Postdoctoral fellows for EEG-fMRI sleep study and high-resolution MRI iron/myelin imaging

The Advanced MRI Section (AMRI) in the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland has two postdoctoral fellow openings for its all-night EEG-fMRI sleep study, and for the development of high resolution MRI methods to study iron and myelin distributions in the brain. Candidates interested in other projects in the Section will also be considered.

A major area of research in the group concerns the combined use of EEG and fMRI to characterize the contribution of neuronal and autonomic activity changes across the full range of arousal states during overnight sleep. After a successful pilot study, AMRI recently started a main study that is currently in full swing. Early analysis of the pilot data has revealed novel interactions between autonomic and neural activity that will be further investigated with advanced analysis techniques. It is anticipated that further development of analysis approaches will be important for proper analysis and interpretation of the data.

AMRI also continues to be active in the development of novel MRI methods for study of the brain. Recent hardware and pulse sequence developments in AMRI have improved resolution, robustness to head motion, and sensitivity to the unique effects of iron and myelin on image contrast. Sophisticated methods are being developed to combine various MRI contrasts to improve the separation between iron and myelin. In part, this is based on detailed analysis of T₂* and T₂ signal decays in the various brain tissue types. AMRI maintains active collaborations with other research groups that have interest in applying novel methods to the study of neurodegenerative disorders and epilepsy.

As part of the NIH intramural program, AMRI has access to unique imaging and computational resources, including access to four 3 T and three 7 T MRI scanners, EEG and MEG systems, and a large (currently 107,000-core) computational cluster. A human 11.7 T is slated to be (re)energized early 2022. In addition, AMRI has expertise in state-of-the-art MR imaging techniques and data analysis tools, and a dedicated group of researchers including MRI physicists and sleep neuroscientists.

Minimum qualifications:

1. A relevant doctoral degree by the time the appointment begins
2. Strong quantitative data analysis skills in advanced statistics, signal processing, and scientific computer programming
3. Interest in developing novel MRI research avenues and/or methods

The start date is flexible. Applicants are requested to send their curriculum vitae to Jeff Duyn, PhD (jeff.duyn@nih.gov). The applicant is encouraged to include contact information for three references from mentors and/or colleagues.

AMRI staff will be at the 2022 Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, so please reach out via text message to +1-240-274-9990 (Jeff Duyn) and/or +1-301-213-7626 (Dante Picchioni) to meet AMRI staff in person to discuss your interest!

For more information on the laboratory, see: https://amri.ninds.nih.gov

For more information on the NIH Postdoctoral Intramural Research Training Award Program, see: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp

The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs.