[Comp-neuro] CFP: MLINI-2012: 2nd Workshop on Machine Learning and Inference in Neuroimaging at NIPS-2012

Call for Papers  

MLINI-2012:  2nd  Workshop on Machine Learning and Inference in Neuroimaging at NIPS-2012

https://sites.google.com/site/nipsmlini2012/

December 7-8, 2012, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, United States

Submission deadline: October 1st, 2012
 
Workshop Overview:
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MLINI is a two day workshop on the topic of machine learning approaches in neuroscience and neuroimaging. We believe that both machine learning and neuroimaging can learn from each other as the two communities overlap and enter an intense exchange of ideas and research questions. Methodological developments in machine learning spurn novel paradigms in neuroimaging, while neuroscience motivates methodological advances in computational analysis. In this context many controversies and open questions exist. The goal of the workshop is to pinpoint these issues, sketch future directions, and tackle open questions in the light of novel methodology.

The first workshop of this series at NIPS 2011 built upon earlier events in 2006 and 2008. Last year's workshop included many invited speakers, and was centered around two panel discussions, during which 2 questions were discussed: the interpretability of machine learning findings, and the shift of paradigms in the neuroscience community. The discussion was inspiring, and made clear, that there is a tremendous amount the two communities can learn from each other benefiting from communication across the disciplines.  The aim of the 2nd MLINI workshop is to continue exploring important  issues on the intersection of ML and neuroimaging and further promote cross-fertilization between   these communities. Besides interpretation, and the shift of paradigms, many open questions remain. Among them:  

• How suitable are MVPA and inference methods for brain mapping? 
• How can we use these approaches for a flexible and useful representation of neuroimaging data? 
• What is the role of decoding vs. embedded or separate feature selection? 
• How can we assess the specificity and sensitivity? 
• What can we accomplish with generative vs. discriminative modelling? 
• Can and should the Machine Learning community provide a standard repertoire of methods for the Neuroimaging community to use (e.g. in choosing a classifier)?

Workshop Format:
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In this two-day workshop we will explore perspectives and novel methodology at the interface of Machine Learning, Inference, Neuroimaging and Neuroscience. We aim to bring researchers from machine learning and neuroscience community together, in order to discuss open questions, identify the core points for a number of the controversial issues, and eventually propose approaches to solving those issues.

The workshop will be structured around the following main topics:

- machine learning and pattern analysis methodology in neuroimaging
- causal inference and interpretability in neuroimaging
- evaluation of machine learning  methods  in light of clinical applications
- linking machine learning methodology with neuroscience or neuroimaging questions

Each session will be opened by 2-3 invited talks, and an in depth discussion. This will be followed by original contributions. Original contributions will also be presented and discussed during a poster session. The workshop will end with a panel discussion, during which we will address specific questions, and invited speakers will open each segment with a brief presentation of their opinion.

This workshop proposal is part of the PASCAL2 Thematic Programme on Cognitive Inference and Neuroimaging  ( http://mlin.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/ ).

Paper Submission:
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We seek for submission of original (previously unpublished) research papers. The length of the submitted papers should not exceed 8 pages in Springer format,  excluding the references (LaTeX2e style  files are available on the workshop page).
Submission of previously published work is possible as well, but the authors are required to mention this explicitly. Previously published work can be presented at the workshop, but will not be included into the workshop proceedings (which are considered peer-reviewed publications of novel contributions).  Moreover, the authors are welcome to present their novel work but choose to opt out of the workshop proceedings in case they have alternative publication plans. 
 
Important dates:
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-  October 1, 2012 - paper submission
-  October 15, 2012  -  notification of acceptance/rejection
-  December 7-8, 2012 -  Workshop in Lake Tahoe, Nevada US, following the NIPS conference

Invited Speakers:
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Jack Gallant (UC Berkeley)
Bertrand Thirion (INRIA, Neurospin)
Jean-Baptiste Poline (Neurospin)
Mert Sabuncu (MGH, Harvard Medical School)

        (more to be confirmed)


Organizing Committee:
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Guillermo Cecchi (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center)
Kai-min Kevin Chang (Language Technologies Institute, Carnegie Mellon University)
Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany)
Georg Langs (Medical University of Vienna, CSAIL, MIT)
Bjoern Menze (ETH Zuerich, CSAIL, MIT)
Brian Murphy (Machine Learning Department, Carngie Mellon University)
Irina Rish (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center)