Post-doctoral position in Neurophysiology

Available post-doctoral position in neurophysiology funded by ANR

A post-doc position is available at the Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives et Integratives D’Aquitaine (INCIA) in Bordeaux, France, under the supervision of François Lambert in the team DN3 (team leader Muriel Thoby-Brisson).

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a PhD in neuroscience, biology. They will have to show good team work and organization skills, be rigorous and creative, be able to work independently and take initiatives. A background in in vivo motor behavior, in vitro electrophysiological recordings, in histology and signal processing will be appreciated. The selected candidate must be passionate about science and want to be part of a new dynamic team which fosters innovation in a collaborative environment.

The project

Gating of spinal-efferent copy signal and sensory signals for gaze control during locomotion

State of the art. The fundamental question of the coupling between sensory signals and efference copy intrinsic signals constitutes an open area in the field of motor control. Current research on gaze control is in particular trying to define the role and prevalence in the feedback control of gaze of efferent copies, and their relation to online visuo-motor strategies. The overall goal is to better understand the importance of the eco-physiological constraints during naturalistic behavior.

Originality of the proposal’s objectives. Understanding such mechanisms in a simple circuit like 3D eye movements in animal models constitutes a great advantage to better characterize sensorimotor functions at the circuit & microcircuit levels as well as the underlying neural computations.

Originality of the proposed methodology. The present proposition uses an integrative approach to unravel how vestibular sensory feedbacks and locomotor feedforward inputs work conjointly to elaborate gaze-stabilizing eye movements during locomotion. To this purpose we will employ an appropriate « evolution-development » amphibian model and a more complex mammalian model, both allowing complementary neurobiological integrative analysis, in a phylogenic context (see visual abstract). The use of the two models allow to tackle the question of the ethological relevance of the spino-extraocular circuit.

Related publications :

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30636-6

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34856124/

 

More info on the team :

http://www.incia.u-bordeaux1.fr/spip.php?article794

Application

Please send a letter describing your lab experiences and scientific interests, a CV and the names of two references to Dr François Lambert:

Deadline: none
Employment Start Date: ASAP
Contract Length: 2 years
City: Bordeaux
Country: France
Institution: CNRS
Department: Bordeaux Neurocampus