Maths in the Brain

After a successful launch in 2018, “Maths in the Brain” brings together researchers across Australia with a shared interest in understanding the brain from a quantitative perspective. Leading experts meet in person every year to present their latest work on mathematical modelling of brain structure and function to understand how disease affects the brain and how coordinated brain activity gives rise to perception and cognition.

The workshop is sponsored by the Brain Mapping and Modelling Research Program of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, in partnership with Monash Biomedical Imaging. Early career researchers especially given an opportunity to present their work, with prizes awarded to the highest quality posters and flash talks.

Previous workshops were held in 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018.

2023 Edition

In 2023 it was the 5th edition of the “Maths in the Brain” in which more than 150 people participated in-person.

Location

It was an in-person only at Monash College, 750 Collins St, Docklands, VIC 3008.

Program

• 8:30 – 8:55 Coffee & Tea

• 8:55 – 9:00 Welcome by Adeel Razi

Session 1 – Chaired by Adeel Razi

• 9:00 – 9:40 Keynote: “Measuring and modelling conscious experiences” by Anil Seth

• 9:40 – 10:00 “Exploring whole-brain sensory networks at cellular resolution” by Ethan Scott

• 10:00 – 10:20 Markov blankets in the brain by Ines Hipolito

• 10:20 – 10:40 Morning Tea Break

Session 2 – Chaired by Sharna Jamadar

• 10:40 – 11:00 “Central role of eigenmodes in brain activity and connectivity” by Peter Robinson

• 11: 00 – 11:20 “Exploring Human Vision using Computer Vision: New Insights from a deep learning model of retinotopy on the functional organization of human visual cortex” by Fernanda Ribeiro

• 11:20 – 11:40 “Degeneracy in the brain” by Noor Sajid

• 11:40 – 12:00 “Reading minds: Using generative modelling to reveal the brain’s hidden code” by Reuben Rideaux

12:00 – 13:10 ECR Flash Talks (list below)

13:10 – 14:50 Posters + Lunch + Networking

Session 3 – Chaired by Alex Fornito

• 14:50 – 15:10 “Eigenstrapping: Generating surrogate brain maps with spatial autocorrelation through random rotation of cortical eigenmodes” by Michael Breakspear

• 15:10 – 15:30 “Qualia structure approach & quantum qualia hypothesis” by Nao Tsuchiya

• 15:30 – 15:50 “Modelling epileptogenesis using a neural mass model” by Parvin Eskikand

• 15:50 – 16:10 “Brain cells as biocomputers: How well can DishBrain play games?” by Forough Habibollahi / Moein Khajehnejad

• 16:10 – 16:30 “A weighted generative model of the human connectome” by Danyal Akarca

• 16:30 – 16:50 “Utilizing predictive-ML models for multimodal neuroimaging and clinical biomarkers in Friedreich ataxia” by Susmita Saha

16:50 – 17:00 Prizes Announcement and Closing

17:00 – 18:00 Networking Session

Flash Talks

• Annie Bryant, University of Sydney

• Daniel Feuerriegel, University of Melbourne

• Wei Qin, University of Melbourne

• Trang Cao, Monash University

• Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, Monash University

• Christopher Whyte, University of Sydney

• Richa Pogat, Newcastle University

Organising Committee

• Adeel Razi (Chair)

• Alex Fornito

• Naotsugu Tsuchiya

• Sharna Jamadar

• Leonardo Gollo

ECR committee

• Leonardo Novelli

• James Pang

• Robert di Paolo

• Qianchen Liang

• Tamrin Barta