understanding neurons and the circuitry of the brain jonathan h. manton the university of melbourne...

Understanding Neurons and the Circuitry of the Brain

Jonathan H. MantonThe University of Melbourne

November 2008

Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne

Talk Overview

1. Vision

2. Our Facilities University of Melbourne Bio21 Cluster NICTA (National ICT Australia)

3. Research Personal Interests CONECT Research Centre Research Strategy Example Projects

4. Conclusion


Vision

To understand› High level mechanisms of neuronal circuitry

› Principles behind how neural circuits compute

To develop mathematical models at different levels of complexity› Understand relationships between models

› Understand when each model is appropriate

Ultimate goals› Interface (bi-directionally) with neural circuitry

› Mathematically explain (and reproduce) behaviour and cognition

› Build technology/feature extractors as efficient as the brain

› Cure neurological diseases (e.g. Parkinson's, epilepsy)


The University of Melbourne

Established 1853

World-class university• Shanghai Jiao Tong University

rankings› 79th in the world (2007)

• Times Higher Ed Supplement rankings

› 27th in the world (2007)

› 21st in the world – Universities for Technology


Melbourne University Campus


Parkville Biomedical Precinct

How to achieve vision?

Generate strategic links with affiliated biomedical research institutions and major

hospitals near its campus

Collaboration between:• Melbourne School of Engineering

• Bio21 Cluster

• NICTA


Melbourne School of Engineering


Melbourne School of Engineering

6 engineering departments• Chemical & Biomolecular

Engineering• Civil & Environmental

Engineering• Computer Science &

Software Engineering• Electrical & Electronic

Engineering• Geomatics• Mechanical Engineering• (Biomedical Eng taught

across 5 departments)

13 major research centres

4500 students (1400 international)

ICT Building


Bio21 Cluster

Not-for-profit company of Members

Committed to the advancement of• basic biomedical science

• translational clinical research and biotechnology

• training in research of the highest order

• science communication and education

• commercialisation of biotechnology discoveries


Bio21 Institute

Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute

• Owned by the University of Melbourne

• Multidisciplinary research centre› Medical, agricultural and environmental

biotechnology

• Vision› To improve health and the environment

through innovation in biotechnology, driven by multidisciplinary research and dynamic engagement with industry

• Accommodates more than 450 research scientists, students and industry participants

Bio 21 Foyer


Bio21 Members

Melbourne Health

Uni of Melbourne

Walter-Eliza Institute

Austin Biomedical

Bionic Ear Institute

CSIRO (Health)

Howard Florey Inst.

Mental Health Inst.Murdoch Children’s HospitalNICTA VictoriaOrygen ResearchPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreSt Vincent’s HospitalRoyal Women’s HospitalVictorian College of Pharmacy


NICTA – National ICT Australia

Mission: to be an enduring world-class information and communications technology research institute that generates national benefit

NICTA commenced May 2002• $380M Commonwealth funding 2002-2011• Over $500M with stakeholder contributions

› Partner universities, state government• Target to employ 300 researchers and support 300 PhD

students› Over 370 FTE employees and 309 PhD students

Victorian node in EEE at UniMelb


NICTA Victoria Research Lab

Victoria Research Laboratory (VRL) formed June 2004• Funding from NICTA, MU, Vic Gov (~$120M 2004-2011)• Located in Engineering School at MU

• 75 researchers• 87 PhD students

• Approx 50% projects in ICT for life sciences› Collaboration with Melbourne life sciences institutes

• Research in life sciences includes› Epilepsy / Computational Neuroscience› Bionic Eye› Bioinformatics› Big Picture: Human Physiome Project


Talk Overview

1. Vision

2. Our Facilities University of Melbourne Bio21 Cluster NICTA (National ICT Australia)

3. Research Personal Background CONECT Research Centre Research Strategy Example Projects

4. Conclusions


My Background

• Mathematics› Differential and algebraic geometry

• Electrical Engineering› Signal processing, optimisation, filtering

• Recently started to learn neuroscience

GOAL: To apply mathematics and electrical engineering to understand neurons and the circuitry of the brain

• How?› Establish University-wide theme› Establish CONECT Research Centre


CONECT Research Centre

CONECTCentre of Neuro-Engineering and Computation

• STATUS› Currently being established

› PhD projects already on offer

› Will bid for funding as an ARC Centre of Excellence

› Will seek additional sources of funding– Government– Industry


Vision (Re-visited)

To understand› High level mechanisms of neuronal circuitry

› Principles behind how neural circuits compute

To develop mathematical models at different levels of complexity› Understand relationships between models

› Understand when each model is appropriate

Ultimate goals› Interface (bi-directionally) with neural circuitry

› Mathematically explain (and reproduce) behaviour and cognition

› Build technology/feature extractors as efficient as the brain

› Cure neurological diseases (e.g. Parkinson’s, epilepsy)


Research Strategy

Bring Mathematical and Life sciences together› Each project will span Faculties: Engineering, Science, Medicine

Projects will expand the scope of traditional fields› Mathematical modelling, System identification, Information theory,

Statistical mechanics

Rationale:› Generally accepted that next phase of major breakthroughs will

require true cross-disciplinary effort

› Mathematics and physics is a very successful symbiosis. Apply this to the life-sciences and the mathematical sciences


Research Strategy

Identified 3 properties of networks and neurons1. Self-organisation

• Put 10,000 neurons together and they form a network

• Repeat experiment and network is different

• However, networks behave similarly – HOW?

2. Computation• What are the basic building blocks used by neural networks in

order to compute?

• How is information stored and transferred?

3. Behaviour• How are basic building blocks combined to explain (emergent)

behaviour?


Research Strategy

The neural circuitry identified to help us understand include

› Enteric nervous system (gut)

› Cultured (in vitro) network

› In vivo networks (e.g. imaging of cortical networks in mice)

Technology› Build imaging devices to probe neural circuitry

Theory› Bring together leading mathematicians, engineers,

neuroscientists, etc

Experimentation› Results are grounded on solid experimentation


Example Projects

• How do random neural networks compute?› Use probabilistic inputs to artificial neural networks to emulate

the behaviour of the brain› Help us understand how the brain computes

• Emulating how the nervous system learns› Person playing sport gets more co-ordinated with time› Control theory approach to understanding how this happens› Help us design better adaptive control systems

• Biophysical models of epileptic networks› Second most common neurological condition in the world

(second only to stroke)› Understand the onset and offset of seizures via mathematical

models


Conclusion

• Looking for interested collaborators at all levels› Distinguished visitors, research fellows, PhDs, Masters,

Undergraduate

• Many funding opportunities to be explored› Local: Industry, Government, University

› International: Exchange programs, collaborative research

We are guided by long-term goals and the vision to Understand Neurons and the Circuitry of the brain

understanding neurons and the circuitry of the brain jonathan h. manton the university of melbourne...

Documents

university of melbourne

brain jonathan

epilepsy slide

foyer slide

conclusion slide

technology slide

research scientists

biotechnology institute