The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology (CAPP) offers a position as PhD student in the BRainImaging, Development and GEnetics (BRIDGE) study. BRIDGE is a longitudinal study investigating the development of psychopathology, cognition and brain measures in offspring of parents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Recently, we finished the second wave of the study which took place close to 4 year after the baseline measurement.

The research will focus on longitudinal brain imaging. Specifically, an innovative method to quantify intracortical myelin profiles in regions of interest will be used to investigate temporal aspects of intracortical myelin in adolescents at familial high risk for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and adolescents with parents without a psychiatric diagnosis (aged 8-18 year at baseline). Additionally, (structural and functional) connectomics is part of this project. Profiel

• You have a strong background in neuroscience;
• Affinity with a pediatric population is important;
• Good command (oral and written) of English is required. A good command of Dutch is a advantage;
• Writing skills must be excellent and experience with neuro-imaging, programming (i.e. R, Matlab, python or C) and (multivariate) statistics is mandatory;
• You should have a high level of motivation and commitment to produce accurate and high-quality work;
• You possess excellent interpersonal, organizational, analytical, and documentation skills.
• It is important that you are able to work both independently and within a team.

Being able to present a certificate of good conduct, a valid proof of identity, diploma's and/ or relevant registration such as BIG/ RGS are conditions for the appointment.

The position will be temporary, initially for 1 year, with the intention to extend to 4 years.The gross monthly salary is € 2.422 ,- in the 1st year and increases to € 3.103,- in the 4th year (scale OIO). The terms of employment are according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for Dutch University Medical Centers (CAO UMC).

Erasmus MC

The Department of CAPP is the only independent department for child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology in the Netherlands that is integrated within a university medical center. Research in the department of CAPP department focuses on general population samples and clinical epidemiology (in populations at risk for severe mental illness, psychiatrically ill children and adolescence as well as somatically ill youth with psychiatric or psychological problems). CAPP is part of the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences (NIHES).

The department is leading in Europe as far as standardized diagnostic assessment procedures are concerned and is internationally one of the strongest centers conducting etiological epidemiological research in the field of child psychopathology. The department of CAPP brings together clinical services, research, education and training to offer care and treatment, based upon reliable research evidence. The department of CAPP has extensive collaborations with the department of Neuroscience, Clinical Genetics, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Neurology.