Two Postdoctoral positions to develop a framework to study history dependent activity across scales and species.

The objective of this NIH BRAIN Theories project is to develop a unified theoretical framework to study history dependence across the nervous system. This is based on our previous work on using fractional order differential equations to study reaction diffusion and spiking dynamics in single neurons. In this project, we will further extend our theory to determine variability in cortical neurons, understand the effect of history dependence on network dynamics, coding, and information rates; and will apply our knowledge at the cellular level to predict and understand sensory processing in intact animals. This is an expansive project, with multiple collaborations. The fitting candidates will have the opportunity to interact with laboratories  at McGill University, in Canada; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics & Self Organization, in Germany; and the Allen Brain Institute. Your theoretical background could be in dynamical systems, applied math, or computational neuroscience. Having knowledge of fractional order differential equations is a plus, but not required. Technically, you need to know Matlab. Knowledge of python and NEURON are a plus. You have to have a fundamental knowledge of neuroscience or demonstrate a willingness to catch up. The laboratory has all the necessary resources, from high end CPU/GPU servers, to local clusters, and access to the largest supercomputers and cloud services through the Texas Advanced Computer Center and the Chameleon Cloud.

The laboratory also offers an interdisciplinary environment  where experiments in cerebellar research are combined with computational and theoretical approaches. We just acquired a new multi-photon microscope with spatial light modulation capabilities that will allow us to interrogate the cerebellum in ways not possible before.

San Antonio is one of the best places to live in the US. It is one of the most affordable large cities in the country, the weather is mild for most of the year, and you can afford to have a nice life. 

If interested, send a cover page, CV, and list of three references to fidel.santamaria@utsa.edu