About the role
Following recent awards from both the Michael Uren Foundation and The Wellcome Trust, Dr Samuel Barnes invites applications for postdoctoral Research Associates to take leading roles in high-impact, in vivo systems neuroscience research. The Barnes Lab, part of the UK Dementia Research Institute investigates vulnerability in the ageing brain, aiming to understand the role of neural circuit plasticity in the healthy adult brain, ageing and early-stages of neurodegeneration.
Project 1: Investigation of tau and alpha-synuclein pathology on synaptic vulnerability and in vivo circuit dysfunction
You will investigate how the interaction between alpha synuclein and tau pathology can drive synaptic and circuit dysfunction in vivo. This research leverages a novel Light Field Imaging platform capable of volumetric voltage imaging at kilohertz rates, expansion microscopy and synaptic spatial proteomics in combination with recently developed mouse models of pathology to understand how tau and alpha-synuclein pathologies, and the combination of the two, can trigger synaptic dysfunction.
Project 2: Real-time volumetric voltage imaging and bioelectronic targeting of Alzheimer's Disease related circuit dysfunction
You will develop non-invasive, closed-loop interventions for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) circuit dysfunction. This research leverages a novel Light Field Imaging platform capable of volumetric voltage imaging at kilohertz rates. The project aims to integrate this real-time imaging with Temporal Interference (TI) brain stimulation to investigate and rescue neurovascular and circuit-level deficits in AD-related mouse models. See news article below:
What you would be doing
For both projects, we the candidates will execute the delivery of complex in vivo imaging and neuromodulation experiments, together with:
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Interface directly with co-investigators interested in pathology and imaging technologies, bioengineering, computing, and signal processing.
- Mentorship& Output: Supervise PhD/ Masters students and lead the preparation of high-impact manuscripts.
- Funding: You will be actively supported in pursuing independent fellowshipapplications and collaborative grant opportunities.
What we are looking for
You will hold (or be near completion of) a PhD in Systems Neuroscience, Neuroengineering, or a related quantitative biological field, and demonstrate:
- Technical Expertise: Significant experience with in vivo optical imaging, electrophysiology, synaptic proteomics and rodent surgical techniques.
- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in codingand handling large-scale neural datasets is highly desirable.
- Professionalism: A track record of peer-reviewed publications and the ability to work within a highly collaborative, multi-site team.
Key details
- Location UK DRI at Imperial
- Salary: £50,733 - £59,484 per annum