def import_parameters_from_file(parameters_file):
    """
    Try importing a parameter dictionary from file.

    We expect values in parameters_file to be defined as follows:
        param1: value1
        param2: [value2, value3]
    """
    params = {}

    with open(parameters_file, 'r') as f:
        matches = re.findall('(.*): (.*)', f.read())

    for m in matches:
        params[m[0]] = ast.literal_eval(m[1])

    return params