Neurophysiology integrative and epilepsy

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Key Words Neurophysiology, epilepsy, neuroscience

Details of the offer

Place of work: INSERM- CNRL

Missions:

Project Title: Spatio-temporal dynamics of neuromodulators during physiological and epileptic brain states.

Project summary:

The postdoc/engineer positions are integrated within the framework of the Wellcome research programme Neurolight.

Despite decades of effort, we still cannot predict seizures with good accuracy. Patients’ propensity to experiencing seizures changes throughout the day and is influenced by brain states. Therefore, seizure susceptibility not only depends on predictable circadian rhythms, but also on stochastic brain states. Key regulators of neuronal excitability, namely neurotransmitters (NTs) and neuromodulators (NMs), are also strongly modulated by circadian rhythms and brain states and so by tracking their fluctuations we should be able to better understand and predict seizure occurrences.

In this context, we have several projects on the neurochemical environment (neuropeptides and neuromodulators) associated to sleep-wake cycle, circadian rhythms as well as stress in relation to seizure generation. The project will be conducted in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy using advanced imaging methods (e.g. multi-site photometry) in combination with polysomnography (EEG, EMG) and video monitoring. We will take advantage of newly developed genetically-encoded neurotransmitter indicators and genetically encoded calcium sensors to monitor both the extracellular fluctuations of selected NTs/NMs and neuronal activity in different brain structures throughout the day in control and epileptic animals.

The project will also involve the manipulation of large data sets and potentially the development of mechanistic neural models in collaboration with computational neuroscientists. The candidate will also have the possibility to go to international meetings as well as do short stays abroad in particular at UCL, London where we have ongoing collaborations with the department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy.

Qualifications:

Essential criteria:

• PhD in Neuroscience, computational biology (willing to learn and conduct experiment on animals), engineering, pharmacy, biochemistry or related. Engineering background is of particular interest.
• Strong experience in in vivo electrophysiology and imaging methods in animals
• Programming skills (Python, Matlab)
• Animal license
• Good analytic skills
• Good communication and writing skills
• Proficiency in English

Desirable criteria:

• Ex vivo and / or in vivo animal models of epilepsy
• Sleep, circadian and / or stress neurophysiology
• Immunostaining
• Experience in behavioural tests
• Modelling of neural network dynamics

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Type of job

Type of contract

Application deadline

Employment start date

Contact

For more information, please contact Vincent Magloire (Vincent.magloire@inserm.fr).

To apply, you will need to provide a CV, the details of 2 references and a letter (1 page maximum) explaining your interest to the position and why you think that you are suited to our research group.