Neuroinformatics Japan Center

Standing at the intersection of neuroscience and information science, the field of neuroinformatics develops the tools to house, share and analyze neuroscientific data, and to create computational models of brain. As a national node of the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF), the Neuroinformamtics Japan Center (NIJC) was established to organize neuroinformatics research activities and international cooperation in Japan. NIJC supports researchers developing and maintaining neuroscience databases in collaboration with the nation-wide brain science research institutions/universities, provides a portal for these databases and Neuroinformatics, and is designing and operating the infrastructure for Neuroinformatics. It is also developing database technologies, and facilitates cooperation and distribution of the information stored in those databases.

Research Subjects

• Searching information useful for the NI field and release it on the J-Node portal site; supporting the PF development and providing maintenance for PF operations.
• Publicity and educational activities to promote neuroinformatics research.
• International cooperation.
• Developing and improving the technologies for constructing PFs which are indispensable for distributing information of the NI research activities as well as tools and providing maintenance support.

Publications

1. Usui S., Furuichi T., Miyakawa H., Ikeno H., Nagao S., Iijima T., Kamiyama Y., Isa T., Suzuki R., and Ishikane H.:
   "Japanese neuroinformatics node and platforms"
   Lect. Notes Comput. Sci. 4985, 884--894 (2008)
2. Usui S.:
   "Neuroinformatics Japan node and platforms"
   Advances in Cognitive Neurodynamics ICCN 2007, 679--683 (2008)
3. Usui S. and Okumura Y.:
   "Basic scheme of neuroinformatics platform"
   Lect. Notes Comput. Sci. 5050, Springer-Verlag, 102--116 (2008)
4. Yamazaki T, Ikeno H, Okumura Y, Satoh S, Kamiyama Y, Hirata Y, Inagaki K, Ishihara A, Kannon T, Usui S.:
   "Simulation Platform: A cloud-based online simulation environment"
   Neural Networks 24(7), pp. 693--698 (2011)
5. Kawasaki M, Yamaguchi Y.:
   "Individual visual working memory capacities and related brain oscillatory activities are modulated by color preferences"
   Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Volume 1 Article 318 (2012)
6. Molter C, O'Neill J, Yamaguchi Y, Hirase H, Leinekugel X.:
   "Rhythmic modulation of theta oscillations supports encoding of spatial and behavioral information in the rat hippocampus."
   Neuron 75 889-903 (2012)