Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Neuroscience of Memory & Aging Lab at Rice University
PI: Dr. Stephanie Leal, Ph.D.
The Neuroscience of Memory & Aging Lab led by Dr. Stephanie Leal in the Psychological Sciences Department at Rice University is recruiting a postdoctoral fellow with a strong fMRI analysis background. The laboratory is focused on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying memory processing and how this process goes awry in aging, preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, and depression. In addition, we develop novel sensitive cognitive tasks to tax the hippocampal memory system and investigate how emotion modulates memory processing. We utilize high-resolution fMRI and PET imaging in combination with robust cognitive measures and a detailed neuropsychological battery.
Applicant qualifications:
• Must have a PhD or MD/PhD in relevant psychology or neuroscience-related areas
• Expertise in MRI neuroimaging analysis software such as FSL, SPM, or AFNI and statistical analyses
• Experience analyzing fMRI data (experience with high-resolution fMRI or a focus on hippocampal subfields would be preferred)
• Experience also analyzing PET imaging data would be preferred, but not required
• Excellent organizational and communication skills (both oral and written)
• Ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with a team
• Strong programming skills using MATLAB, R, or Python are required
This position has guaranteed funding for two years. There are also opportunities to apply for funding through the Rice Academy of Postdoctoral Fellows and to submit NIH fellowships (NRSA). The postdoctoral fellow would be able to start analyzing a large existing dataset which includes both fMRI and PET imaging data. This dataset includes high-resolution fMRI scans during a two-day memory task, DTI, resting state, and high-resolution structural scans. Participants also have PET scans (amyloid and tau) and cognitive measures. They would also be involved in developing an fMRI processing pipeline for the lab.
The postdoctoral fellow will have access to resources to develop their own projects which may include new task development, behavioral, fMRI, and/or PET projects as well as projects utilizing existing behavioral and imaging data. The lab is located in the Texas Medical Center, which is the largest medical complex in the world, making clinical populations easily accessible.
Interested applicants should send a brief description of research interests, technical skill set, and curriculum vitae, including contact information for three references to stephanieleal@rice.edu.
Lab website: memory.rice.edu
Email: stephanieleal@rice.edu
