2 Postdoctoral positions are available in Dr. Suzanne Haber’s lab at the University of Rochester.  The studies use nonhuman primate anatomical connectivity studies in combination with MRI in nonhuman and human primates to investigate: 1. Reward pathways and their interface with cognitive and motor control circuits; and 2. Circuitry underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 

The first project is designed to delineate connectional hubs within cortex and basal ganglia structures that receive convergent inputs from reward and cognitive control regions.  Specific focus is on dorsolateral, ventrolateral, ventromedial, orbital, and anterior cingulate cortices and the striatum and amygdala.  The approach is to use traditional anatomical tract-tracing circuitry techniques in combination with state of the art imaging methods such as diffusion and functional MRI to explore the location of these hubs in both animal and human brains and their relationship to disease.   

The second project is designed to characterize the organizational principles that govern white matter organization and trajectories connecting frontal areas with particular emphasis on the connectional hubs. These data will form the basis for segmenting white matter with respect to function in order to identify and evaluate diffusion MRI changes associated with OCD and its treatments. These studies are part of a Silvio O. Conte Center grant involving several Institutions and multiple techniques investigating the neurocircuitry of OCD and effects of neurostimulation.

The ideal applicants would have background in systems neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. These positions will give opportunities to interact with pioneering scientists through the Conte Center grant and will provide unique training at the forefront of anatomy, neuroimaging, and translational neuroscience. 

Applicants should submit a summary of research interests, a curriculum vitae and names of three references to:  Dr. Suzanne Haber, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology: Email: Suzanne_Haber@URMC.Rochester.edu. (AA/EOE).