University Homepage School Homepage School Contacts School Search

 

Nigel Goddard

ANC, Informatics, & Maxwell Institute, University of Edinburgh;

Neuroinformatics

Abstract

The brain is a special object of study for informatics, being both a source of vast (and rapdily increasing) amounts of complex data, and the most subtle and sophisticated information processing system known. Scientific collaboration bridging brain and behavioral research and informatics research (i.e., neuroinformatics) promises to advance both fields.

For informatics, the quantity and complexity of brain and behavioural data pose severe challenges in development of effective analysis, visualisation and modeling methodologies. These challenges are easily rivalled by the difficulties in creating predictive information-processing theories of brain function and behaviour which account for data spanning many orders of magnitude in space and time.

I will review some current work in neuroinformatics in the areas of simulation modeling environments, neuroimaging and models of learning and memory, and will describe new and challenging opportunities for informatics research.