POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN SPEECH PERCEPTION AND THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF HUMAN AUDITORY CORTEX

["David L. Woods" <dlwoods@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN SPEECH PERCEPTION AND THE STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTION OF HUMAN AUDITORY CORTEX

A postdoctoral fellowship is available in Martinez, CA (in the San
Francisco Bay Area) to study the relationship between age-related changes
in speech perception and anatomical and functional changes in human
auditory cortex.  Speech processing will be tested with nonsense
syllables and sentences and correlated with tests of basic auditory
discrimination abilities and auditory short-term verbal memory. Subject
with impaired speech processing will then undergo PC-based adaptive
training designed to improve speech processing in noise and force
beneficial neuroplastic changes in auditory cortex.  Brain structure
will be imaged using multimodal structural brain imaging (including
high-resolution T1, diffusion tensor, and magnetization transfer imaging)
and analyzed using advanced cortical surface mapping as well as automated
techniques to analyze subcortical structures and white matter
tracts.  In selected subjects, functional activations to speech and
non-speech stimuli will be studied using fMRI. The job involves close
collaboration with international scientists, graduate students, and
post-docs. Job Availability: Immediate. Job
duration: 2-4 years. Salary: $40,000-$65,000 depending on
experience. 

QUALIFICATIONS. Successful candidates should have a strong
background in auditory perception, physiology and/or anatomy (PhD or MD
required), a good publication record, familiarity with Windows and Linux
operating systems, and some programming experience. Knowledge of
psychophysics, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging methods including ERPs,
fMRI, or TMS is desirable.  US citizenship preferred.  
Interested candidates should email a C.V., letter of intent, and the
names of three references to: Professor David L. Woods, Dept. of
Neurology, UC Davis and VANCHCS (127E), 150 Muir Rd., Martinez CA 94553.
Email: dlwoods@xxxxxxxxxxx.