NITRC Community News

Upcoming fMRI Courses

Tom Zeffiro — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 4:40:13 GMT

This fall and winter we will again be offering a series of functional neuroimaging courses focusing on the practical aspects of experimental design and analysis. The details and registration instructions for the restructured educational program can be found at the Neurometrika website at: http://neurometrika.org/courses

Of possible interest to you is a new, and more advanced, course entitled “Design and Analysis for Functional Neuroimaging: A Problem Oriented Approach.” It is a 5-day workshop that utilizes a unique problem oriented approach in presenting the principles related to the design and analysis of neuroimaging experiments using structural, functional and diffusion MRI. Building on the topics covered in our previous courses, it is organized around a series of case studies, many of which demonstrate the integration of multiple imaging techniques. We will cover the theory and practice of task design, data acquisition, preprocessing, statistical modeling, artifact detection, meta-analysis, and visualization of data associated with experimental designs of the type routinely used in neuroimaging research. Lectures will be linked with a series of interactive laboratory exercises that will provide participants with experience integrating structural and functional neuroimaging data. One session will introduce the use of the R statistical computing language for integrated modeling of behavioral and imaging data.
The last day of the course will be used to demonstrate the use of Python to construct brain image analysis pipelines integrating processing modules from different software packages. Python is an object-oriented computing language that supports rapid, cross-platform development. It has been extended with a large number of libraries, some of which are specifically designed for neuroimaging applications. After introducing the basics characteristics of the language, we will explore the utility of using Python as a programming environment integrating functions from SPM, Freesurfer and FSL.
More details about the presentations can be found on the Neurometrika website at: http://www.neurometrika.org/DesignAndAnalysis

In addition, here is a summary of the course offerings and their locations. More details about each one is available at www.neurometrika.org/courses

Design and Analysis for Functional Neuroimaging - Boston, MA
SEP 20-24, 2010

SPM8 for Basic and Clinical Investigators - Boston, MA
OCT 11-15, 2010

SPM8 Network Analysis - Boston,MA
OCT 25-29, 2010

SPM8 Chicago - Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine - Chicago, IL
NOV 6-10, 2010

SPM8 for Basic and Clinical Investigators - Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition - Pittsburgh, PA
JAN 3-7, 2011

NITRC v2.0.3 Released

Christian Haselgrove — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 9:35:15 GMT

We are pleased to announce the release of NITRC v2.0.3. This release focuses on user suggestions and recommendations, and implements several new features we believe will make NITRC easier to use and more useful.

Full release notes can be found at http://www.nitrc.org/plugins/mwiki/index.php/nitrc:NITRC_Release_Notes#NITRC_Pre-Release_v2.0.3-2_-_8.2F27.2F2010.

NITRC at INCF Neuroinformatics 2010

David Kennedy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:45:52 GMT

Stop by the Demo (D-14) at the 3rd INCF Neuroinformatics Congress in Kobe, Japan, August 30-September 1. Demo sessions are available 13:30 - 16:00 Monday & Tuesday.

NIH New Funding Opportunities

David Kennedy — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 2:18:39 GMT

The NIH just released three RFAs. Please note that the due dates are fairly soon.

Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA) (R01)

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-GM-11-003.html

Solicits proposals for exceptionally innovative research on novel hypotheses or difficult problems, solutions to which would have an extremely high impact on biomedical or biobehavioral research. Support may be requested for up to $800,000 in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A) over a four-year period, not exceeding $250,000 (direct costs, excluding consortium F&A) in any one year.

Application Due Date: October 21, 2010

Note: The success rate of the EUREKA in the previous three years is in line with standard R01 applications.

NIH Common Fund Transformative Research Projects Program (R01)

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-010.html

Solicits applications proposing groundbreaking, exceptionally innovative, high risk, original and/or unconventional research with the potential to create new scientific paradigms or challenge existing ones. Budget requests should be commensurate with project needs for up to a five-year project period. Up to one third of the budget for this FOA will be reserved projects exceeding $1 million dollars in direct costs.

Application Due Date(s): October 27, 2010

Scalable Assays for Unbiased Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R01)

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-11-040.html

Solicits applications to develop novel, robust analytical platforms using in vitro assays to reveal changes in neuronal and/or glial function. The goal is to adapt state-of-the-art measures of basic cellular processes or molecular events that are key mediators of brain function with the intent to probe mechanisms and/or perturbations in an unbiased and efficient manner. The novel assay platforms would provide opportunities to measure neurobiological endpoints and build a pipeline to be used in the context of target identification and drug discovery.

Application Due Date: November 17, 2010

IBRO-FRSQ-INMHA AJ Aguayo Fellowship 2011

David Kennedy — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 3:43:52 GMT

IBRO announces that the application process for the IBRO-FRSQ-INMHA Albert J. Aguayo Fellowship 2011 is now open online.

The purpose of this special award is to enable students from developing countries to spend a three-month term in a Quebec laboratory. One fellowship of $8,000 (including living and travel expenses) will be awarded annually to be funded equally by INMHA and FRSQ through a joint selection process. For details, please check this page (http://funding.ibro.info/Pub/Pub_Main_Display.asp?LC_Docs_ID=4254#aguayo)

The deadline for the application, letters of reference and a declaration of acceptance from the home institution is September 1, 2010.

For more information about how to apply for this funding award, please see http://funding.ibro.info/Pub/Pub_Main_Display.asp?LC_Docs_ID=3599

NIF 2.6 Release

David Kennedy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 1:25:30 GMT

NIF releases version 2.6 of its search portal. This is a minor release and the main features of this release include...
- On-the-fly plotting of Activation Foci found in the NIF search
results on to the Web Caret tool.
- Introduction of the NIF community forum.
- Several user interface related bug fixes.

Release notes can be found here:
https://confluence.crbs.ucsd.edu/display/NIF/NIF+2.6+Release

Addressing the Medical Image Storage Explosion

David Kennedy — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 3:00:17 GMT

Implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act could lead to an explosion of medical image storage issues. NIBIB's Dr. Zohara Cohen suggests solutions may be found in new intelligent compression technologies and computer intelligence that selects relevant parts of medical images.

In an interview at the First AMA-IEEE (American Medical Association and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Medical Technology Conference on Individualized Healthcare, Dr. Cohen describes projects aimed at helping health practitioners "winnow" patient medical records for key data to inform treatment decisions.

Reposted from NIBIB July 2010 E-Newsletter

Read the full interview at: http://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/news/2240016984/New-medical-image-storage-technology-may-ease-burden-on-hospital-CIOsExternal link, opens in new window.

The Physiome: A Mission Imperative

David Kennedy — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 6:26:17 GMT

The human organism, standing one to two meters tall and living about 70 years, relies for health and survival on biologic activity occurring at much smaller scales of space and time. At the bottom end—the nanometer and femtosecond scales—biologically active molecules work together to keep cells alive and reproducing. At size- and time-scales in between, cells join forces to function as tissues and organs.

This is the reality of human biology: events span a 10^9 range in lengthscale (molecular to organismal) and a 10^14 range in timescale (molecular movement to years). To understand this biology—and provide appropriate medical care—scientists need to understand the interactions across these scales.

Dr. Grace Peng comments on The Physiome Project in the recent issue of Biomedical Computation Review.

Reposted from NIBIB July 2010 E-Newsletter

Read the full article here: http://biomedicalcomputationreview.org/6/3/6.pdf

Pickatlas 3.0 released

Benjamin Wagner — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 7:12:20 GMT

We are announcing a major new release of the WFU_pickatlas software. Key enhancements include:

1. Incorporation of non-human primate and animal atlases
2. Results viewer allowing use of SPM and non-SPM data sets (e.g. FSL, AFNI, etc.)
3. On-the-fly statistical thresholding and roi-generation
4. Label and statistics reports generation
5. Nifti compatibility
6. Developer's manual describing additional atlas integration

RFI: Tools and Resources for Neuroscience Research

David Kennedy — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 4:27:58 GMT

Request for Information (RFI): Tools and Resources for Neuroscience Research

Notice Number: NOT-NS-10-023

Key Dates
Release Date: July 22, 2010
Response Due By: September 23, 2010

Issued by
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)

Purpose

This is a time-sensitive Request for Information (RFI), the purpose of which is to assess the scientific needs and opportunities for tool and resource development in neuroscience and neurology.

Background

NINDS-funded research resources support the development and dissemination of tools, collections, and service facilities to advance basic, translational and clinical neuroscience research (see http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/scientific_resources/index_research.htm for selected examples). In planning for future investments in research resources, NINDS is soliciting input from the neuroscience and neurological disease research and advocacy communities to identify areas of greatest need.

Information Requested

1. Identify areas of research that could be accelerated by the development of specific research resources.
2. Describe the 2-3 highest priority tools and resources needed to capitalize on scientific opportunities and overcome obstacles to progress in research.
3. Describe how NINDS might best facilitate the development of these tools/resources.
4. Name
5. Institutional Affiliation
6. Email address

Responses

Responses must be submitted electronically using the web-based form at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/scientific_resources/rfi.htm, and will be accepted through 09/23/2010.

Responses to individual questions are voluntary and may be anonymous. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Federal Government, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and/or the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The NIH does not intend to award a grant or contract to pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the NIH’s use of such information. Respondents will not be notified of the NIH evaluation of the information received. No basis for claims against the NIH shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or the NIH’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent announcement. Responses will be held confidential. Proprietary information should not be sent.

Inquiries

Specific questions about this RFI should be directed to the contact listed below:

Anna Taylor, PhD
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3303
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (301) 496-9248
Email: taylorann@mail.nih.gov