Postdoctoral Research Associate

About the Role

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in Dr Guifen Chen’s lab in the Department of Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences.  Building on the pervious work from Dr Chen’s lab (Yang et al, Current Biology 2024), the project will explore the neural mechanisms that enable the brain to construct and update allocentric spatial maps from egocentric sensory cues - a fundamental process that allows organisms to navigate the world. Using state-of-the-art virtual reality techniques, the research aims to advance our understanding of spatial cognition and its disruption in neurodegenerative diseases.

The post is full-time, with an initial contract for 18 months. The primary responsibilities of the role are to design and carry out experiments, conduct data analysis, and write scientific reports.  In addition, there is scope for supporting PhD students, and collaborating with other experimental and computational neuroscientists within and outside the UK. The initial funding is through a 3 year BBSRC grant, with the potential for extension subject to additional grant approval.

About You

The ideal candidate will have A PhD or close-complete PhD in Neuroscience, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field. Have experience with animal research, electrophysiological recording, and data analysis using Matlab or Python. With desirable skills include experience with Virtual Reality systems, Neuropixels probes, and/or Open Ephys setups.

You will hold strong communication skills and effective collaboration, with demonstrable outcomes. Self-motivation, teamwork abilities, and excellent research management skills.

Informal enquiries please contact Dr Guifen Chen (Guifen.chen@qmul.ac.uk).

About the Project

Dr Guifen Chen’s lab focuses on studying how sensory inputs are integrated at the neural network level to form spatial representation in the brain, using state-of-the-art in vivo electrophysiology techniques including the latest Neuropixels probes and a two-dimensional virtual reality apparatus recently pioneered by Dr Chen (Chen et al, Elife 2018, Nature Communications 2019). Her long-term research interests lie in the network mechanisms of spatial cognition and episodic memory in healthy and diseased brains including Alzheimer's and Autism. Currently, we have seven members in the lab including PhD students and a postdoc. More detail can be found in the link below:

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/sbbs/staff/guifen-chen.html

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

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