysfunction in disease. The organizers and speakers reflect these different approaches.

The 2009 meeting was extremely successful. It ended with a manifesto, available online. Moreover, it had a clear impact on an impressive list of subsequent publications from the participants.

In addition to the researchers, the attendees include directors of funding bodies and journal editors. Among them are Drs. Sarah Caddick (Gatsby Charitable Foundation), Hirsch Cohen (Swartz Foundation), John Williams (Wellcome Trust), Gerald Fischbach (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative), Katja Brose (Neuron), and Hannah Bayer (Nature Neuroscience). They will advise on how to design, implement, and communicate a transformative program of research involving multiple researchers aimed towards a common goal.

The workshop will take place in Florence at NYU's La Pietra Conference Center on 3-5 May 2012. Generous funding is provided jointly by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and by the Swartz Foundation. For reasons of space, attendance is strictly by invitation only.

The attendees are chosen from four subgroups: (1) systems; (2) mechanisms; (3) theory; (4) human/clinical. They work together during the whole workshop except for two sessions when they divide in 3 groups to identify the main goals of future investigations, and to outline the methods and collaborations needed to achieve these goals.

Organizers

Speakers (partial list)



     

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