Post-Doctoral Fellow

Employer: National Institutes of Health LN

Location: Bethesda, Maryland

Salary: Up to $54,000

The causal role of inferior temporal cortex in object recognition behavior.

Postdoctoral positions are available in the laboratory of Arash Afraz (NIMH Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD) to study the neural underpinnings of object recognition behavior in the non-human primate brain. Specifically, we are interested in uncovering the causal links between the neural activity in the ventral stream of the visual pathway and object perception. Potential projects include: electrophysiological recording of the neural activity in the inferior temporal (IT) cortex and its satellite subcortical regions, microstimulation of neural populations in IT cortex, optogenetic and pharmacological perturbation of the ventral stream neural activity and utilizing a combination of recording and perturbation techniques to study the circuit dynamics of the ventral stream during object recognition behavior. All of these efforts will be done with respect to the general goal of developing a quantitative theory of how neural spiking features (rate, timing, etc.) shape and constrain visual perception and behavior. The experiments will be carried out in the context of the collaborative research environment at the NIH and will benefit from the rich infrastructure and vibrant neuroscience community of the NIH intramural program.

All candidates must have an M.D. or Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Physiology, or a related discipline. Requirements include good programing skills, writing and oral communication skills, self-motivation for science and the ability to work both independently and in a multidisciplinary team-oriented environment. Candidates with experience in primate physiology are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applicants should submit a letter (email) of interest outlining experience and research goals, as well as a CV and the names of three references