A General Neural Simulation Systems for Computational Neurobiology

近年来，使用计算机模拟作为一种手段来检查神经科学中的结构/功能关系有了显著的增长。越来越多的生理学家甚至解剖学家开始求助于计算机模型来帮助理解他们收集的生物数据的意义。该项目旨在支持和加强在P.I.中开发和支持的神经元模拟系统GENESIS（通用神经模拟系统）的使用在过去的10年里，他一直在他的实验室工作。GENESIS现在被世界上400多个实验室用作平台，在这个平台上构建不同规模水平的神经生物学模拟。这项拨款专门提供资源来支持这一大批用户，并改进和扩大对系统的访问。关于基本用户支助，为进一步扩大联机帮助、基于网络的文件、GENESIS用户组BABEL和继续编制教育教程提供了资金。还提供了继续扩展GENESIS仿真库的支持，这些库既提供完整的模型，也提供建模组件，以便在构建新模型时重用。在扩大系统的使用范围方面，我们会重新设计系统，以支援和加强在网上和个人电脑上的使用。关于web，我们将开始对GENESIS界面进行重大重写，但是，浏览器支持和java将允许更大的系统访问。同样，我们也会将GENESIS主要移植到pc的Windows平台上。个人电脑在学术计算领域变得越来越普遍，尤其是在教室和实验室。由于GENESIS一直将重点放在将该系统用于神经科学教育上，因此现在有必要完成PC端口。当然，我们也将继续维护我们的UNIX （Linux）支持。我们预计，这一努力将大大增加该系统的用户，特别是增加在本科和研究生课程中使用GENESIS。

Project SummaryThe use of computer simulations as a means to examine structure/function relationships in neuroscience has grown dramatically in recent years. A growing number of physiologists and even anatomists are turning to computer models to help understand the significance of the biological data they collect. This project is intended to support and enhance the use of the neuronal simulation system, GENESIS (GEneral NEural SImulation System) that has been developed and supported in the P.I.'s laboratory for the last 10 years. GENESIS is now used by more than 400 laboratories around the world as a platform on which to construct neurobiological simulations at many different levels of scale. This grant specifically provides resources to support this large number of users as well as to improve and expand access to system. With respect to basic user support, funds are provided for further expansion of online-help, web-based documentation, the GENESIS users group BABEL, and for the continued constructions of educational tutorials. Support is also provided to continue to expand the GENESIS simulation libraries, which provide both complete models as well as modeling components for reuse in constructing new models. With respect to expanding access to the system, we will redesign the system to support and enhance use over the web, as well as use on PCs. With respect to the web, we will start a major rewrite of the GENESIS interface will be maintained, however, browser support and java will allow much larger access to the system. Similarly, we will undertake a major port of GENESIS to the Windows platform for PCs. PCs have become ever more prevalent in academic computing, especially in classrooms and laboratories. Because GENESIS has always included a large focus on the use of the system for neuroscience education, it is now necessary to complete the PC port. We will of course continue to maintain our UNIX (Linux) support as well. We anticipate that this effort will substantially add to the users of the system and specifically increase the use of GENESIS in undergraduate and graduate courses.