NeuroMat training: Prof. Christophe Pouzat on spike sorting

Nov 24, 2014

Prof. Christophe Pouzat, a CNRS researcher of the Applied Maths Laboratory of the Paris-Descartes University and a specialist in spike sorting, will offer the three-day-long training "Spike sorting: What is it? Why do we need it? Where does it come from? How is it done? How to interpret it?," at the University of São Paulo, from November 25 to 27. The Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics (CEPID NeuroMat) organizes this event with the support of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

The training sections are held on November 25-27 and start at 2:00PM. The expected length of each section is two hours.

This NeuroMat training on spike sorting is directly related to a key challenge of neuroscience. Neuroscientists use extracellular recordings to monitor many neurons while keeping tissue damage at a minimum. But the collected raw data are then mixtures of activities---from many neurons---that have to be separated or sorted before most physiologically relevant questions can be addressed.This unmixing step is what is referred to as "spike sorting" by neurophysiologists. Since extracellular recordings constitute the oldest recording technique available to physiologists, sorting methods have a rather long history that is worth reviewing. The training will therefore combine a presentation of the historical development of sorting techniques and ideas (a development that goes hand in hand with the hardware, amplifiers and computers, found in neurophysiology labs) with a description of how to implement them with an open source software like Python. Potential sources of misinterpretations of spike trains, the output of spike sorting procedures, will also be discussed.

Sections will occur at Room A, CCE/DTI building, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, alley 3, 71, at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. If you are unsure on how to get to the section location, please see the map below. You may also gather at the NeuroMat (NUMEC) building at 1:30PM on Tuesday as a rally point to the section location.

Prior registration is required to attend the training. If you would like to attend, please send your name, institutional affiliation and email to comunicacao@numec.prp.usp.br. Also inform if you would like to receive a certificate of participation. Attendance is free of charge; seats are limited. Expect an automatic confirmation message.

Live streaming will be provided. Streaming is offered by USP's IPTV here.

Prof. Pouzat's webpage provides pertaining material and is available here.

Key facts

What: "Spike sorting: What is it? Why do we need it? Where does it come from? How is it done? How to interpret it?" (NeuroMat training)

Who: Christophe Pouzat

When: November 25-27, 2:00PM (São Paulo time)

Where1: Room A, CCE/DTI building, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, alley 3, 71, at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Where2: Live streaming here.

To whom: Free attendance. Prior registration is required.

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