Cajal course on Behaviour of Neural Systems

More information and applications: www.cajal-training.org

Applications deadline:19 March 2018

Dates: 15 July - 4 August 2018
Location: Champalimaud Center For The Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal

Course directors:
• Benjamin de Bivort (Harvard University, USA)
• Gonzalo G. de Polavieja (Champalimaud Research, Portugal)
• Greg Stephens (VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
• Megan Carey (Champalimaud Research, Portugal)

Quantitative studies of behaviour are fundamental in our effort to understand brain function and malfunction. Recently, the techniques for studying behaviour, along with those for monitoring and manipulating neural activity, have progressed rapidly. Therefore, we are organizing a summer course to provide promising young scientists with a comprehensive introduction to state-of-the-art techniques in quantitative behavioural analysis.

This 3-week course is a practical “hands-on” introduction to advanced methods in behavioural tracking and analysis and will cover sufficient background such that all participants will be able to establish these techniques in their home laboratories. 

The course is organized in 3 blocks. During the first block, the students will use Drosophila fruit flies as a model organism to demonstrate how modern technology (e.g. video tracking, virtual reality, automation, optogenetics, etc.) can be used for quantitative behavioural experiments. In the second block, students will use zebrafish, flies and rodents to demonstrate how new quantitative analysis methods (unsupervised and supervised ethograms, machine learning, mathematical modelling, etc.) can be used to tackle questions about behaviour and brain function. In the third block, students will deploy these new skills to design and implement a week-long research project of their choice that consolidates this new knowledge, culminating in presentations of their findings. The extended project will offer an opportunity for the participants to undertake novel state-of-the-art research supervised by international experts in the field.