1. Postdoctoral Fellowship Positions in the Dept. of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine Two post-doctoral fellowship positions are available in the Investigational Targeted Brain Neurotherapeutics Laboratory of Dorina Papageorgiou, Ph.D., MHSc at Baylor College of Medicine, Dept. of Neurology to study cortical plasticity and reorganization after stroke, traumatic brain injury and in cancer patient populations using real-time functional MRI neurofeedback methods. Our goal is to elucidate the mechanisms involved in cortical blindness, motor impairment as a result of lower cranial nerve injury, and chronic pain using highly quantitative methods, such as population receptive field, multivariate and univariate analyses. Equally important, our studies focus on a variety of innovative approaches, including neurofeedback in targeted and individualized regions of interest based on the patient's location and spatial extent of the lesion, optimization of rt-fMRI nFb methods with the long-term goal of central and peripheral nervous system injury neuro-rehabilitation. The work promises to be challenging, but also presents a highly exciting opportunity to gain an understanding of innovative neurofeedback methods applied in various patient populations depending on the domain of brain function lesioned, such as in visual, motor, and pain-matrix networks. Trainees will benefit from the Core for Advanced MR Imaging Core Facility at Baylor College of Medicine, which includes a state-of-the art imaging facility with three research-dedicated Siemens 3T MAGNETOM Trios. Expertise: PhD with a background in any of the following disciplines: Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or (Bio-)Physics or Experimental Psychology with an emphasis on programming expertise in C/C++, Matlab, Python, and in Unix environment. Strong interest and highly motivated to pursue work in the following areas: fMRI and real-time fMRI neurofeedback methods multivariate and univariate pattern analysis functional/effective connectivity diffusion tensor imaging electroencephalography The applicant MUST have the passion and motivation to pursue innovative scientific research with a flexible work schedule. Apply: Please send a pdf or word CV to Dr. Dorina Papageorgiou at papageor(a)bcm.edu Compensation commensurate with experience. Research Assistant/Research Associate/Programmer 1) A Bachelor's or Masters of Science position in any of the following disciplines - Bioinformatics, Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, or (Bio-)Physics - is available in the Investigational Targeted Brain Neurotherapeutics Laboratory of Dorina Papageorgiou, Ph.D., MHSc at Baylor College of Medicine. We examine cortical plasticity and reorganization in specific patient populations as a result of neurological injury and/or disease using real-time functional MRI neurofeedback, functional connectivity and diffusion tensor imaging methods with the goal to neuro-rehabilitate cortical blindness, speech, motor impairment as a result of lower cranial nerve injury. 2) Scientific programming expertise in C/C++ and G Matlab/Python programming. Knowledge of Unix environment is a plus. 3) Good English communication skills 4) Excellent organizational, diligent, analytical skills. Ability to collaborate and work with others. The main tasks of the software developer will be: 1) Software development of real-time fMRI neurofeedback methods and application for neuro-rehabilitation of cortical blindness and/or lower cranial nerve injury. 2) User interface fMRI neurofeedback software development tailored for specific patient applications Please send a pdf or word CV to Dr. Dorina Papageorgiou at papageor(a)bcm.edu Compensation commensurate with experience. ========================= 2. Please find below descriptions of two available postdoctoral positions ***************************************************************************** Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position using multivariate, machine learning methods to study the neural basis of high level vision, with an emphasis on face recognition and social and affective perception, at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. The research will focus on understanding the dynamic neural code that underlies the recognition of faces, bodies, facial expressions, and other social and affective stimuli. Of particular interest is how this information is coded in interactive neural circuits at the level of large-scale brain networks. The neural data will primarily be local field potentials/ event related potential from surface electrodes (electrocorticography, ECoG), cortical depth electrodes, and subcortical depth electrodes in humans during presurgical procedures for the treatment of epilepsy. Multivariate classification techniques will be applied to the millisecond-scale activity recorded simultaneously from multiple electrodes in areas related to social processing while participants perform social and affective perception tasks. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Psychology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering or a related field. Advanced skills in signal processing, multivariate statistics, machine learning and/or computational neuroscience are required. Experience with multivariate analysis of neural data is required and experience with electrophysiological data is desirable. Applicants should have a strong track record of publication. The position is fully funded. The initial period is 1 year with additional years depending on fit and progress. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, a CV, and the names and contact information for 3 researchers who can provide a recommendation. For further information or to submit an application, please contact Avniel Ghuman, Ph.D. at ghumana(a)upmc.edu . The position is available immediately and applications will be considered until the position is filled. ***************************************************************************** Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position to support a collaboration between researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, USA to develop new methods to combine multimodal neuroimaging data to understand brain networks. The research will focus on the development of new tools to combine high dimensional MEG (magnetoencephalography), fMRI, and structural MRI data to discover brain network structure. This will include developing algorithms to understand similarities between data types (neurovascular relationships, structure-function relationships, etc.) as well as discovering what unique information each modality provides. These tools will be developed with the purpose of uncovering how brain networks are disturbed in existing multimodal data from individuals with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Furthermore, these tools will be developed with aim of applying it to large pubic neuroimaging datasets, such as those being released as part of the Human Connectome Project. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering or a related field. Advanced skills in multivariate statistics, missing data problems, graph theory, dimensionality reduction, network analysis, machine learning and/or computational neuroscience are required. Experience with analysis of human neuroimaging data is desirable. Applicants should have a strong track record of publication. The position is fully funded. The initial period is 1 year with additional years depending on fit and progress. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, a CV, and the names and contact information for 3 researchers who can provide a recommendation. For further information or to submit an application, please contact Avniel Ghuman, Ph.D. at ghumana(a)upmc.edu or Aarti Singh at aarti(a)cs.cmu.edu . The position is available immediately and applications will be considered until the position is filled. ================================ 3. PhD position in multimodal data analysis in the neurocognitive research programme “Connectivity and Higher Cognitive Function” at the University of Salzburg The international PhD Programme at the University of Salzburg “Connectivity and Higher Cognitive Function” is seeking for a highly motivated PhD student to work (full-time, fully funded) in the programme’s multimodal data analysis project. The aim is to collect a common brain imaging data-set across all research groups, and analyze it for various research questions that link brain structural features (e.g. grey matter density, DTI anatomical connectivity) to variability in human cognitive abilities. Situated at the intersection of individual research projects in the Programme, the open position has a strong focus on acquisition and analysis and of multi-modal brain imaging data. Desired competencies and interests of applicants should be one or more of the following: Programming (e.g. Matlab, Python, R, Brain imaging analysis software) Statistical analysis of large-scale and complex data sets Biosignal analysis MRI / fMRI /EEG data acquisition and analysis (focus on brain connectivity) The program will start with upcoming winter semester (1st October 2015) and offers numerous benefits: salary for a period of 3 to 4 years (including health and social insurance), equipped work space, cover of research consumables, specific technological training courses (e.g. fMRI, EEG), presentation, writing and teaching skill training, full funding of congress participation, workshops and international courses, including stays in foreign partner laboratories. Candidates must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in one of these (or related) fields: Psychology, Medicine, Mathematics or Computer Sciences/Engineering. The language of the graduate programme (teaching) is English; hence English proficiency is indispensable. The programme strives for equal representation of female PhD students so women are especially encouraged to apply. Intended start and deadline for applications: as soon as possible (no later than November 2015) For detailed information about application, selection, admission procedure, and about the scientific program and faculty visit: http://www.uni-salzburg.at/phdim/application ============================== 4. PostDoc Position in Cognitive Neuroscience with focus on EEG methodology Salzburg, July 27th, 2015 The Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg (CCNS) and the “Laboratory for Sleep, Cognition and Consciousness Research” at the University of Salzburg (Austria) are accepting applications for a postdoctoral research position in Cognitive Neuroscience with a focus on EEG research. Salary: €3.500.- (before tax) monthly (14 times p.a.) according to FWF standard regulations Beginning of employment: as soon as possible • Duration of contract: The contract will initially be limited to a period of 24 months. An extension is intended. • Weekly hours: 40 • Working hours: according to the terms of the agreement • Terms of employment: Management of the “method cluster EEG” within the CCNS as well as research within the project „Consciousness research across healthy vigilance states and disorders of consciousness “; Supervision of Master and/or PhD students and teaching of about 1 weekly hour. • Required degree: PhD in Psychology or a related discipline (biology, bioinformatics, cognitive science….) • Required qualifications: Extensive knowledge and research experience with EEG, ability and willingness to manage EEG research labs; ability to publish independently and good command of written and spoken English. Consequently, a minimum of 10 published and English peer-reviewed publications (including a minimum of 3 first authorships) is mandatory. In addition the job will require programming skills (e.g. Matlab, Presentation, R, Python) in order to implement neurocognitive studies and analyze EEG data with state-of-the art methods. • Desired qualifications: Additional knowledge of one other neuroscientific method (MEG, TMS, fMRI); knowledge and research experience in sleep research and/or chronobiology and/or consciousness research; knowledge of time-frequency as well as ERP methodology; expertise in or willingness to focus on “connectivity measures” in the EEG (e.g., transfer entropy, coherence). • Desired personal qualities: High level of interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team, readiness of mind, willingness to become acquainted with new topics and methods; initiative and independence; conscientiousness and reliability. About the employer The “Laboratory for Sleep, Cognition and Consciousness” (www.sleepscience.at) is member of the newly founded Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg (CCNS) and offers a lively scientific environment and a vast amount of Cognitive Neuroscience tools (incl. hdEEG, PSGs, fully research-devoted fMRI, TMS, tDCS, eye-tracking as well as a brand new MEG system). Furthermore, the Department is hosting an interdisciplinary doctoral college (“Imaging The Mind”; www.uni-salzburg.at/phdim) which attracts outstanding international students conducting neurocognitive studies across a wide research spectrum. The open position is partly funded by the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg (CCNS) as well as a research grant (Y777) on “Sleep, Cognition and Consciousness” from the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF). Applications will be accepted until August 17th, 2015. Please use Research Gate (www.researchgate.net) to directly submit your application. ======================================= 5. We are currently recruiting 4 Phd & 4 Master students for the SCAN LAB. The SCAN LAB (Social Cognition & Affective Neuroscience) at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) in Chengdu explores the neurobiological basis of human emotion in healthy subjects and humans with mental disorders. Combining advanced behavioral, pharmacological and neuroimaging approaches we aim to improve mental health and develop innovate treatment strategies, including neurohormones such as Oxytocin, real-time fMRI Neurofeedback, brain compensation training and non-invasive brain stimulation (rTMS). The projects will be supervised by Keith Kendrick & Ben Becker – for our previous research please see: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Keith_Kendrick/publications https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin_Becker3/publications Lab language is English – for some studies & interaction with patients Chinese will be an obvious advantage;) A strong experimental (neuroscience, psychology) or bio-mathematical (biomedical engineering, software engineering, etc) background is a definite advantage. As well as previous experience with the techniques (rTMS, including neuro-navigated rTMS, Psychophysiology, functional MRI, real-time fMRI neurofeedback, EEG, Psychophysiology) & the tools of trade (SPM, turbo BV, connectivity tools, matlab, presentation, e-prime). Planned start of the position will be end of 2015/beginning of 2016. Please send your CV, publication list & a short letter of motivation as a single pdf file to: ben_becker(a)gmx.de (please CC the mail to: zhaoweihua0(a)126.com & algost.zhao(a)gmail.com) For organizational questions please contact our lab manager (zhao weihua / Zara zhaoweihua0(a)126.com) Looking forward to your application! Ben _________________________________ Benjamin Becker, PhD Thousand Talent Professor Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation / School of Life Science and Technology University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Center for Information in Medicine University of Electronic Science and Technology of China No 2006, Xiyuan Ave West Hi-Tech Zone Chengdu, China ========================================