As a research assistant you will work on three related projects that all focus on the identification of biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental conditions. Will you join our team?As part of two large European consortia, AIMS-2-TRIALS and CANDY, both funded by the European Union, we conduct three clinical studies.
Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP)A new follow-up assessment of LEAP. The main aim is to identify prognostic, stratification, and/or outcome biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children, adolescents and adults with ASD. LEAP is a multi-site multi-disciplinary study that employs a longitudinal design. Target numbers for Nijmegen are 110 ASD participants and 70 controls. Phenotyping involves questionnaires and semi-structured interviews probing the presence and severity of ASD and comorbidities. The MRI session includes structural MRI, MRS, resting state and DTI. Further, EEG/ERP measures, eye-tracking measures and measures for sensory processing, and tablet and computer based tasks are administered to assess neurocogniton.
Preschool Brain Imaging and Behaviour Project (PIP)In this study we conduct a multi-site case control study in preschoolers age 3-5 year with ASD, ADHD or Intellectual Disability, and healthy controls over 3 time points. Phenotyping involves questionnaires and semi-structured interviews probing the presence and severity of ASD, ADHD and comorbidities. The MRI session is conducted in the evening hours, while the preschoolers are asleep, and includes structural MRI, MRS, resting state functional and diffusion MRI. Further, EEG/ERP measures, eye-tracking measures and measures for sensory processing, and tablet and computer based tasks are administered to assess neurocognition.
MULTIPLEX studyThis is a study in families with multiple individuals affected with ASD, ADHD and/or Intellectual Disability. The focus here is on careful phenotyping by questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.
Tasks and responsibilities
- Contacting and inviting participants or their families and scheduling assessments.
- Administering and scoring clinical, behavioural and cognitive measures.
- Collecting EEG/ERP and eye-tracking measures.
- Acquiring MRI measures.
- Data processing and storage.
- Frequent communication (through teleconferences etc.) with the teams at the other sites.