Transcript The University of Melbourne

Understanding Neurons and
the Circuitry of the Brain
Jonathan H. Manton
The University of Melbourne
November 2008
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
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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)
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
Melbourne University Campus
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
Melbourne School of Engineering
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
Melbourne School of Engineering
6 engineering departments
• Chemical & Biomolecular
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Engineering
Civil & Environmental
Engineering
Computer Science &
Software Engineering
Electrical & Electronic
Engineering
Geomatics
Mechanical Engineering
(Biomedical Eng taught
across 5 departments)
ICT Building
13 major research centres
4500 students (1400 international)
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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 Hospital
NICTA Victoria
Orygen Research
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
St Vincent’s Hospital
Royal Women’s Hospital
Victorian College of Pharmacy
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
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Epilepsy / Computational Neuroscience
Bionic Eye
Bioinformatics
Big Picture: Human Physiome Project
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 Background
 CONECT Research Centre
 Research Strategy
 Example Projects
4. Conclusions
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
My Background
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Mathematics
› Differential and algebraic geometry
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Electrical Engineering
› Signal processing, optimisation, filtering
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Recently started to learn neuroscience
GOAL: To apply mathematics and electrical engineering to
understand neurons and the circuitry of the brain
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How?
› Establish University-wide theme
› Establish CONECT Research Centre
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
CONECT Research Centre
CONECT
Centre of Neuro-Engineering and Computation
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STATUS
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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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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)
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
Research Strategy
Identified 3 properties of networks and neurons
1. Self-organisation
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Put 10,000 neurons together and they form a network
Repeat experiment and network is different
However, networks behave similarly – HOW?
2. Computation
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What are the basic building blocks used by neural networks in
order to compute?
How is information stored and transferred?
3. Behaviour
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How are basic building blocks combined to explain (emergent)
behaviour?
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
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
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
Jonathan H. Manton, The University of Melbourne
© Copyright The University of Melbourne 2008