Postdoctoral Positions in Neural Circuits of Anxiety

Job Description

The Dobrunz Laboratory at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is seeking highly motivated postdoctoral employees. We are seeking individuals interested in conducting research on neuromodulation by Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stress resilience factor, in rodent models of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and of Alzheimer’s Disease. Through a combination of electrophysiological, optogenetic, behavioral, and in vivo imaging (fiber photometry) experiments, the lab explores how NPY modulates synaptic plasticity and how its function is impaired by trauma. The integration of multiple techniques will be necessary to complete our understanding of the role NPY plays in stress or Alzheimer’s Disease, with a heavy emphasis on slice electrophysiology for both projects. Transgenic mice or rats will be used for all experiments, so candidates should have experience using animals as a model system.  The Dobrunz lab has more than 24 years of experience studying hippocampal circuits, synaptic plasticity, interneurons, and rodent behavior.  We recently moved from UAB to UTHSC in Memphis, Tennessee, where Dr. Dobrunz is the Director of the Neuroscience Institute and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or M.D. with research experience in neuroscience or a related discipline, and preferably at least one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. We also request that applicants have experience in at least two or more of the following areas: slice electrophysiology, optogenetics, chemogenetics, fiber photometry, behavioral tasks related to anxiety, histology techniques, intracranial injections with viral vectors, and data analysis. The applicant should have excellent communication skills, scientific rigor, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, as necessary. You will receive outstanding training in scientific techniques as well as mentoring and career development.

Applications should include a curriculum vitae, contact information for three references, and a brief statement about their scientific interests and qualifications. For more information/application, please contact Lynn Dobrunz (ldobrunz@uthsc.edu). We are attending the Society for Neuroscience meeting and would be happy to meet with you there. If you would like to set up an appointment, please email me and/or visit us at the UTHSC booth at the Graduate Fair (booth 91) between 12 pm – 2 pm Sunday – Tuesday, or at our poster on Wednesday morning (board D17).  

Company

UTHSC is a premier academic research center in Memphis, TN, the fifth-largest city in the Southeast. UTHSC is one of the world’s leading centers exploiting novel genetic approaches to explore brain development, CNS function and behavior, and psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. UTHSC is rated as one of the top employers in Tennessee and among the best Medical Schools for Research in the U.S. UTHSC has the Neuroscience Institute, which is supported by the Neuroscience Center of Excellence established by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. UTHSC’s Neuroscience Institute supports all Neuroscience related research across the campus.

Memphis is a culturally diverse city and is home to immigrants from more than 20 different countries. It is a city rich with traditions. You’ll enjoy great dining, art galleries and an exciting nightlife. Memphis always has something exciting happening, as it offers many festivals and events that celebrate the city’s history, arts, culture, and holidays. The cost of living is approximately 21% lower than the national average.