Neurocomputation is a burgeoing field and understand neural circuitry is one of the frontiers of neuroscience. With the RCMI we plan to put UTSA at the forefront of this field by hiring faculty with expertise in neurocomputation. UTSA will also continue to develop strength in cellular and molecular neuroscience. UTSA will foster biologically realistic computational models of the mammalian CNS. The addition of neurocomputation complements and is an extension of synaptic plasticity. Additionally the Division of Computer Science has strength in its faculty in parallel processing, which is the way most scholars think the brain processes information. Thus adding neurocomputation will bridge the strengths of the two Divisions in symaptic plasticity and parallel processing and provide a critical mass of faculty (N=??) for further research and curricular development. The Cajal center will contribute to the growth and development of the neurobiology program in the Division of Life Sciences by providing salary, and start-up funds for one senior faculty member and salary, start-up funds and summer salary for one junior faculty in computational neuroscience. An important aspect of this strategy is that the hiring of a senior and eminent scholar will bring instant recognition to UTSA's development in this area and the senior scholar will provide guidance and mentoring to the junior faculty member to be hired. Currently, the Division of Life Sciences has strength in cellular and molecular neuroscience, yet, we do not have a mammalian molecular geneticist to provide leadership for the proposed transgenic mouse facility, nor do we have a computational biologist interested in information contained in DNA sequences. The addition of a mammalian molecular geneticist and a DNA computational biologist would provide continuity with the proposed development of expertise in neurocomputation. The two junior faculty in molecular and cellular neurobiology will be provided salary, start-up funds, and summer salary.
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