Post-doc position on all-optical interrogation of auditory processing using ultra-fast acousto-optic two-photon microscopy
Currently open positions can be found below. We are also always looking for talented & motivated young scientists to work on diverse research projects. Don't hesitate to send an email to discuss any opportunity (brice.bathellier@cnrs.fr).
The Bathellier lab is interested in the circuit principles of auditory processing in the mouse auditory cortex. The lab has recently shown using mesoscopic stimulation of targeted neural ensembles that auditory cortex is causally engaged in sound-driven decisions during discrimination of sounds, which differ by their temporal variations, but not of sounds that widely differ in their frequency content (Ceballo et al., Neuron, 2019). One goal of the lab now, is to investigate at high resolution the properties of cortical sound representations leading to this computational specificity, and to unveil the circuit mechanism by which these representations emerge. To achieve this, we are collaborating with the Dieudonné lab who recently demonstrated feasibility of voltage sensor imaging at high speed with acousto-optic two-photon microscopy (Villette et al., Cell, 2019). We aim to couple this novel technique to optogenetic stimulation at single cell resolution to uncover the causal relationships between local cortical connectivity and neuronal tuning. The same stimulation technique will be used to further establish the ensemble of neurons that are involved in sensory decisions during complex sound discriminations.
For this ambitious project, based on cutting-edge optical techniques, molecular methods, neurophysiology and animal behavior, we are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong track record in in vivo neurophysiology, imaging and/or optogenetics. Previous knowledge in optical methods for neuroscience is welcome and will be a plus. Expertise in programming data analysis will be extremely helpful in order to design the experiment and fully exploit the high-resolution data.
The Bathellier lab offers a dynamic research environment, in the heart of Paris, combining modern imaging and electrophysiology techniques, with computational modeling and mouse behavior. The lab is part of the new Hearing Institute, located in the Bastille area and operated by the Institut Pasteur and INSERM. The lab has many connections with the vivid neuroscience community in Paris, including labs at the Vision Institute, the Ecole Normale Superieure, NeuroSpin and NeuroPSI.
The position will remained opened until filled.
Ceballo et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31727548/
Villette et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31835034/