Postdoctoral fellow position:
Understanding how the noradrenergic system contributes to Alzheimer’s disease using cognitive computational modeling and multimodal neuroimaging at Massachusetts General Hospital
The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, located within the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Boston, Massachusetts, has an opening for a highly qualified postdoctoral individual to work with Dr. Heidi Jacobs. The Jacobs lab is focused on improving the early detection and early treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The lab focuses on the neuromodulatory subcortical nuclei, in particular the locus coeruleus, using a variety of approaches, including 3T MRI, 7T MRI, PET imaging, pupil measurements, physiological recordings, blood-based markers, cognitive assessments and perturbational approaches, such as pharmacological manipulations and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation.
We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow with a background in cognitive computational, and/or biophysical modeling, including frameworks such as predictive coding/processing, to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying how the noradrenergic locus coeruleus system contributes to tau progression and cognitive decline. Although these approaches have a strong tradition in psychiatry, they are increasingly recognized as promising tools for understanding Alzheimer's disease: the noradrenergic system has been computationally linked to the regulation of belief updating and exploration/exploitation balance, and given that the noradrenergic locus coeruleus is one of the first systems to undergo neurodegenerative and functional changes in Alzheimer's disease, these frameworks offer a principled and largely untapped lens through which we can study cognitive decline and disease progression. The Jacobs Lab is actively expanding in this direction and is looking for candidates who are eager to bring this expertise, help shape this line of work, and forge collaborations that bridge the behavioral computational and clinical neuroscience communities. This position is particularly suited to candidates with demonstrated experience linking such models to in vivo human neuroimaging and who are excited by the opportunity to apply these methods in neurodegenerative diseases.
The project will involve integrating multimodal imaging (e.g., sMRI, fMRI, (f)MRS, PET) with pupillometry and advanced modeling approaches, including dynamic causal modeling (DCM), reinforcement learning of behavior, and prediction-error modeling, in observational and pharmacological manipulation studies. In parallel, the lab develops approaches to characterize heterogeneity and temporal trajectories of disease progression using large-scale, well-characterized longitudinal datasets. The lab also evaluates specific monoaminergic PET tracers to characterize age- and Alzheimer's disease-related molecular changes in the noradrenergic and serotonergic systems. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to these ongoing projects depending on expertise and interests. The Jacobs Lab consists of a multidisciplinary team of two instructors, three postdocs, two PhD students, two clinical research coordinators, and one project manager.
The work in this project will be performed at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown Navy Yard. The candidate will be part of ongoing collaborations and work in a stimulating and inspiring environment. Our research group values open communication, motivation, optimism, mutual respect, teamwork, and innovative thinking. Dr. Jacobs is highly committed to individualized mentoring to help trainees achieve the most out of their postdoctoral candidature and to move forward in their career. At a minimum, the training environment will include professional development, one-on-one meetings, group lab meetings, frequent seminars and journal clubs, opportunities to present their work at national and international scientific conferences (i.e. Human Amyloid Imaging, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference), collaborations with partners within and outside MGH, and manuscript preparation for publication in high-impact journals. Dr. Jacobs has a strong funding record and will strongly encourage and provide mentorship in grant applications. Her trainees have a strong publication record, obtained competitive awards/grants, and many have secured faculty or senior positions.
Requirements: Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience, Computational Modeling, Bio/medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Neuroimaging, or related disciplines. A strong publication record, including at least three first-author peer-reviewed publications with demonstrated research experience in neuroimaging combined with cognitive computational modeling is required. Essential qualifications include: deep neuroscience understanding of and strong expertise in fMRI analyses and other neuroimaging methods (e.g. MRS, PET), advanced programming skills (e.g., Python, MATLAB), experience with computational modeling (e.g. DCM), and a solid background in signal processing. Candidates must be able or willing to learn to relate neuroimaging findings within a pathobiological framework for neurodegenerative diseases. The candidate should be highly motivated, a strong communicator (verbally and in scientific writing), have an internal drive to learn independently, and be comfortable working as part of a larger collaborative team. A real necessity is a passion for science and a positive attitude. Experience in Alzheimer’s disease/aging/memory-related research would be beneficial. Start date is negotiable.
Apply: The successful candidate will have joint appointments at MGH and HMS. If interested, please send your CV, letter describing interests, background, major achievements, skills, goals and contact information for three professional references. Please send application materials to Dr. Heidi Jacobs, Associate Professor of Radiology, at [email protected] (www.heidijacobs.org)