Connectionists: PhD project in Strasbourg : Virtual Reality under neurostimulation

[Axel Hutt]

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Gamma Multimodal Entrainment in Virtual Reality for Cognitive Enhancement in mental disorders 
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This PhD project develops a VirtualReality platform combining high-frequency neural 
entrainment with cognitive-emotional training to treat mental disorders. Synchronous 
observation of encephalographic data permits to identify neural biomarkers. 
The approach targets both primary symptoms and underlying neurocognitive deficits 
(attention, working memory) that impede traditional therapy. The project bridges immersive 
technology, computational neuroscience, and clinical psychology to pioneer a newclass of 
digital therapeutics for trauma. 

This project inherently combines expertise spanning computational neuroscience, clinical 
psychology, and immersive technology—domains that are essential but individually 
insufficient to address mental disorder treatment innovation. Two partner teams bring 
complementary and synergistic competencies: (i) the INRIA-team Nectarine (PI: Axel Hutt) 
provides foundational expertise in non-invasive neuromodulation and computational neuroscience. 
The team specializes in EEG signal processing, neural modeling, and biofeedback systems— 
technical competencies essential for designing the multimodal entrainment protocols, integrating 
real-time EEG recording with VR stimulation, extracting robust neurophysiological biomarkers, 
and developing closed-loop neuromodulation frameworks. (ii) the IGG team (PI: Antonio 
Capobianco) contributes human-centered Virtual Reality design, experimental protocol 
robustness, and user experience optimization. IGG expertise ensures that the VR platform 
deliversan engaging, safe, and immersive experience—critical for both participant tolerability 
and thevalidity of behavioral measurements. 

The project will be funded by ITI HealthTech ( [ https://healthtech.unistra.fr/ | https://healthtech.unistra.fr/  ] ) in Strasbourg, France [ https://healthtech.unistra.fr/ | . ] 

Principal Investigators: 
* Axel Hutt, Inria-team Nectarine ( [ https://team.inria.fr/nectarine/ | https://team.inria.fr/nectarine/ ] ) 
* Antonio Capobianco, iCube-team IGG ( [ https://igg.icube.unistra.fr/index.php?title=Accueil | https://igg.icube.unistra.fr/index.php?title=Accueil ] ) 

Please submit your usual application documents or request for more information to 
Axel Hutt (axel.hutt at inria.fr) or Antonio Capobianco (a.capobianco at unistra.fr). 
Deadline for application is March 13, 2026 





-- 
Dr. rer. nat. Axel Hutt 
Directeur de Recherche 
Equipe NECTARINE - INRIA Nancy Center at University of Lorraine 
Equipe MLMS - iCube Strasbourg 
Bâtiment NextMed , 2, rue Marie Hamm 
67000 Strasbourg, France 

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