This working group is a collaboration between OCNS and INCF. The group focuses on evaluating and testing computational neuroscience tools; finding them, testing them, learning how they work, and informing developers of issues to ensure that these tools remain in good shape by having communities looking after them. Since many members of the WG are themselves tool developers, we will also learn from each other and will work towards improving interoperability between related tools.

This course contains sessions from the second day of INCF's Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022.

Sessions from the INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022 day 1. 

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This module provides an introduction to the problem of speech recognition using neural models, emphasizing the CTC loss for training and inference when input and output sequences are of different lengths. It also covers beam search for use during inference, and how that procedure may be modeled at training time using a Graph Transformer Network.

This module introduces computational neuroscience by simulating neurons according to the AdEx model. You will learn about generative modeling, dynamical systems, and F-I curves. The MATLAB code introduces live scripts and functions.

As models in neuroscience have become increasingly complex, it has become more difficult to share all aspects of models and model analysis, hindering model accessibility and reproducibility. In this session, we will discuss existing resources for promoting FAIR data and models in computational neuroscience, their impact on the field, and remaining barriers.

This course consists of two workshops which focus on the need for reproducibility in science, particularly under the umbrella roadmap of FAIR scienctific principles. The tutorials also provide an introduction to some of the most commonly used open-source scientific tools, including Git, GitHub, Google Colab, Binder, Docker, and the programming languages Python and R. 

The workshop will include interactive seminars given by selected experts in the field covering all aspects of (FAIR) small animal MRI data acquisition, analysis, and sharing. The seminars will be followed by hands-on training where participants will perform use case scenarios using software established by the organizers. This will include an introduction to the basics of using command line interfaces, Python installation, working with Docker/Singularity containers, Datalad/Git, and BIDS.

The International Brain Initiative (IBI) is a consortium of the world’s major large-scale brain initiatives and other organizations with a vested interest in catalyzing and advancing neuroscience research through international collaboration and knowledge sharing. This session will introduce the IBI and the current efforts of the Data Standards and Sharing Working Group with a view to gain input from a wider neuroscience and neuroinformatics community. 

Ethical conduct of science, good governance of data, and accelerated translation to the clinic are key to high-calibre open neuroscience.  Everyday practitioners of science must be sensitized to a range of ethical considerations in their research, some having especially to do with open data-sharing. The lessons included in this course introduce a number of these topics and end with concrete guidance for participant consent and de-identification of data.

This course consists of three lessons, each corresponding to a lightning talk given at the first day of INCF's Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023. By following along these brief talks, you will hear about topics such as open source tools for computer vision, tools for the integration of various MRI dataset formats, as well as international data governance. 

This workshop provides basic knowledge on personalized brain network modeling using the open-source simulation platform The Virtual Brain (TVB). Participants will gain theoretical knowledge and apply this knowledge to construct brain models, process multimodal neuroimaging data for reconstructing individual brains, run simulations, and use supporting neuroinformatics tools such as collaboratories, pipelines, workflows, and data repositories.

Sessions from the INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022 day 1. 

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Much like neuroinformatics, data science uses techniques from computational science to derive meaningful results from large complex datasets. In this session, we will explore the relationship between neuroinformatics and data science, by emphasizing a range of data science approaches and activities, ranging from the development and application of statistical methods, through the establishment of communities and platforms, and through the implementation of open-source software tools.

Bayesian inference (using prior knowledge to generate more accurate predictions about future events or outcomes) has become increasingly applied to the fields of neuroscience and neuroinformatics. In this course, participants are taught how Bayesian statistics may be used to build cognitive models of processes like learning or perception. This course also offers theoretical and practical instruction on dynamic causal modeling as applied to fMRI and EEG data.

This course includes both lectures and tutorials around the management and analysis of genomic data in clinical research and care. Participants are led through the basics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genotypes, and polygenic risk scores, as well as novel concepts and tools for more sophisticated consideration of population stratification in GWAS.

This module covers fMRI data, including creating and interpreting flatmaps, exploring variability and average responses, and visual eccenticity. You will learn about processing BOLD signals, trial-averaging, and t-tests. The MATLAB code introduces data animations, multicolor visualizations, and linear indexing.

This course tackles the issue of maintaining ethical research and healthcare practices in the age of increasingly powerful technological tools like machine learning and artificial intelligence. While there is great potential for innovation and improvement in the clinical space thanks to AI development, lecturers in this course advocate for a greater emphasis on human-centric care, calling for algorithm design which takes the full intersectionality of individuals into account.

Most neuroscience journals request authors to make their data publicly available in appropriate repositories. The requirements and policies put forward by journals vary, and the services provided for different types of data also differ considerably across repositories.

This course provides introductory and refresher lessons for a range of concepts and methods useful in the field of neuroscience and neuroinformatics.