Linking human brain structure to function with ultra-high resolution fMRI. This project will examine the structure and function of the sensory cortex of the human brain using ultra-high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (7 Tesla MRI). The project pushes new boundaries for resolution with ultra-high field MRI (7 Tesla) and, as such, will advance techniques for the acquisition, analysis, and computational modelling of high-resolution fMRI brain imaging, providing detail of the funct ....Linking human brain structure to function with ultra-high resolution fMRI. This project will examine the structure and function of the sensory cortex of the human brain using ultra-high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (7 Tesla MRI). The project pushes new boundaries for resolution with ultra-high field MRI (7 Tesla) and, as such, will advance techniques for the acquisition, analysis, and computational modelling of high-resolution fMRI brain imaging, providing detail of the functional organisation of the sensory cortex at a level never previously possible in the living human brain. This will provide new understanding of the neural-level networks that underpin attention and touch perception in the human brain.Read moreRead less
Statistical methods for analysing maps in the visual brain. This project aims to apply Gaussian process methods, a Bayesian approach for data analysis, to analyse data from brain imaging experiments. Discovering the principles of functional brain architecture requires analysing data from functional imaging technologies. However, these technologies produce very noisy data which is difficult to interpret. This project will apply Gaussian process methods to study data from optical imaging and funct ....Statistical methods for analysing maps in the visual brain. This project aims to apply Gaussian process methods, a Bayesian approach for data analysis, to analyse data from brain imaging experiments. Discovering the principles of functional brain architecture requires analysing data from functional imaging technologies. However, these technologies produce very noisy data which is difficult to interpret. This project will apply Gaussian process methods to study data from optical imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging of the visual brain. This is expected to reveal critical information about how normal brain structure changes with development and sensory experience. The statistical methods developed should be applicable within and beyond neuroscience, and may ultimately help improve the diagnosis of human health disorders.Read moreRead less
The plasticity of neural codes. Information about the world is represented in the brain by the combined activity of populations of many neurons. However, the basic principles underlying how such population activity codes information are largely unknown. Using the map from the eye to the brain of the zebrafish as a model, the project aims to combine experimental measurements of neural activity with mathematical modelling in order to discover these basic principles. Of particular interest is how t ....The plasticity of neural codes. Information about the world is represented in the brain by the combined activity of populations of many neurons. However, the basic principles underlying how such population activity codes information are largely unknown. Using the map from the eye to the brain of the zebrafish as a model, the project aims to combine experimental measurements of neural activity with mathematical modelling in order to discover these basic principles. Of particular interest is how these coding principles change during development and their plasticity after disruptions to the visual map. Besides improving our understanding of how brains process information, the knowledge gained could help optimise the design of brain-computer interfaces and artificial computing devices.Read moreRead less