FMRI Software Training Programs Posted By: David Kennedy - Jan 28, 2009Tool/Resource: Conferences, Workshops and Meetings This announcement is for a collection of new course offerings, focused on hands-on data analysis training with various software packages. The first one will be on SPM8, to be held March 6-8, 2009. (For details, see below, and http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/martinos/...) These software training programs are being developed independently, but with a strong association to the fMRI Visiting Fellowship Program (fMRIVFP) of the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging of the Massachusetts General Hospital (see http://www.martinos.org/fmrivfp for details on that program). The first program, as noted above, will focus on SPM8 and related software tools. Future programs (currently being planned) will focus on FSL, BrainVoyager, FreeSurfer, SPM and AFNI. All will discuss quality control, basic single-subject and group analysis and statistics, visualization, anatomical labelling, and issues associated with DTI and functional and effective connectivity. In contrast and complementarity with the fMRIVFP progam---which discusses several software packages in general, but focuses PRIMARILY on the theoretical and practical issues associated with experimental design of fMRI-based experiments, including MR data acquisition and artifacts, task design, and data analysis---the FMRI SOFTWARE TRAINING PROGRAMS will be focused on actively using one or two specific analysis packages in each edition. These programs will be a useful follow-on to the fMRIVFP course, but will be indepent of it. A reasonably good working knowledge of the basics of fMRI-based experiments and analysis will be expected, but no formal prequisite is required. In addition to the March 6-8 workshop, it is likely (especially based on feedback from this announcement) that there will be off-site versions of these programs for groups or institutions that are interested. They might be 3-days long, to include a greater amount of background material, than the 2-day extension to the regular 5-day program. NOTE: Registration is limited for the upcoming SPM8 workshop on March 6-8, and preference will be given to fMRIVFP attendees, and local (connected to the Martinos Center) registrants. However this program, and future ones, will be open for general registration. (If demand is high enough, we will organize a second SPM8-based workshop in the near future.) See the website in the first paragraph for more information. To indicate interest in the March 6-8 Program in Charlestown, or to indicate interest for a 2 or 3-day program to be held elsewhere (e.g., your institution) send e-mail directly to <savoy@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu>. On-line registration for the March 6-8 program should be available next week (unless the program is full before then). Robert Savoy |
| Latest News |
|