Computational models of interactions between developmental and homeostatic processes during nervous system development

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Nervous system development is a complicated process of growth, specialisation and refinement. Once neurons have formed connections, intrinsically generated spontaneous electrical activity has a critical role of controlling and maintaining the stability of immature neural circuits. If this regulation fails, circuits can not develop properly, and neurological disorders such as epilepsy can develop as a result. Currently, we are only beginning to understand these regulatory processes. A challenge for this research is that often multiple cellular mechanism act simultaneously, resulting in complicated mutual interactions between neural physiology and circuits. In this project, state of the art computational and mathematical modelling will be used to address these questions. Models of neural circuits and regulatory processes will be combined to interpret experimental results and to develop novel, experimentally testable hypotheses. These methods will also be used to study the regulation of neural activity in the developing retina, an important model system for neural development and neurodegenerative disorders. This project will therefore not only advance our basic understanding of regulation of neural activity during development, but also help to understand the origins of developmental and degenerative neurological disorders. Additionally, computational models can help to reduce the number of animals required for research.