Ma 191 b Topics Course: Geometry of Neuroscience

Winter 2017: taught jointly by Matilde Marcolli and Doris Tsao. The class is cross listed as CNS/Bi 286b. The class meets Tuesday-Thursday 10:30-noon, ROOM CHANGE: new room: Sloan 151


Brief Course Description

This class will cover topics in geometry and topology applied to neuroscience, with particular focus on vision and language.

Topics covered will include:



Suggested readings

The class does not have an official textbook, but the following references will be useful.

Books:

Some Articles: (more will be added)

General overview:

Dynamical models of the neuron:

Receptor fields and Gabor frames:

Conformal Geometry:

Contact Geometry:

Segmentation and tracking:

Bistable images:

Neural Codes and Neural Rings:

Neural Networks, Deep Learning:


Notes of classes

Notes and slides of the classes will be posted here. A rough outline of the lectures:

Slides

Slides of classes available here:


Syllabus

The course is offered Pass/Fail. Requirements: attendance of (most) lectures and one seminar presentation.

In the bibliographical list of papers linked above, all papers marked with (*) are available for student presentations (more will be added shortly). Choose an article on a topic that is most interesting to you (first come first serve) and prepare a 30min seminar presentation about it.

The final student presentations will take place Tuesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 16 in Room SLN 151 (same room where the class takes place), starting at 9am. The tentative schedule of presentations is given below.