Position for a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Position for a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences,
Stellenbosch University
A postdoctoral position is available at the MRC Unit on Anxiety & Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Stellenbosch University (SU). The position involves work on a collaborative psychiatric genetics and brain imaging project between this Unit, the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, and the Cape Universities Brain Imaging Centre (CUBIC).
The project entails an imaging-genetics-environment paradigm in which the impact of (the interaction between) selected genes in the glutamatergic system (e.g. GRIN2B and SLC1A1), and BDNF and SAPAP3 – which may have an impact on white matter integrity and/or interact with this system – and childhood trauma, on white matter volume in regions of interest in healthy controls, and patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or hair-pulling disorder (trichotillomania, or HPD), will be investigated. Ultimately, this project will render the opportunity for the candidate to collaborate with experts in psychodiagnostic interviewing, genetics and neuroimaging, and related statistics, on a project aiming to relate imaging findings not only to genes and their expression, but also to environmental influences, which may be related to such processes, and to further our understanding of the brain.
Depending on his/her academic background and experience, the candidate will perform the activities related to all aspects of the study (i.e. clinical / genetics / brain imaging).
The Faculty of Health Sciences is situated 20 minutes’ drive from central Cape Town and 30 minutes from Stellenbosch campus. Tygerberg and its surrounding areas offer excellent quality of life and easy access to the city and the countryside. This area is well-known for its beautiful mountains, beaches, and winelands.
Applicants should have a PhD-degree and a strong background in psychology / psychiatry / molecular biology / brain imaging. Previous experience of patient assessment and/or genotyping and gene expression in humans and/or brain imaging is essential.
For more information, please contact Prof Christine Lochner on 021 – 938 9179 / email: cl2@sun.ac.za or Prof Dan Stein on 021 – 404 2164 / Dan.Stein@uct.ac.za.
To apply, send a covering letter, a CV containing details of previous courses and associated grades and the email addresses of 3 referees to the above addresses.
Posisie as na-doktorale navorsingsgenoot by die Fakulteit van Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe, Stellenbosch Universiteit
‘n Posisie as na-doktorale navorsingsgenoot is by die MNR Eenheid vir Angs- en Stressteurings, Departement van Psigiatrie, Fakulteit van Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe, Stellenbosch Universiteit, beskikbaar.
Aansoekers moet ‘n PhD-graad en ‘n sterk agtergrond in sielkunde / psigiatrie / molekulêre biologie / breinbeelding hê. Vorige ondervinding van pasiënt-assessering en/of genotipering en geen-uitdrukking in mense en/of breinbeelding is noodsaaklik.
Vir meer inligting, kontak asb Prof Christine Lochner by 021 – 938 9179 / epos: cl2@sun.ac.za of Prof Dan Stein by 021 – 404 2164 / Dan.Stein@uct.ac.za.
Om aansoek te doen, stuur ‘n dekbrief, ‘n CV met inligting oor vorige kursusse en geassosieërde grade en die epos-adresse van 3 referente na die bogenoemde adresse.
