Postdoc in Connectomics Analysis ot the human brain

The Dutch Connectome Lab (dutchconnectomelab.nl ) at the Complex Trait Genetics Lab & Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research in Amsterdam (see www.cncr.nl ) is seeking applicants for a Postdoc position in cross-disorder connectome analysis of the human brain. The successful candidate will be part of a large ERC project in the group of PI Martijn van den Heuvel at the department of Complex Trait Genetics at the VU. The aim of the project is to gain insight into the transdiagnostic effects of the human brain connectome and the integration of this data with recent functional and structural connectome properties and recent genetic discoveries, utilizing large-scale bioinformatic databases and resources.

The human brain -our brain- is a large complex network of interconnected regions; the 'connectome'. In the last decade advances in the field of connectomics have started to map and study the complex organization of brain networks, with the aim to get a better understanding of how brain connectivity plays a central role in brain function and disease disfunction. The field of disease connectomics has the specific aim to map and study how changes to the connectome may play a role in the etiology of a variety of brain conditions, ranging from individual symptomatology to neurological and psychiatric conditions. New technologies and data analysis techniques have enabled to map which systems and brain connections are involved in which disorders. A large open question is how brain systems may relate to each other across disorders and how we can best describe disease specific effects. A second large open question is how such potential cross-disorder and disorder-specific effects may relate to underlying common and unique genetic and molecular effects. To address these challenges, you will work on large-scale MRI and genetics databases and use (and develop) state-of-the-art methods on connectomics, genetics, and Machine Learning. You will work in a highly enthusiastic and motivated team of PhD students and PostDocs working on this project, with diverse backgrounds, including, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, neuroimaging, computational neuroscience, psychology and genetics.

You have affinity with working with large datasets and have knowledge of MATLAB, Python, R, or other scientific coding/programming. Affinity with computational neuroscience, connectomics and/or Machine Learning is appreciated.

Your duties

• perform connectome analysis on neuroimaging data
• integrate connectome findings across datasets
• supervise PhD students working on the project
• work on developing new statistical methods to compare networks cross conditions
• apply bioinformatic tools for integrating results from different biological resources
• think critically
• work with highly motivated and enthusiastic team members
• actively take part in discussions and have frequent contact with CNCR neuroimaging, genetics and neuroscience labs
• authoring and co-authoring manuscripts submitted to high quality journals
• support (10% of time) to teaching
• frequently present work at international communities (at conference calls or conferences)