Postdoctoral Fellow in Ultrasonic Neuromodulation

Postdoctoral Fellow in Ultrasonic Neuromodulation

The project SonoStim is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to work on an interdisciplinary project investigating how ultrasound (US) neuromodulation works at a biophysical level. 

You will work on a collaborative project led by Dr. Athanasios Athanassiadis  (Heidelberg University, IMSEAM) and Dr. Katrin Schrenk-Siemens (Heidelberg University, Dept. of Pharmacology) to determine the connection between ultrasonic forces on neurons and their biological responses, in order to develop new methods and devices for US neurostimulation in therapeutic applications.

Your Tasks

You will investigate how focused ultrasound interacts with neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells, and identify conditions that lead to the strongest responses. You will be responsible for culturing the cells, characterizing the home-built ultrasonic hardware, designing and performing stimulation experiments, and analyzing the cellular responses using microscopy and/or electrophysiology techniques.

Your Profile

• EITHER a PhD in Neurobiology or Biology with 
  • expertise in cell culture techniques, 
  • understanding of ion channels and mechanosensation, and
  • a strong interest to learn the hardware and physical mechanisms of ultrasonic neuromodulation.
• OR a PhD in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar with 
  • expertise in acoustics,
  • experience working with ultrasonic hardware, and
  • a strong interest to learn neuronal differentiation & culture techniques.
• a demonstrated history of independent problem-solving in the lab
• excellent written and oral communication skills in English
• ability to work well and effectively in teams

Experience in any of the following areas would be a plus

• neuronal culture
• lectrophysiology
• microscopy
• image processing
• ultrasound neuromodulation
• ultrasonic transducer fabrication

We offer

• a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research project with translational potential;
• membership in two research groups with complementary expertise in sensory neurobiology (esp. stem cell derived neurons) and ultrasound physics and instrumentation;
• a stimulating, international research environment;
• access to state-of-the-art facilities and top researchers throughout the broader Heidelberg scientific community (Heidelberg University, University Hospital, DKFZ, EMBL, MPI)
• potential and support to generate intellectual property/patents related to your work;
• individual training and development opportunities;
• salary according to collective TV-L pay scale E13;

This position is funded for 2 years, starting early 2025.

Interested candidates should email the following documents to Dr. Athanasios Athanassiadis by 6 December 2024:

• CV
• Motivation letter
• References
• Preferred starting date