Project Details
Projekt
A bio-inspired electrical engineering approach to circuit development - Insights from modeling growth of a Drosophila neural network
Subject Area
Communication Technology and Networks, High-Frequency Technology and Photonic Systems, Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Information Technology
Developmental Neurobiology
Developmental Neurobiology
Term
since 2025
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 564716375
We propose to study how electrical engineering approaches to circuit development and an understanding of biological growth of neural network topology can inspire, inform and improve each other. From an engineering perspective, some of the desirable features of biological growth process are (1) energy efficiency, (2) substantially less information required for an outcome encoding, and (3) robustness to perturbation. From a biological perspective, a mathematical and electric circuit implementation offers the promise to understand underlying mathematical and information-theoretical principles. Specifically, we have chosen the development of the Drosophila visual map as a bio-inspiration to test the applicability of biological principles to electrical circuit design. Our choice of this particular circuit is motivated by the recent acquisition of comprehensive and quantitative live imaging data and a first stochastic dynamics computer simulation of how this wiring pattern is established. In preparation for this proposal, we have developed a first electrical circuit simulation of the growth process based on wave digital emulations. We now propose to develop an ODE/PDE approach to directly test the contribution of local interactions (without noise) for the robustness of the system (WP1). Next, we will synthesize a corresponding electrical circuit to simulate the developmental process including noise (WP2) and the real-time capable 'digital twin' (WP3). The first three Work Packages will be based on biological measured data and validated in biological experiments in WP4-6. When these studies are concluded, we will have developed an exemplary, comprehensive comparison and fusion of biological and electrical engineering solutions to circuit development.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
