Hippocampal neurogenesis is an ongoing process in adult human brain. Adult-born neurons confer a wide range of functional advantages via increasing memory flexibility and resolution. Deficits in adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) occur early on in the progress of Alzheimer’s pathology, while AHN levels correlate with the cognitive reserve in Alzheimer’s and other neuropathologies. Our goal is to identify the regulators of AHN that go astray in neurodegeneration and target them therapeutically to restore the brain’s neurogenic potential and improve memory function.

Job description

You are expected to:

• Actively collaborate with the other members of the laboratory and other groups
• Work independently, organize, plan and drive your research project
• Perform advanced data analysis, present and interpret your data; troubleshoot
• Report your findings in formats that could generate interest of leading journals
• Be responsible for general lab organization tasks

You should expect from us:

• Mentoring, supervision and training
• Access to state-of-the art infrastructure
• A stimulating international research environment

Desired skills and experience

Essential:

• PhD or master degree or equivalent in neuroscience
• Experience in an experimental biology laboratory/research environment
• Experience with mouse experiments; you have a Felasa B certificate or are willing to acquire it
• Ability to perform mouse surgery, mouse perfusion or mouse brain dissection will be a plus
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Strong publication record in relevant scientific journals (for postdoctoral applicants)
• You are self-motivated, passionate about science and able to learn quickly
• You are organized and methodological and have great time-management skills
• You are a team player and can take responsibility

Desired but not required:

• Hands-on experience with the following is an asset: confocal imaging, single-cell/nuclei transcriptomics, viral vectors, stereotactical injections in adult mouse brain, cell culture, bioinformatics (R and/or Python)

We offer an exciting job at a dynamic research institute and an attractive package of fringe benefits.

The position is for a period of 3 or 4 years in total for a postdoctoral researcher or PhD-student, respectively. The first appointment is for one year with an extension for the remaining period pending on an evaluation.

The salary is in accordance with the regulations for academic personnel. For a postdoc it will range from €41.477,- up to a maximum of €59.647 per year and for a PhD student from €32.447,- up to a maximum of €41.477,- per year. This annual salary is before tax, (including holiday and end of year allowance) based on a full-time appointment, and depending on expertise and previous experience. Gross monthly salaries are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) for Dutch Universities.

Additionally, the housing department of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience assists foreign employees and students in finding accommodation.

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience

The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience is an Academy research institute. It conducts basic and strategic research in the neurosciences. It examines how the human brain makes awareness, perception, movement, learning, social interaction and other cognitive functions possible. It also studies how brain disorders can disrupt these functions.

Team

Dr. Evgenia Salta is starting up a new lab at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience as of 1st July 2020. The aim of our research group is to study how adult hippocampal neurogenesis is regulated in human brain, how this regulation is impacted by neurodegeneration and whether adult hippocampal neurogenesis can be restored in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, to ameliorate memory deficits. We employ a large variety of molecular, cellular, imaging and in vivo approaches, including the use of mouse genetic models, postmortem human brain material, single-cell/nuclei RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics.

Hippocampal neurogenesis is an ongoing process in adult human brain. Adult-born neurons confer a wide range of functional advantages via increasing memory flexibility and resolution. Deficits in adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) occur early on in the progress of Alzheimer’s pathology, while AHN levels correlate with the cognitive reserve in Alzheimer’s and other neuropathologies. Our goal is to identify the regulators of AHN that go astray in neurodegeneration and target them therapeutically to restore the brain’s neurogenic potential and improve memory function.