Workshop on Mapping and Engineering the Brain to be held on August 13-14, 2013 in Washington, D.C.

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

PI: He Proposal ID: 1352703 The objective of this project is to organize the Workshop on Mapping and Engineering the Brain which will identify and discuss "grand challenges" facing the scientific community in the multi-scale mapping and engineering of the brain. 30-40 leading experts will be invited for a two day workshop, with selected presentations by leaders in the field and discussions by all participants. The workshop will focus on identifying major challenges and opportunities in mapping, modeling, interfacing and ultimately understanding the brain over the next 10 years and beyond, through advanced neurotechnology. The Workshop will address questions including the following: 1) How should the functional brain be imaged at multi-scale levels to enable a comprehesive and integarted view of brain activity and function? 2) What are the major challenges for developing noninvasive brain mapping technologies that can image brain activity at high spatial and temporal resolution? 3) What are the most pressing challenges to establish noninvasive brain mapping capabilities that can translate findings from basic research in animal models to human brain mapping? 4) What computational and physical principles are important for undertsanding network behavior of neuronal networks consisting of millions of neurons? 5) What are the challenges for developing noninvasive brain-computer interface technologies that enable broad application as well as a deeper understanding of brain-based communication? and 6) What are the challenges in informatics, computation, and robotics, to enable reverse engineering the brain? The goal of the Workshop is to provide expert advice to the scientific community, government and industry with regard to how to move forward in the scientific endeavor of mapping brain activity and reverse engineering the brain. Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merits of the Workshop will be to identify grand challenges facing the scientific community in brain mapping in the next 10 years or beyond, provide guidance to the scientific community, government and industry with regard to how should we map and reverse engineer the brain with advanced neurotechnology. Broader Impacts : The broader impacts of the Workshop will include identification of important challenges for the larger society, broad dissemination of the Workshop outcome by publishing the workshop report in a well circulated international journal, and participation by women and underrepresented minorities.