[pymvpa] Two PhD positions in neuroscience available in Jülich/Düsseldorf

[Danilo Bzdok RWTH]

FYI: Two PhD positions in neuroscience available in Jülich/Düsseldorf


The lab: The Brain Network Modelling Group is dedicated to the
multi-modal analysis of cognitive and affective networks as well as
their disturbances by neurological and psychiatric disorders. To this
end, we employ functional and structural MRI (with research dedicated
3T, 4T and 9.4T scanners available), meta-analyses of neuroimaging
results, database-driven modeling as well as analyses of structural
(diffusion-weighted imaging), functional (resting-state analysis) and
effective (Dynamic Causal Modeling) connectivity analyses.



Topic 1: Multi-modal analysis of the aging executive system

- To understand the effects of normal aging on the brain and the
effects of these changes on behavior, comprehensive imaging and
neuropsychological data has been collected from more than 500
participants in an epidemiological cohort.

- Using volumetric analysis, resting-state functional connectivity and
diffusion imaging the aim of the PhD project is to characterize the
differential effects of healthy aging on different sub-regions of the
DLPFC and their relationship to the neurophysiological phenotypes,
i.e., behavioral measures of executive functions.
- All methods are established in the lab, making this position an
excellent opportunity to learn various approaches for the analysis of
structural and functional neuroimaging data while contributing to the
understanding of aging and inter-individual variability of executive
functions sustained by the DLPFC.


Topic 2: Mapping premotor connectivity and function

- The human premotor cortex is implicated in a large number of
cognitive processes from hand and eye movements to response selection,
attention and working memory. Its internal differentiation and in
particular the contribution of its subdivisions to neuropsychological
performance, however, are yet not well understood.
- The project will combine new methods for multi-modal
connectivity-based parcellation, quantitative functional decoding and
investigation of inter-individual differences in a large sample of
healthy subjects. The aim of this work is to identify and
comprehensively characterize different functional modules within the
human premotor cortex.
- With all necessary data already collected and all methods
established in the lab, this position provides an excellent
opportunity to learn various innovative approaches for the multi-modal
analysis of structural and functional neuroimaging data.




Qualifications:

- MSc or equivalent in psychology, computer science, biology or a
related discipline

- Experience in fMRI analysis (SPM, FSL) or programming (MATLAB, Python)





Administrative: Funding is secured for the entire period of the PhD
thesis. Payment will correspond to salary grade 13/2 of the German
Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Civil Services (TVöD).





To apply: Send a CV, motivation letter and contact details of two
academic referees to S.Eickhoff at fz-juelich.de.






===================================

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Simon B. Eickhoff

Cognitive Neuroscience Group
Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf
Telefon:  +49 211 81 13018
Fax:        +49 211 81 13015
eMail:     Simon.Eickhoff at uni-duesseldorf.de

and

Brain Network Modelling Group
Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1)
Research Center Jülich
Telefon: +49 2461 61 8609
Fax:       +49 2461 61 2820
eMail:     S.Eickhoff at fz-juelich.de