Computational Neuroscience

Neurons, the cells that make up our brains, are responsible for every experience, memory, and thought we ever have. This makes understanding them crucial not only for addressing philosophical questions about oneself, but also for advancing medicine by developing neuroprosthetics, and tackling neurological and psychiatric disorders. During the Computational Neuroscience course, we will explore how mathematical modelling can help us understand these fascinating cells and uncover the answers this approach provides to fundamental questions about how the brain works.

In particular, we will examine models based on different mathematical approaches. What advantages might a statistical model have compared to physics equations? And what insights can we gain when we model a neuron as nothing more than a “black box” that filters signals? (Spoiler alert: a model like this won a Nobel Prize in 1981, so we can find out quite a bit :) ) How can we even confirm whether our model is accurate and truly represents reality?
The course will focus on developing an intuitive understanding of mathematical modelling.

At the start of each session, we will go over the mathematics and physics necessary to understand the neuroscience model presented in the second half of the session. Then, we will “dissect” the given equations together, exploring their strengths, limitations, and applications in current neuroscience research. You can expect an interactive format of teaching with lectures, discussions, and practical activities designed to help you build an intuition for the topics covered.

This course is multidisciplinary, bridging biology with mathematics and physics. All necessary information will be provided during the sessions. While the lectures won’t get unnecessarily technical, do expect an intermediate level of mathematics (i.e. you will encounter some derivatives and integrals, but these will be explained at the course prior to tackling them). More important than a mastery of math and physics, is a genuine curiosity and courage to think outside of the box.

Sára Bánovská

Sára is a huge enthusiast of the natural sciences. In particular, her interest lies in the intersection of physics and mathematics with biology. This led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Nanobiology (a.k.a. biophysics) at the Delft University of Technology. During her time in the Netherlands, she completed internships in physics and neuroscience research groups, spent a semester in Australia, and even worked as a teaching assistant for courses like physics and linear algebra. Realising her love for computational neuroscience, she decided to pursue it as a major of her master’s studies at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. She also works as a research assistant at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, where she is investigating the role specific ion channel on the dynamics of visual circuits in fruit flies. She is absolutely fascinated by how the complex functions of the brain arise at the molecular and cellular levels. Her goal is to understand how neurons and their circuits process information, as well as how these circuits know how to form in the first place. For this reason, she is planning on staying in the field of cellular neuroscience and combining it with mathematical modelling. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, scuba diving, walking her two corgis (Maya and Stella), and spending time with friends over good food and coffee.

Session D

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AI for Fundamental Research

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Biological Psychiatry

Aleksa Petković

Computational Neuroscience

Sára Bánovská

Discovering medical science

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Systems thinking

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The Economics of Human Behavior

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