Postdoctoral Research Associate – Behavior and 2-photon neural circuit imaging – Zakharenko lab

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital • Memphis, TN

103d

About The Position

A postdoctoral position is available for a highly motivated individual interested in the neural circuit mechanisms of schizophrenia. Our laboratory conducts behavioral and 2-photon laser-scanning microscopy imaging of neuronal activity in mutant mice, with a focus on mouse models of 22q11 and 3q29 deletion syndromes, high-risk genetic risks for developing psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia. The successful candidate will lead an independent research project dedicated to identifying abnormal behavior and neuronal activities in circuits of murine models of 22q11.2 and 3q29 deletion syndromes, two rare conditions that confer the highest genetic risks of schizophrenia. The laboratory is equipped with Mini-2p (Thorlabs) for imaging neuronal activity in behaving animals, two 2-photon mesoscopes (Thorlabs) for imaging large cortical and subcortical areas in awake head-fixed animals, and two 2-photon microscopes for single-cell electrophysiological experiments in brain slices. The successful candidate will join a diverse team of researchers whose efforts are directed toward understanding behavior at the levels of neural circuits, individual neurons, synapses, and molecules.

Requirements

• PhD in neuroscience or related fields.
• Experience with DeepLabCut or similar methods.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with 2-photon imaging techniques.
• Experience analyzing time-series data, preferably from neuroimaging or behavioral studies.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in computational neuroscience and data mining using machine learning methods.
• Experience with mouse models of genetic risks for developing schizophrenia.

Responsibilities

• Lead an independent research project focused on neural circuit mechanisms of schizophrenia.
• Conduct behavioral and 2-photon laser-scanning microscopy imaging of neuronal activity in mutant mice.
• Analyze time-series data from neuroimaging or behavioral studies.
• Collaborate with a diverse team of researchers.

Benefits

• Excellent salary and benefits package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees