CED US Training Days

1st & 2nd November 2018

The CED development team will be hosting two training days on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd November in San Diego, just before the 2018 US Society for Neuroscience meeting. Venue and price to be announced.

The training days are for users and prospective users of Spike2 and Signal. The courses are designed so that delegates can attend either one or both days. There are two separate core "threads", each consisting of four sessions of approximately one hour on both days, with some optional workshop sessions planned. For those wanting more, a general workshop will run for an hour after the last session on Thursday, and there is an 'early bird' session over coffee for an hour before the formal start on Friday morning.

The program includes a worked examples session for Spike2 and a workshop detailing the new features in Signal for patch, voltage and dynamic clamping. Popular sessions such as the Analysis section of the Spike2 thread are delivered over two sessions, as there is too much to digest in a single session. Workshops are designed with small groups in mind to discuss how CED systems can help in the recording and analysis of specific data types. Often we 'create' an experiment using attendee's data or our own examples. Please bring along any data you would like to look at. Scripts can also be written to illustrate analyses not covered by built-in functions.

We run similar training days in England, usually in the spring.

Provisional program

Day 1 - Thursday, 1st November 2018
Thread	Spike2	Signal	Workshops
Session 1	Introduction	Introduction	Script introduction*
Session 2	Sampling	Sampling	Script toolbox*
Session 3	Analysis menu #1	Analysis menu	Workshop
Session 4	Analysis menu #2	Advanced analysis	Workshop
A late one hour general workshop will be run after the last formal sessions
Day 2 - Friday, 2nd November 2018
An 'early bird' general workshop over coffee for an hour before the formal sessions start
Thread	Spike2	Scripting	Workshops
Session 1	Spike sorting #1	Script introduction*	Patch and Voltage clamp
Session 2	Spike sorting #2	Script toolbox*	Signal advanced sampling
Session 3	Graphical sequence editor	Scripts and data	Workshop
Session 4	Worked examples	Spike2 on-line scripts	Workshop

* Script introduction and Script toolbox are run on both days for those wishing to attend Spike sorting #1 and #2 as well.

Each day starts at 9:30 with registration and coffee, and the teaching sessions start at 10:00. The formal sessions end at 16:00. Between the teaching sessions there will be tea and coffee and the opportunity for discussions with senior CED staff and other delegates.

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Day 1 - Thursday 1st November 2018

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Spike2

Session 1 - Introduction to Spike2
This is a general introduction to Spike2. A walk through most of the features in the program demonstrating the use of menu items and the ideas behind Spike2.

Session 2 - Spike2 Sampling
This session explains how various types of data can be captured with Spike2. How to configure the sampling configuration to make the most efficient use of your hardware. Descriptions of different data types and sampling procedures for each.

Session 3 - Spike2 Analysis menu #1
Held over 2 sessions that describe features in the analysis menu of Spike2 including built in analysis types, memory buffers, marker filters, digital filtering, channel processes and trend plots using active cursors.

Session 4 - Spike2 Analysis menu #2
Second part, continuing from the previous session.

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Signal

Session 1 - Introduction to Signal
Gives a general introduction to Signal including what it can do, sampling, getting started and general tour of where to find and use analysis and other powerful built-in features.

Session 2 - Signal Sampling
Setting up and carrying out sampling with Signal. Configuring outputs, multiple states overview and the advanced triggering options of the program.

Session 3 - Signal Analysis menu
Held over 2 sessions that describe features in the analysis menu of Signal. The first session will cover built in analyses to generate memory views, digital filtering, using the frame buffer and channel manipulation.

Session 4 - Signal Advanced analysis
Second part, continuing from the previous session, describing the analysis features in Signal including the new single channel analyses, curve fitting and measurements using active cursors.

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Workshops

Session 1 - Script introduction Spike2 & Signal - repeated on Day 2
General description of the script language for both Spike2 and Signal software, including syntax and basic concepts, e.g. variables and loops.

Session 2 - Script toolbox Spike2 & Signal - repeated on Day 2
Continuation of the general script language features, including handling views, introduction to XY plots, toolbars, dialog boxes, etc.

Session 3 - Workshop
Workshop for users of Spike2 or Signal to discuss specific script requirements or problems.

Session 4 - Workshop
Workshop for users of Spike2 or Signal to discuss specific script requirements or problems.

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Day 2 - Friday 2nd November 2018

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Spike2

Session 1 - Spike sorting #1
On and off-line spike sorting. Setting up, wavemark editing, marker filtering and common questions answered.

Session 2 - Spike sorting #2
An introduction to using the PCA and cluster measurements of spike data.

Session 3 - Spike2 graphical sequence editor
Details how to control digital and analogue outputs and stimulus generation during sampling.

Session 4 - Worked examples
A summary of Spike2 features presented in previous sessions and examples of how to make use of them in an experimental set-up. This session is designed to be user-driven.

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Scripting

Session 1 - Script introduction Spike2 & Signal - repeat of session on Day 1
General description of the script language for both Spike2 and Signal software, including syntax and basic concepts, e.g. variables and loops.

Session 2 - Script toolbox Spike2 & Signal - repeat of session on Day 1
Continuation of the general script language features for both Spike2 and Signal software, including handling views, introduction to XY plots, toolbars, dialog boxes, etc.

Session 3 - Scripts and data
Introduction to the use of scripts for data manipulation, etc., with examples.

Session 4 - Spike2 on-line scripts
On-line script writing, script control of sampling and use of idle routines. Though Spike2 specific, many of the concepts are also in Signal.

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Workshops

Session 1 - Patch and Voltage Clamp
Workshop for users of Signal to discuss features designed to support patch and voltage clamp experiments (whole cell, single channel and dynamic clamping).

Session 2 - Signal advanced sampling
Details of the use of multiple states sampling including control of external hardware such as stimulators for TMS work.

Session 3 - Workshop
Workshop for users of Spike2 or Signal to discuss specific script requirements or problems.

Session 4 - Workshop
Workshop for users of Spike2 or Signal to discuss specific script requirements or problems.

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