News
“Emotions”: Art exhibition at the BCF
During November and December, the hallways of the BCF will become the venue of an art exhibition: Oliver Wrobel presents a series of his works, titled “Emotions”.
IMTEK photo wins first prize for scientific photography
As delicate and graceful as a fragile flower blooming in the sun: that's what microsystems engineering looks like, at least through the lens of scientific photographer Bernd Müller. Müller was awarded first prize in the category photography/single photo in the PUNKT awards for scientific journalism.
Talk is silver, silence is golden: effects of refractoriness on neuronal signalling
Upon first view, the basic building blocks of our brain – the neurons – appear to have a serious limitation: no matter how much excitation they receive from other nerve cells, there is a limit on the frequency at which they will respond by emitting electrical pulses of their own. Scientists have now shown that the forced pause between any two consecutive impulses is actually an advantageous trait.
Prediction of epileptic seizures by analyzing brain waves
A team of physicists, physicians and neuroscientists at the Bernstein Center of the University Freiburg made a step forward towards the ambitious goal of predicting epileptic seizures, as published in the latest issue of the journal “Epilepsia”. Professor Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, head of the Epilepsy Center at the University Hospital Freiburg: “Unfortunately, a considerable fraction of all epilepsy patients do not respond well to commonly used pharmaceuticals. For these patients, an automatic prediction of their suddenly occurring seizures would offer great benefit – they could prepare for the epileptic attack, for example by taking fast-acting medicine.”
Book publication by BCF/RIKEN members: "Analysis of Parallel Spike Trains"
Stefan Rotter (BCF) and Sonja Gruen (RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan and Bernstein Center Berlin) edited the book "Analysis of Parallel Spike Trains". With 20 individual contributions, written by leading experts in the field, the book offers a comprehensive overview over state-of-the-art methods for the analysis of coordinated neuronal activity in the brain. It is directed at scientists and advanced students from the fields of Systems Neurobiology and Computational Neuroscience. The book is available now.
Article by BCF/RIKEN members published in PLoS Computational Biology
Using computer simulations of brain-like networks, researchers from Germany and Japan have discovered why nerve cells transmit information through small electrical pulses. Not only allows this the brain to process information much faster than previously thought: single neurons are already able to multiply, opening the door to more complex forms of computing.
"Badische Zeitung" interviews BCF director Ad Aertsen
The "Badische Zeitung", regional newspaper in the southwest of Germany, interviewed director Ad Aertsen on the occasion of the foundation of the Bernstein Center Freiburg.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience publishes article by BCF members
Reliable propagation of spiking activity in the brain is vital for information processing. BCF members Arvind Kumar, Stefan Rotter and Ad Aertsen propose in a new review article that under certain conditions asynchronous and synchronous propagation of spiking activity can co-exist in a modular neuronal network, and they suggest experimental strategies to test this hypothesis.
Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience started
On August 2, the Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience (ACCN) started at the Bernstein Center Freiburg. For one month, 30 students from around the world will attend lectures and work on projects spanning the whole width of this dynamic field of research.
A new hub for the neurosciences
Bernstein Center consolidates research in Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology
Position of Professor of Neurobiology and Neurotechnology
The Faculty of Biology at the Albert-Ludwig University Freiburg invites applications for the position of Full Professor (BesGr. W3, tenured) of Neurobiology and Neurotechnology to be filled as early as possible.
BFNT member Niels Birbaumer receives Helmholtz Medal
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities honors Niels Birbaumer with one of its highest awards.
New publication by BCF members in the Journal of Computational Neuroscience
Jens Kremkow, Laurent U. Perrinet, Guillaume S. Masson and Ad Aertsen published an article on "Functional consequences of correlated excitatory and inhibitory conductances in cortical networks" in the journal's current issue
Honorary doctorate for member of the Bernstein Center Freiburg
For his important contributions to the field of neuroanatomy, the Goethe University Frankfurt bestowed an honorary degree upon Prof. Michael Frotscher.
BCF members to edit special issue of Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience
Arvind Kumar, Stefano Cardanobile, Stefan Rotter and Ad Aertsen will be guest editors of a special topic issue of "Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience", an open access journal. The topic is "Structure, dynamics and function of brains: exploring relations and constraints".
Junior Professorship Programme supports research on neuronal basis of movements
The activity of neurons is the basis for movement patterns in animals and humans alike. Up to now, it is largely unknown how the structure and activity of a neuronal network shapes the composition of complex movements. Abigail Morrison, Junior Professor at the Faculty of Biology and the Bernstein Center at the University of Freiburg, is trying to find an answer to this question. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science now awarded her research with a grant of 150,000 €.
Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience held in Freiburg
For the third and final time, the Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience (ACCN) is held this summer at the Bernstein Center Freiburg. Applications are still possible until April 2, 2010.
Lecture by Prof. Stefan Rotter available as web video
The lecture "Dynamics of recurrent pulse-coupled networks in the brain", held by Prof. Stefan Rotter at the Physics Colloquium on November 30, 2009, is now available online.
Jeanette Hellgren talks about EuroSPIN
The INCF Newsletter 4/09 published a conversation with Jeanette Hellgren about the new Erasmus Mundus PhD program "EuroSPIN".
"Biologie in unserer Zeit" publishes article on Computational Neuroscience
The German journal "Biologie in unserer Zeit" has published an article by Bernstein Professor Stefan Rotter and Gunnar Grah on computational neuroscience and recent findings.