2 postdoctoral positions, electro-physiology, UCL Ear Institute

["torsten.marquardt@xxxxxxx" <torsten.marquardt@xxxxxxx>]

UCL Ear Institute
2 Research Associate Positions

Two 3-year postdoctoral research posts, funded by the MRC, are available at the UCL Ear Institute to investigate the neural basis of binaural hearing, the ability to detect small differences in the timing of sound at the two ears (interaural time differences, ITDs). Binaural hearing underpins the ability to localize sound sources, and is important for decoding complex spatial listening environments into separate objects - a critical factor in "cocktail-party listening".

Post 1
The first post will employ single- and multi-electrode in vivo recording techniques to examine the means by which neurons in the central auditory nervous system integrate information arriving from both ears. The successful candidate is expected to have experience employing in vivo techniques to record neural responses in auditory brain centres and to be proficient in signal processing techniques underpinning acoustic stimulation and the analysis of multi-electrode data sets.

Post 2
The second post will employ in vitro patch-clamp techniques in brainstem slices to examine synaptic integration of binaural signals, and to assess the extent to which the auditory brain processes sounds efficiently. The successful candidate should be proficient in the use of patch-clamp techniques to investigate sensory processing in the central nervous system and have a genuine interest in sensory neuroscience..

The projects are part of a broader research programme aimed at understanding how the auditory brain processes spatial sounds, and provide the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues across a range of disciplines, including cell biology, physiology, computational neuroscience and brain imaging. The Ear Institute is a multi-disciplinary facility with the remit of "understanding hearing and fighting deafness". Facilities at the Ear Institute are world-class, and will enable all of the components of the project to be undertaken to a high level.

For an informal discussion please contact Professor David McAlpine (Tel: 020 7679 8938, email: d.mcalpine@xxxxxxxxx)


The closing date for applications (for both posts) is Friday 24th June 2011.