5 Apr
2016
5 Apr
'16
11:46 a.m.
It's at Northwestern, not McLean.
Full-Time Postdoctoral Fellowship in Infant Neuroimaging Department of Medical Social
Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago Illinois
We are seeking a full-time postdoctoral fellow for the "When to Worry" (W2W)
Study, designed to identify atypical patterns and neural bases of irritability in the
first years of life (12-36 mos.) (PI Lauren Wakschlag, funded by the National Institutes
of Mental Health). The study will be based in the Developmental Mechanisms Program in the
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern
University (http://www.mss.northwestern.edu/research/developmental.html).
The study will employ intensive, state-of-the-art, multi-modal, neurodevelopmental
measurement longitudinally in a sample of 350 infants, including dimensional methods,
real-time irritability assessment, eye tracking, and infant MRI during natural sleep. The
postdoctoral fellow will be an integral member of this scientific team and will have rich
opportunities to publish throughout the study, drawing both on data from W2W, and multiple
neurodevelopmental studies of irritability and its clinical import from across the
laboratories of the investigative team. The fellow will also be encouraged and supported
to develop supplementary studies via the NIH NRSA mechanism. The postdoctoral fellow will
oversee MRI assessments and neurobehavioral assessments of emergent executive control
using eye-tracking methods, under the direction of neuroscientists Maria Kharitonova and
John Gilmore. The translational investigative team also includes experts in developmental
psychopathology, epidemiology and longitudinal modeling (Margaret Briggs-Gowan, Amelie
Petitclerc, & Ryne Estabrook)), real time assessment (Megan Roberts), and cognitive
neuroscience (Ellen Leibenluft, Susan Perlman, Daniel Pine & Joel Voss).
W2W will utilize the neuroimaging facility maintained by the Department of Radiology,
including two research-dedicated 3T MRI scanners
(www.cti.northwestern.edu<http://www.cti.northwestern.edu>)u>). The Northwestern
University Feinberg School of Medicine provides an ideal training environment for
postdoctoral fellows, coordinated by the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN:
www.nuin.northwestern.edu<http://www.nuin.northwestern.edu>)u>). The Northwestern
University Postdoctoral Forum is an organization of postdoctoral fellows that provides
additional resources for career and personal development. NU's Innovations in
Developmental Sciences (DevSci: devsci.northwestern.edu) program also provides a
cross-campus network of interdisciplinary biomedical and social scientists focused on how
early development shapes lifecourse health and disease.
Position requires a PhD or MD/PhD in a neuroscience-related field. The ideal candidate
will have prior experience with acquisition and processing of infant neuroimaging data
including scan acquisition and computer-assisted image analysis pipelines for gray and
white matter analysis of infant scans. Candidates with broader pediatric neuroimaging
training will also be considered. Training/experience in developmental cognitive
neuroscience, developmental psychopathology and strong computational abilities are
strongly preferred. Individuals with a background in infant cognition or related areas who
are seeking training in developmentally sensitive neuroimaging are encouraged to apply.
The successful candidate will have an excellent publication record with demonstrated
interest in developmental science, and will combine a collaborative orientation with the
ability to function well independently.
The postdoctoral fellowship will begin as soon as possible and may extend up to five
years. Applicants will be considered until the position is filled. To apply, please send a
cover letter, C.V. and the names of three references to: Martha Neary, M.Sc., W2W Project
Coordinator @martha.neary@northwestern.edu.