CALL CLOSED - PhD student 2018

PhD position in experimental neuroscience in Bilbao, Spain

Join us in a gratifying endeavor to understand the brain in health and disease!

The project will address the role of dendritic spines in epilepsy. Dendritic spines harbor excitatory synapses and are emerging as tunable regulators of synaptic signaling. Spines are morphologically dynamic and their shape reflects the functional state of the synapse. More than being a proxy for synapse state, spine shape may directly impact synaptic signal propagation and tune synaptic strength. This project aims to explore how changes in dendritic spines and their associated synapses may impact synaptic signaling and circuit excitability in settings of experimental epilepsy.

To address this question the successful candidate will be trained in whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and field recordings in living mouse brain slices, as well as superresolution STED imaging in fixed tissue and various other experimental techniques.

We are looking for a highly motivated and ambitious candidate with a qualifying degree in neuroscience, biomedicine, bioengineering, or a related subject. In addition to previous training, motivation and proven ability to learn and adapt will be considered important factors in the evaluation. The candidate should have scientific curiosity, be capable of independent thinking, and have the motivation to take charge and advance the project. Further, the candidate should be able to contribute in collaborative projects, and contribute to an enthusiastic, productive and fun work environment. The language of the lab is English, and we expect the candidate to be fluent. We encourage anyone who meet these criteria to apply and will evaluate all applications in an unbiased way.

We offer 4 years of PhD studies at the University of the Basque Country financed through the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). The gross salary is around 16.422 €/year and the project includes a mandatory collaborative research visit to an international lab. Our recently established research group resides in new facilities at the Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience in the campus area of the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao.

Practical info: The project will be carried out in the newly established Tønnesen Lab at the Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience in Bilbao, Spain, with preliminary starting date March/April 2019.

To apply, please send as PDFs 1) letter of motivation (max 1 page), 2) updated CV, 3) the email address of a former supervisor/mentor to Jan Tønnesen at jan.tonnesen@ehu.eus.

Additional information

The group: https://www.achucarro.org/en/research/group/laboratory-of-neuronal-excitability

Tønnesen publications: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/C-7464-2011

University of the Basque Country: https://www.ehu.eus/en/en-home