Connectionists: PhD and postdoc positions in Norway

[Koen Gerard Alois Vervaeke]

2 PhD Research Fellowships in Neuroscience. Two doctoral fellow positions are available at the Department of Physiology at the University of Oslo. The positions are associated with the laboratory of Associate Professor Koen Vervaeke for a period of 3 years. The positions are available from the 1st of October 2015. For more information about the lab: www.vervaeke-lab.org<http://www.vervaeke-lab.org>

Job description

We are searching for highly motivated candidates with a strong interest in cortical circuits. We study cortical circuit functions in fully awake behaving animals using optical and electrophysiological methods.

One position is funded by the European Research Council to study the role of neural inhibition in sensory processing. The project aims to unravel the role of specific neuron types in the barrel cortex while animals perform a sensory perception task. The candidate will use state of the art in vivo two-photon imaging techniques to record neuronal activity, and optogenetic perturbations to identify cell-specific contributions to sensory processing.

The second position is funded by the University of Oslo to study the role of the retrosplenial cortex in associative learning. This project aims to develop new behavior tasks in combination with two-photon imaging or extracellular recording to reveal novel functions of this enigmatic part of the cortex.

We offer training possibilities in the required experimental methods within a stimulating academic environment.

Qualifications

Highly motivated students with a degree in biology, medicine, computer science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Experience in electrophysiology and/or optical imaging, or computational neuroscience is an advantage. Good programming skills (Matlab/Python/LabVIEW) and a critical and organized sense for data analysis are a big plus. Basic knowledge of the fundamentals of neuroscience is desired.



3-Year Postdoc position at the interface of systems- and cellular neuroscience funded by an ERC startup grant, to study the role of neural inhibition in sensory processing in mice performing perceptual tasks using two-photon functional imaging and electrophysiology. Ideal applicants should have a background in at least one of the following disciplines; electrophysiology, rodent behavior, two-photon microscopy or optogenetics. The experiments will be closely linked to computer simulations of dendritic integration in cortical pyramidal neurons that will be performed by other members of the lab. The candidate should have steady hands and be creative to trouble-shoot new rodent behavior protocols. Good programming skills (Matlab/Python/LabVIEW), being critical and organized in analyzing data, and experience with microcontrollers (ex. Arduino) or FPGAs are all a big plus. Highly motivated candidates that do not fulfill all the criteria will have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills in the lab, or will spent a training period abroad. Ideally, candidates should aim to start before November 2015.



Koen Vervaeke
www.vervaeke-lab.org<http://www.vervaeke-lab.org>
www.cinpla.org/people/<http://www.cinpla.org/people/>
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