Vacancy PhD candidate 'Sensory processing and fiber photometry'

Job description

We know that  people differ in the way they perceive their surroundings and respond to it. However, the origin of these individual differences in perception are not well understood. We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate that is eager to study how the neuronal modulator serotonin and environmental stimuli interact to influence the development of sensory systems.

The project aims to examine uni- and multi-sensory processing in rats using an impactful combination of in-vivo fiber photometry and behavioural testing. The initial focus of the study will be the primary cortical representation of the somatosensory system (barrel cortex), receiving its input mainly from the large snout vibrissae (whiskers). By stimulating the whiskers the candidate will assess sensory information processing within cortical glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal networks in vivo, at pre-adolesence and in adulthood. In addition, you will also study the function of these networks in the barrel cortex on single neuron level  ex vivo. This project is funded by the Dutch Research Council.

As a PhD candidate you will be required to set-up and execute the above-mentioned in-vivo and ex-vivo animal studies. You will be responsible for the optimization of experimental protocols as well as the processing, analysis, and interpretation of complex functional and structural (cellular imaging) data sets. You will closely interact and collaborate with the teams of the supervisors, which have theoretical and hands-on expertise in the serotonergic system, barrel cortex, in vivo fiber photometry, ex vivo electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, and behavioral testing. Nonetheless, some aspects of the experiments, such as the procedures for in vivo whisker stimulation during behavioral testing, will be new and require pioneering efforts from you.

You will furthermore be trained in soft skills like scientific presentation, participation in various (inter)national conferences, and will contribute to outreach activities. As an obligatory part of the PhD trajectory at the Radboudumc and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, you are required to write publications and, by the end of the project, a PhD thesis.

Place of work

The project is embedded within the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience (CNS) at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, which is a highly dynamic Dutch institute with a collaborative atmosphere, focusing on fundamental and applied neuroscience research at top level. The successful candidate will join the Behavioural Neurogenetics group led by Prof. Dr. J. Homberg and will be co-supervised by Dr. Dirk Schubert (research group for Cellular Neurophysiology) and Dr. Kübra Gülmez Karaca. 

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare. 

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Profile

• Master in (cognitive) neuroscience, (medical) biology, or related field.
• Experience with neural recordings (in vivo or ex vivo) and analysis of complex datasets.
• Experience with animal work, or a strong desire to learn.
• Very good/excellent command of oral and written English.
• Technical insight, curiosity for scientific questions and problem-solving skills.
• Very good social, communicational, and organizational skills.
• Dutch (art 9) or European (FELASA) certificate to work with animals is a plus.

Employment conditions

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• Upon commencement of employment, you will start at scale 10A, step 0 (€ 3.017 based on a full-time appointment). Over a maximum period of 4 years, you will progress to scale 10A, step 3 (€3.824 based on a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a 47% to 72% bonus for working unsocial hours.
• 172 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week. (As of 1 January 2025, you will receive 176 vacation hours). 

And there is more..

• An Employment Conditions Selection Model, allowing you to use part of your employment conditions to your choosing. For example, you can use your gross salary to purchase additional vacation hours or hours for providing informal caregiving. Or, for example, you can use your gross end-of-year bonus to purchase a bicycle, so you pay less tax.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. 
• Your well-being and vitality are a priority. For example:
  • Save time for work-life balance leave. 
  • You can enjoy unlimited access to a variety of activities five days a month and take advantage of all the facilities at Radboud Sport & Culture for only €27.05 per month (instead of €41)
  • Healthy Professionals program to help you manage your energy. 
  • Company Support Team and a personal coach if you are going through a life-changing event.
  • Financially beneficial working less through a Generation Scheme as you approach state pension age.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. Examples:
  • Advice and courses on, for example, 'Millennial dilemmas' and 'Your Career After 57'.
  • Activities at our own mindfulness center.
  • Informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• In addition to statutory pregnancy and maternity leave, Radboud university medical center offers 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid. In addition, as a partner you can take a maximum of five weeks of supplementary partner leave. During supplementary partner leave and parental leave, we supplement the UWV benefit up to 100% of your salary.
• Pension accrual at the ABP Pension Fund. Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. 
• Discounts on supplementary packages of two group health insurances and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your commuting costs of € 0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km one way. If you use public transport to commute, we will fully reimburse the public transport costs (2nd class). If you regularly work from home, you will receive a working from home allowance of € 2.35 per day.

Application procedure

re you ready to think further for our patients and our care? We would like to receive your application before 8 November 2024. We will then contact you shortly. The job interviews take place in week 46 - 48. You may need to give a presentation during the second interview round.

Good to know

• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
• You can find more information about our application procedure and frequently asked questions on our website.
• Will you be our new colleague? Then you will be given the time and space to get to know your role, your workplace, and your colleagues. An induction day for all new colleagues is an integral part of your onboarding program. 

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!

Contact

Any questions? Or wondering what it is like to work at Radboudumc? Then call, send a message or email to Prof.dr. Judith Homberg via +31 24 361 09 06 or to Dr. Dirk Schubert or to Dr. Kübra Gülmez Karaca. Use the Apply button to submit your application.