Postdoctoral Associate - Circuit Neuroscience and Therapeutics

The Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard is looking for outstanding postdoctoral scholars to join a research group led by Prabhat Kunwar, PhD. This group aims to understand the neural circuits underlying psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar and translating those findings into novel therapeutics and closely collaborates with the Sheng lab (headed by Morgan Sheng, MD PhD, Co-Director of the Stanley Center and Head of Therapeutics). The candidates will have the opportunity to be co-monitored by Morgan Sheng. The mission of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research is to improve the lives of individuals suffering from serious mental illnesses by using unprecedented insights into the genetic basis of psychiatric diseases to drive groundbreaking basic and translational research (e.g., genes uncovered in the SCHEMA consortium study).

The successful candidate will join a dynamic, multidisciplinary team working on cutting-edge fundamental and translational research investigating the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms of psychiatric disorders, particularly in relation to risk genes for schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. The research will focus on fundamental scientific questions, with the successful candidate expected to formulate hypotheses, design and execute experiments, interpret data, and write and publish original papers, often in partnership with Stanley Center scientists in the Sheng lab, other Stanley Center members and external collaborators. The dynamic and collaborative environment of the Stanley Center also creates opportunities to work closely with other Therapeutics groups at the Stanley Center, allowing the successful candidate to gain valuable expertise into drug discovery and development.

REQUIREMENTS

• Ph.D. in neuroscience or related field
• Completion of at least one research project as evidenced by one or more first author research articles published or accepted in a well-recognized, peer-reviewed journal
• Experience with optical imaging (fiber photometry, miniscope) and computational data analysis involving neural recordings and behavior is strongly preferred
• Additional experience with electrophysiology, circuit mapping or circuit perturbation techniques (optogenetics and chemogenetics) is plus
• Experience working with rodent models, particularly involving behavioral assays, surgeries and brain histology
• Expertise with basic laboratory methods of molecular cell biology and imaging
• Strong initiative to drive one's own experimental research
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work independently and to interact with others