Postdoctoral Fellow Basic Neuroscience

Description:
The Wilke Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles is currently recruiting for an open postdoctoral fellow position. This position is to study the circuit mechanisms by which prefrontal cortex mediates decision making in mice and to understand circuit dysfunction related to psychiatric disorders. More specifically, the lab studies how activity in specific prefrontal circuits computes effort-reward value tradeoffs, how prefrontal dopamine influences those computations and how neuromodulatory treatments alter these processes. Approaches include cell-type specific optogenetics, fiber photometry and miniscope calcium imaging during behavior.

Requirements:
Applicants should hold (or soon obtain) a Ph.D. in neuroscience or a related field and have experience with mouse behavior and/or in vivo techniques for studying neural circuits. Quantitative abilities such as writing code for analysis of complex calcium imaging data are highly desired, but not required. Successful applicants will be highly self-motivated, competent developing new experimental approaches and be able to think independently but also work well in a collaborative environment.

About:
The Wilke lab is a small, but rapidly growing group with a passion for understanding the circuit mechanisms by which psychiatric disorders arise and are effectively treated. Dr. Wilke is a basic neuroscientist with expertise in molecular, cellular and circuit approaches to studying the brain. He is also a board certified psychiatrist with a clinical focus on interventional approaches to treat psychiatric conditions by directly modulating activity in the brain.

Applicants should apply by e-mail (swilke@mednet.ucla.edu), including a cover letter detailing relevant experience and research interests, curriculum vitae, and a list of three references. Review of applications will begin immediately. For more information - email: swilke@mednet.ucla.edu; lab website: www.wd2labs.org.