I did my PhD at the intersection of Computational Neuroscience and Machine Learning, working with Fabian Sinz, where I used deep neural networks, latent variable models, and implicit neural representations, driving insights about functional properties of visual sensory areas.

Before my PhD, I did my bachelors in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, in Malaysia, and then moved to Munich to pursue my masters in Neuroengineering at TU Munich.

Leveraging this multidisciplinary background, I've recently joined the iBehave Network to taken on a practical role aimed at bridging the gap between academic research and applied solutions. As core members of the iBOTS facilitation group, we drive tech innovations and knowledge transfer across many neuroscience labs. We focus on research software development, as well as running training sessions and community events to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, thereby improving both scientific research and technical skills across various academic levels.


News

Jan 2024

Arne Nix and I are invited, for the second time, to do the Intro to ML crash course at the Bridging the Technological Gap Workshop.

Dec 2023

Together with Alana Darcher we are organizing MLCoLearn, a NeuroML Meet-Up in Bonn, starting from Feb 2024.

Aug 2023

I have joined the iBOTS group in the iBehave Network as a Research Software Engineer/Consultant.

July 2023

Had a great time talking to a group of young minds from India, at Breathing Minds, about myths and facts about the brain. You can find the slides here.

May 2023

Our workshop "How can Machine Learning generate insights and theories in Neuroscience" is accepted at BCCN 2023. Led by Michaela Vystrčilová and myself. It's going to take place in Berlin on the 26th and 27th of September.

Jan 2023

Joint work with Konstantin Lurz "Bayesian Oracle for bounding information gain in neural encoding models" is accepted at ICLR 2023.

Oct 2022

Our paper "Learning Invariance Manifolds of Visual Sensory Neurons" is accepted at NeurIPS 2022 Workshop NeurReps. Led jointly with Luca Baroni.

Oct 2022

Our 4-page extended abstract on "Bayesian Oracle for bounding information gain in neural encoding models" got accepted at NeurIPS 2022 Workshop InfoCog. Led jointly with Konstantin Lurz.

Sep 2022

Our crash course "An Introduction to Machine Learning" is now availabe on YouTube. Co-created with Arne Nix.

May 2022

Our Sensorium competition "on predicting large-scale mouse primary visual cortex activity" got accepted at NeurIPS 2022. Co-organized with Konstantin Willeke and many other colleagues.


Publications

Bayesian Oracle for bounding information gain in neural encoding models
Konstantin-Klemens Lurz *, Mohammad Bashiri *, Edgar Y. Walker, Fabian H. Sinz
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Learning invariance manifolds of visual sensory neurons
Luca Baroni *, Mohammad Bashiri *, Konstantin Friedrich Willeke, Ján Antolík, Fabian H. Sinz
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The Sensorium competition on predicting large-scale mouse primary visual cortex activity
Konstantin F. Willeke *, Paul G. Fahey *, Mohammad Bashiri, Laura Pede, Max F. Burg, Christoph Blessing, Santiago A. Cadena, Zhiwei Ding, Konstantin-Klemens Lurz, Kayla Ponder, Taliah Muhammad, Saumil S. Patel, Alexander S. Ecker, Andreas S. Tolias, and Fabian H. Sinz
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A flow-based latent state generative model of neural population responses to natural images
Mohammad Bashiri *, Edgar Walker *, Konstantin-Klemens Lurz, Akshay Jagadish, Taliah Muhammad, Zhiwei Ding, Zhuokun Ding, Andreas Tolias, Fabian Sinz
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Generalization in data-driven models of primary visual cortex
Konstantin-Klemens Lurz, Mohammad Bashiri, Konstantin Willeke, Akshay Jagadish, Eric Wang, Edgar Y. Walker, Santiago A Cadena, Taliah Muhammad, Erick Cobos, Andreas S. Tolias, Alexander S Ecker, Fabian H. Sinz
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For a complete list of publications check out my Google Scholar profile.


Events

Lecture: Introduction to Machine Learning
MPI for Evolitionary Anthropology, Leipzig
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MLCoLearn Meet-Up (recurring): Collaboratively exploring applications of ML in Neuro research
iBehave, Bonn
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Workshop: "How can Machine Learning be used to generate insights and theories in Neuroscience"
Bernstein Conference 2023, Berlin
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Breathing Minds guest expert session: "Brain: Myths, Facts, and Careers"
Online
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Workshop: "Bridging the Technological Gap"
German Primate Center, Göttingen
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Teaching

iBOTS Workshop: Developing Data Analysis Projects with Python, Git, and Snakemake
Lead Instructor
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iBOTS Workshop: Intro to Data Analysis with Python and Pandas
Lead Instructor
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Crash Course: An Introduction to Machine Learning
Co-instructor with Arne Nix
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Uni Course: Probabilistic Machine Learning
Teaching Assistant
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Uni Seminar: Current Topics in Machine Learning
Student Suprevisor
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Uni Course: Data Science
Teaching Assistant
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