Job Offer: Postdoctoral Researcher in Stimulation Model Building to Simulate DIGITAL TWIN Brain Models in EBRAINS
Institute: Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille University, France Website: http://ins-amu.fr/
Summary:
The Theoretical Neuroscience Group (TNG), led by Viktor Jirsa, is currently accepting applications for a postdoctoral position aligned with the initiatives of the EBRAINS 2.0 project. The successful candidate will contribute to Work Package 3 (WP3), focusing on the development of the modeling and simulation framework essential for realizing the Digital Twin vision. More specifically, the selected candidate will be involved in tasks related to providing multiscale model building and simulation tools for Digital Twins, with the focus on stimulation.
As a postdoctoral researcher, the candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing in TVB high-resolution brain models capable of simulating electrical stimulation. Specifically, the project will aim to improve the performance of neural field simulation through techniques such as spectral truncation of high-resolution connectivity and adaptation of simulator algorithms to vectorized hardware. This will then become a core element of the inference workflows that will be developed using machine learning techniques. The new personalized workflows will be applied for modeling diagnostic stimulation in drug-resistant epilepsy (and possibly in Alzheimer’s Disease) and for therapeutic stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease.
The candidate is expected to be familiar with concepts from Nonlinear Dynamics, and with model inversion techniques such as simulation based inference, which will be used to address issues related to model degeneracy and resilience. The successful candidate will join a dedicated team developing models and methodologies for better explanation of neuroimaging data in different diseases (Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy).
The core of this innovative project revolves around the Virtual Brain Twin platform, which leverages big data, multiscale modeling, and high-performance computing. It will be seamlessly integrated into the EBRAINS ecosystem, which is a major player in the European digital neuroscience research infrastructure (https://www.ebrains.eu/).
Required Qualifications:
PhD (or equivalent) in computational neuroscience, physics, engineering, or related discipline.
Experience in one or more of the project research topics, including Brain Network Models, Dynamical systems, and Simulation-based inference.
Proficiency in programming with Python, with expertise in scientific computing packages.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
Desired Qualifications:
Experience in a research or academic environment, or a background in neuroscience.
Familiarity with TVB and with Machine Learning (Jax/Pytorch/Tensorflow).
Experience running parallelized large-scale simulations on supercomputers.
Expertise in time-series analysis, data science and data visualization.
Qualifications:
Successful candidates should have a robust background in computational neuroscience, specifically related to networks and dynamical system theory. Familiarity with scientific programming and machine learning or statistics is preferred, and candidates should possess strong programming experience with Python, and languages such as Julia, or C++.
About The Theoretical Neuroscience Group:
We are a multinational and interdisciplinary team dedicated to unraveling the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work encompasses mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics, the analysis of human brain imaging data, and the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks, particularly in the context of brain disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis, and healthy aging.
Terms of Salary and Employment:
(Include relevant information on salary, benefits, and other employment terms.)
The initial appointment is for one year, with the potential for extension up to three years.
Application Deadline:
The position will remain open until filled.
Starting Date:
January 2023
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for references, to giovanna.RAMOS-QUEDA@univ-amu.fr and lisa.otten@univ-amu.fr Please specify "Postdoc Application - Stimulation for Brain Network Models" in the subject line.
We look forward to welcoming a highly motivated and qualified postdoctoral researcher to our team to advance our understanding of large-scale brain network models in the context of neuroscience and psychiatric disorder research.
UMR 1106 – Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes INS Faculté de Médecine de la Timone
27 Bd Jean Moulin - 13385 Marseille cedex 05. France
Tel : + 33 (0) 4 91 32 42 21 ou 23 | Fax : + 33 (0) 4 91 78 99 14