Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Brain Dynamics

The Aksay Laboratory of Cornell University at the Weill Medical School in New York City is seeking a postdoctoral research scholar who wants to work at the interface of physics, computation, and biology to advance our understanding of dynamics in neural systems. Topics under investigation in the lab include circuit mechanisms of persistent neural activity and memory storage, synaptic-level learning rules governing network plasticity, and the role of excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in seizure initiation.

Our experimental approaches include electrophysiology, connectomics, and two-photon imaging/perturbation; our analytic approaches borrow from causal network inferencing, machine learning, and control theory. Problems are tackled in the awake behaving setting, across synaptic to network scales, and with a vision that considers processing globally from the hindbrain to cortex.

Ideal candidates are expected to have an excellent publication record stemming from doctoral or postdoctoral work in neuroscience, systems biology, biophysics, bioengineering, computer science, physics, or related disciplines. It is beneficial, but not required, that candidates have expertise in quantitative optical methods. Interest in combining experimental, computational, and theoretical approaches is a must. The selected scholar is expected to be creative, collaborative, and ambitious; they are also encouraged to spend ~25% of their time establishing independent research directions that benefit from existing projects and tools in the lab.

Candidates should send applications or queries directly to Emre Aksay at [email protected]. Applications should include a brief statement of interest, a curriculum vitae, and a list of three references. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Scholar salary will fall between $70k and $90k, dependent on accomplishments and responsibilities. Senior applicants may be considered for Research Associate or Staff positions. Support for this position is generously provided by grants from the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain, National Eye Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the BRAIN Initiative.

Further information on the lab can be found at (https://physiology.med.cornell.edu/people/emre-aksay-ph-d/ ).

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