Job ID: 117551
Postdoctoral position in Integrative Neurophysiology – with a focus on physiological recordings of brain activity in freely moving animals.
Position: Post-doctoral Position
Deadline: 10 March 2024
Employment Start Date: 1 June 2024
Contract Length: 2 years (with possibility for extension)
City: Umeå
Country: Sweden
Institution: Umeå University, Sweden
Department: MTB
Description:
We are announcing a two-year full-time postdoc position in Integrative Neurophysiology at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology at Umeå University, Sweden.
Description of the project
Our research group aims to understand how different parts of the central nervous system cooperate to generate purposeful behaviors. In particular, we study how the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia interact to select and execute different motor behaviors, both under normal conditions and in an individual afflicted by Parkinson’s disease. Our research is truly interdisciplinary, and this is reflected by the different academic backgrounds of our team members – including medicine, physics/engineering, biology etc. (see e.g. PMIDs: 33036974; 25447740; 34936519; 23175810; 19299613; 12840761).
The specific project has a focus on clarifying how anatomically identified corticostriatal sensory and motor circuits contribute to selection of behaviors. The planned research involves several advanced experimental techniques for recording of physiological processes using optical technique in vivo, in conjunction with recording of electrophysiological signals from hundreds of chronically implanted microelectrodes in rodents performing behavioral tasks as well as in vivo patch recordings of corticostriatal neurons in head-fixed or anesthetized animals.
Work responsibilities
The applicant is expected to independently coordinate the planned research, be part of experimental design, carry out the experiments and subsequent data analyses. Our lab has a strong tradition of collaborative work, and the postdoctoral researcher is expected to be able to work both independently and as a part of the research team.
Eligibility
A person who has been awarded a doctorate or a foreign qualification deemed to be the equivalent of a doctorate in a subject of relevance for the project, including medicine, physics, engineering, biology and similar fields, is eligible for appointment as postdoctoral researcher. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than the time at which the appointment decision is made.
A good understanding of the motor systems and experimental skills in in vivo physiology is required, together with an ability to communicate in written and spoken scientific English.
Additional useful qualifications
Previous experimental experience of optical physiological techniques in awake animals, such as Ca2+-imaging of cell-populations will be considered a strong merit. Previous experience of working with chronically implanted microelectrodes and/or in vivo patch clamping is also considered and extra merit as well as experience of data analyses of neurophysiological data.
More information about the position
The appointment is a full-time, fixed-term position for two years in accordance with the terms of contract for fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher from 1 February 2022.
More information about the position please contact:
Application
The application must include:
- A brief description of your research interests and a statement describing why you are interested in the position.
- CV
- List of publications
- Degree certificate from doctoral studies and other relevant degrees
- Contact details of two reference persons
The application must be written in Swedish or English. The application must be made via our e-recruitment system Varbi and must be received latest 10 March 2024.
We look forward to receiving your application.