SHF: Small: Collaborative Research: Computing with cells-the neuron case

Louisiana Tech University, Ruston LA

Investigators

Abstract

The work will focus on models of computing with brain cells, more specifically the neurons and their major support cells in the brain, the glia. The major novelty of the project is the consideration of the glia cells in these models of computation. The interplay between glia and neurons has not been considered in the domain literature until now. Thus the project will not only look at how to perform computation taking inspiration from the organization of the neurons and glia into networks, but also explore topics such as investigating the power related to sequentiality/parallelism of such devices, synchronization, data processing and manipulation such as considering different types of output encoding for the computation. Several other topics considered already for neuronal systems such as universality/non-universality of networks with various restrictions, normal forms and consideration of the refractory period of neurons will also be investigated for the new devices. The project will incorporate an experimental part in the second year of the timeline when with the help of the senior researcher on the project, Dr. Mark DeCoster (professor of Biomedical Engineering) the results of the first phase of the work will be validated in the lab. The work holds promise to significantly impact several research areas as well as the emerging area of computing with cells. In Computer Science, the research may yield new paradigms and new computing techniques (as has happened in the discovery of genetic algorithms and neural networks). In Biology, the project is likely to provide insight into the organization of brain cells networks, including the support cells for neurons, the glia. One of the major objectives of this project is to gain more knowledge and insight into the extraordinary biological systems ? the cells and also to understand in a systemic way how the sub-cellular processes work and how the cell-cell communications can be useful for performing distributed computations. Algorithms, source codes and results of the project will be freely disseminated to the public through the project's website.