Our Group

Our newly established research group at ISTA is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work on an ERC-funded project- HypoAdapt. We study how the brain controls bodily responses to environmental threats in order to maintain homeostasis. In particular, we study how the hypothalamus communicates with the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and pre-motor brain areas, to maintain homeostasis in the face of changing external stimuli. See https://www.dmhlab.org/research for more information.

Candidates will be part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary group in which anatomical, behavioral, physiological and functional aspects of hypothalamic function will be investigated.

Your Responsibilities

• Single-cell resolution calcium imaging to study the activity dynamics of hypothalamic neurons as mice experience environmental threats
• Machine-learning based tracking of mice to quantify their behavior and biotelemetry recordings to record physiology
• Applying computational methods to investigate how stressors and the behavioral and physiological responses to stressors are represented in the activity of hypothalamic neurons

Your Profile

• PhD in Neuroscience
• Curiosity about fundamental neuroscience research and a desire to answer mechanistic questions
• Extensive experience in working with rodents, ideally with practical experience in imaging of neural data (single cell calcium imaging, fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology)
• Experience with at least one programming language (Python is primarily used in the lab)
• Experience with computational analysis of large imaging datasets is a plus
• Ability to work as part of a team but to independently spearhead the project
• Strong experimental rigor and ability to problem solve

Application documents: Cover letter, CV including contact details of three references, 1-2 page summary of research interests.

To submit your application please email:amelia.douglass@ist.ac.at