Connectionists: Postdoc position available

[Geoffrey Goodhill]

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN BAYESIAN MODELLING OF AXON GUIDANCE

A postdoctoral position is now available in my lab at the Queensland
Brain Institute (http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au), funded by a 3-year grant
from the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council.

The goal of this project is to understand growth cone chemotaxis using
a combination of theoretical and experimental techniques.
Theoretically we are particularly interested in Bayesian
approaches. The experiments are based on timelapse imaging of mouse
dorsal root ganglion growth cones in 3D gels using the only Zeiss
LSM-5-Live line-scanning confocal microscope in the southern
hemisphere, currently located in my lab. Molecular gradients are
created in the gels using a novel technology we have recently
developed (Nat. Neurosci., 7:678-682, 2004).  While the primary
responsibility of the current position is theoretical modelling, a
strong interest in the experimental aspects of the work would be an
advantage. This project is a collaboration with Peter Dayan (UCL) and
Linda Richards (University of Queensland).

The Queensland Brain Institute was established in 2003 at the
University of Queensland (UQ) with the aim of discovering the
fundamental mechanisms regulating brain function, particularly those
controlling the formation of new nerve connections and the generation
of new nerve cells. From late 2007 it will be housed in a new AU$64M,
7000sqm building. According to http://www.thes.co.uk/worldrankings the
University of Queensland is one of the top 50 universities in the
world. It provides an excellent environment for interdisciplinary
research, and is currently investing AU$200M in the general area of
Biotechnology.  UQ is in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, a
cosmopolitan city of 1.7 million people with excellent facilities, a
vibrant cultural environment, and a subtropical climate.  Queensland
is also home to attractions such as tropical rainforests, the Great
Barrier Reef, and some very large crocodiles, though fortunately
these don't live anywhere near Brisbane.

If you are interested please send a CV, statement of interest and
contact information for 3 referees to g.goodhill at uq.edu.au. Informal
enquiries are also welcome.

Geoffrey J Goodhill, PhD
Associate Professor
Queensland Brain Institute,
   School of Physical Sciences &
   Institute for Molecular Bioscience
University of Queensland
St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Phone: +61 7 3346 2612
Fax:   +61 7 3346 8836
Email: g.goodhill at uq.edu.au
http://cns.qbi.uq.edu.au
Editor-in-Chief, Network: Computation in Neural Systems
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/0954898X.asp