Students in Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience computer labThe Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo was officially approved by the University Senate in October, 2006. It currently consists of ten core and affiliate faculty, who span the departments of Biology, Applied Mathematics, Psychology, Engineering, Philosophy, Computer Science and Statistics. The Centre is currently expanding, running searches for additional core faculty. The distinguished faculty of the Centre include two Canada Research Chairs and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. In addition, the Centre has a number of student researchers, both graduate and undergraduate, and hosts postdocs and visiting researchers.

Research at the Centre spans the discipline of theoretical neuroscience (aka computational neuroscience). As such, faculty at the Centre pursue work on purely theoretical questions regarding the foundational principles guiding the function of neural systems, as well as constructing detailed neurobiological models of specific brain areas. The lab descriptions contain more detailed information on the research focus of each faculty member.

The Centre also hosts a graduate program for students wishing to obtain an officially recognized specialization in theoretical neuroscience.

Resources

Members of the Centre have access to a number of research-related resources:

  • The list of upcoming and recent past events provides information on the Centre's workshops, colloquia, etc.
  • Centre members have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities both locally and as part of Sharcnet, a world-class high performance computing (HPC) network that spans 16 leading research institutions in south central Ontario.
  • Experimental facilities used by faculty include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), clinical neuropsychology, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), event-related potential (ERP), kinematics, histology epidemiology, single cell physiology (whole cell patch clamp, single channel, sharp electrode, etc.), molecular biology (mutagenized ion channels, heterologous expression of channel subunits, molecular modelling, etc.), among others.
  • Dedicated research space and collaboration/conference area.

Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience Boardroom
 

Brain Day 2023 Videos On-line

The videos from Brain Day 2023 are now available on line at our youtube channel. Hope you enjoy.

CTN Masters Student Graduate Sugandha Sharma Appears on Generally Intelligent Podcast

Sugandha Sharma, masters student graduate of the University of Waterloo's CTN, discusses her research and time in the laboratory of CTN Founding Director Chris Eliasmith as well as her current PhD research at MIT on the Generally Intelligent Podcast. Give it a listen.

Sue Ann Campbell Presents at International Conference on Mathematical Neurosci 2022

Sue Ann Campbell (Applied Math/CTN core member) recently presented "Modulation of Synchronization by a Slowly Varying Current"  in July 2022 at the International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience; Watch it on YouTubesue ann campbell presentation image of spikes

CTN Research Day 2023 Oct 17 16:30 - 19:00 QNC 0101

The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience will be hosting its second Research Day. This will be a chance to start the new academic year by getting re-acquainted with each other and the diversity of research conducted by CTN core and affiliate faculty. The format will be to have a number of CTN faculty share short overviews of their lab's and projects (16:30-17:30) and then, following a short coffee break (17:30-18:00), hear from a dozen current graduate students and post-docs giving short three minute talks on an aspect of their current research (18:00-19:00).

Bots and Beasts. New book by CTN Founding Member Paul Thagard

Paul Thagard, philosopher, cognitive scientist, Killam prize winner, and founding CTN member has a new book out: Bots and Beasts. bots and beasts book cover