PhD Position in Human Clinical Neurophysiology

We are offering a PhD position (pay grade 65% E13), starting immediately, for 4 years.

Will consider Neuroscientists, Psychologists, Biologists, Physicists, Clinicians, Mathematicians, Engineers, Computer Scientists.

Our work in the field of Clinical Neurophysiology focuses on investigating the mechanisms during the generation, propagation, and termination of epileptic seizures at the level of single neurons, small neuronal ensembles, and local field potentials, with special focus on the piriform cortex as a major hub between the temporal and frontal lobe. Our group at the Department of Epileptology at the University of Bonn's Medical School uses the novel technology of single unit recordings via micro-electrodes in epilepsy patients, who have been implanted with temporal lobe electrodes for diagnostic purposes. This method allows us to record action potentials from single neurons as well as local field potentials. After neurosurgical removal of the seizure-generating tissue, human slices of the very same structures that were previously recorded from in vivo can be used for in vitro analysis techniques such as patch clamp or Calcium imaging.

The neuroscientific focus of the University of Bonn with numerous labs in the field of animal electrophysiology and human research furthermore offers close interaction with the research institutes Life & Brain, LIMES, caesar, and the newly founded DZNE. The PhD position is embedded in the Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS) and the collaborative research grant "Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease" (SFB 1089).

The student's work comprises acquisition and analysis of single unit activity and local field potentials during epileptic seizure in order to monitor emergence, spread and cessation of these events. Advanced programming skills (e.g., experience with Matlab or Python) are absolutely mandatory. Experience with patch clamp or Ca imaging is welcome. A background in neuroscience, medicine, or biology is not obligatory, the necessary knowledge can be acquired during the thesis work.

Please email applications and cv to:

Florian Mormann, MD, PhD

Lichtenberg Professor of Cognitive and Clinical Neurophysiology

University of Bonn, Department of Epileptology

Venusberg-Campus 1

53127 Bonn, Germany

Phone +49 228 287 15738

Email:  florian.mormann@ukbonn.de

http://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=324