Opening: 4 years PhD position in the Brain Circuits and Behaviour Lab (IDIBAPS, Barcelona)
We are looking for a PhD candidate interested in investigating the circuit mechanisms of decision making and working memory. We look for students interested in learning to use modern labeling methods to manipulate functionally defined neural engrams in mice during decision making tasks. The candidate should have some experience in quantitative data analysis using Python or R (or be very eager to learn). Experience performing behavioral experiments, optogenetics or electrophysiology in rodents will also be a plus. Contract Duration: 4 years. Salary: standard PhD salary in Spain (21-25 k€ gross per year). Co-Supervisors: Carles Sindreu and Jaime de la Rocha Contract Starting Date: From Nov. 2025 to April 2026. Candidate requirements: Master’s degree in neuroscience or related discipline. Application period: from 1.08.205 to 10.09.2025 Application instructions: send your CV, letter of motivation and the contact information of 2-3 referees. To [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> (specify “FPI application” in the subject). In the Brain Circuits and Behavior Lab<http://braincircuitsbehavior.squarespace.com> we use a combination of experimental and computational methods including finely controlled behavioral tasks in both rodents and humans and use mathematical models to characterize behavior and to interpret manipulation experiments (i.e. optogenetics) and neural recordings obtained electrophysiological recordings in animals. We are currently developing a 24/7 animals training platform (the Training Village<https://braincircuitsbehaviorlab.github.io/village/>) to train mice in new working memory behavioural paradigms that allow us to characterise the neural representations of prospective and retrospective working memory in mice. We will use new Calcium and light-gated labeling methods to manipulate functionally defined neural engrams during these working memory tasks. Our laboratory is also an active node of the Barcelona Computational Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience<http://barccsyn.org/> (BARCCSYN) community, which integrates around twenty laboratories scattered across multiple local institutions. Further reading: Fast and tight control of motor vigor by accumulated decision evidence. Molano-Mazón et al. Nature Comms 15, 10583 (2024). Episodic <https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.18.579447v1> recruitment of attractor dynamics in frontal cortex reveals distinct mechanisms for forgetting and lack of cognitive control in short-term memory T. Oña-Jodar et al. bioRxiv 2024.02.18.579447 Jaime de la Rocha Group Leader at IDIBAPS c. Rosselló 149-153 Barcelona, 08036 Spain Tel. (+34)661774285 Lab: www.braincircuitsbehavior.org<http://www.braincircuitsbehavior.org> Community: www.barccsyn.org<http://www.barccsyn.org> -- Systems Neuroscience mailing list: www.systemsneuroscience.eu To post, send email to [email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Systems Neuroscience" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/systems-neuroscience/CB6BB773-4F37-484A-88C6-8A2F55EE4143%40recerca.clinic.cat.
