Functional Logic of Neural Circuits: Diamonds in the Rough (FLNDR2024)
San Juan PR on Feb 28 - Mar 1st, 2024.
Attendees of this workshop perform research that applies emerging technology and computational approaches from diverse fields to interrogate the functional logic of neural circuits and behavior. This is an innovative new research community studying well-described neural circuits in experimentally tractable animal models with well-described neural circuits. This year’s workshop seeks to motivate and strengthen this community through presentations and discussion on different topics as inspiration for manuscripts to submit to the Special Collection on the Functional Logic of Neural Circuits in the Journal of Neurophysiology. Our goal is to bring together motivated participants who are interested in forming collaborative efforts that overcome these challenges.
Wednesday, Feb. 28
Day 1. The first two topic-groups will moderate presentations and discussions during their two hours, each followed by a 30-min open discussion.
* remote speakers, all times are at PR (AST GMT-4.)
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM Breakfast
09:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Organizers: Opening remarks
09:15 AM - 10:15 AM In-group meetings Teach topic-group prepare their upcoming session
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM Coffee break
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Interaction between the nervous system, body, and environment in the production of behavior
Eduardo Izquierdo: Introduction to topic/group
Hillel Chiel*: A Neuromechanical Framework and a Case Study
Auke Ijspeert*: Neuromechanical simulations and robots to study the interplay of CPGs and sensory feedback
Maria de la Paz Fernández and Alfredo Ghezzi: Connectivity mechanisms of circadian pacemaker neurons
Randall D. Beer: Variability and degeneracy in brain-body-environment systems
Mitra Hartmann*: Towards simulating closed loop sensorimotor behaviors in the rodent whisker system
12:00 PM - 01:15 PM Lunch
01:15 PM - 02:15 PM Interaction between the nervous system, body, and environment in the production of behavior
Eva Naumann: Neural circuits in neuromechanical simulations of the zebrafish optomotor response
Netta Cohen*: Optimality of gait in C. elegans
Open Round Table discussion
02:15 PM - 03:15 PM Leveraging connectomes and synaptomes to understand neural circuit structure and function
Aurel Lazar: Divisive Normalization Processors in the Early Drosophila Olfactory and Vision Systems.
Gabriella Sterne and Andrew Seeds: Modeling the connectome with a leaky integrate and fire computational model, and experimental insights. 1) Gustatory circuits/feeding behavior. 2) Mechanosensory circuits/grooming behavior.
03:15 PM - 03:30 PM Break
03:30 PM - 05:00 PM Leveraging connectomes and synaptomes to understand neural circuit structure and function
Ben de Bivort: Bayesian inference on biophysical models of the connectome in the Drosophila antennal lobe.
Ev Yemini: Towards a grand unified theory of a simple nervous system.
Daniel Colón-Ramos*: Structural and developmental principles of neuropil assembly in C. elegans.
Open Round Table discussion
07:00 PM Organized dinner
Thursday, Feb. 29
Day 2. Two topic-groups will moderate presentations and discussions during their two hours, each followed by a 30-min open discussion.
* remote speakers, all times are at PR (AST GMT-4).
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM Breakfast
09:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Organizers: Second-day remarks
09:15 AM - 10:15 AM Comparative and developmental approaches to accelerate the pace of discovery in the neurobiology of model organisms
Farzan Nadim: Intro
Arnaldo Carreira-Rosario: How do brains become active during development?
Eric Hoopfer: Mapping Social Behavior Circuits in fruit flies
Monika Scholz*: Comparative circuit evolution - identifying principles of behavioral evolution
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM Coffee break
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Comparative and developmental approaches to accelerate the pace of discovery in the neurobiology of model organisms
Farzan Nadim: Neuromodulation as a mechanism for producing consistent circuit output and behavior
Adam Douglas and Eva Naumann: Danionella a new see through fish species for neuroscience research
Cheng Huang: Optical techniques for monitoring fast and slow neural dynamics
Open Round Table discussion
12:00 PM - 01:15 PM Lunch
01:15 PM - 03:15 PM The possible impacts of AI on neural circuits research, and neurobiology on AI
Gal Haspel: Why are we here?
Dmitri Chklovskii: Reimagining the Neuron as a Controller: A New model for Neuroscience and AI
Horacio G. Rotstein: Degeneracy and unidentifiability: two phases of the same coin
Kanaka Rajan*: Useful Learnings from an Inelegant Approach
Rémi Mégret: Automatic video analysis of animal behavior
Leslie Osborne: Beyond entropy: How can we quantify behavioral complexity?
Andrew Broz: Frontier ethical concerns of AI in Neurobiology: Why we should worry?
03:15 PM - 03:30 PM Break
03:30 PM - 04:00 PM The possible impacts of AI on neural circuits research, and neurobiology on AI
Open Round Table discussion
Free time The hotel has plenty of seating outside, including a coffee shop, bar, swimming pool, and a beach. Old San Juan is within a (longish) walking distance.
Independent dinner
Friday, Mar. 1
Day 3. Group and round table brainstorming, drafting, and outlining products and plans for next year.
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM Breakfast
09:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Organizers: Third-day remarks
09:15 AM - 10:15 AM In-group discussions: Collaborations, collaborative grants, and research projects; writing products; future workshops.
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM Coffee break
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Open Round Table discussion: Next steps for research projects and writing products; Next Year's workshops.
12:00 PM - 01:15 PM Lunch
Some participants will have to leave earlier on Friday.
6th Puerto Rico Mini-brains Symposium
Schedule outline
