A post-doctoral position is immediately available for a period of 18 months (ending September 30, 2017) within the research group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (Drs. Charlotte Cornil and Jacques Balthazart) at the University of Liege to study brain plasticity in songbirds. This research is part of a larger research network funded in Belgium of study brain plasticity during ontogeny and during seasonal cycles using zebra Ninches, canaries and starlings as animal models (see http://www.iuap-plastoscine.org/). A variety of approaches are used in this network ranging from magnetic resonance imaging to genomic and epigenomic approaches.
Our work focuses on steroid-induced changes in singing behavior and in the song control system. The candidate will be working on these topics and therefore experience in behavioral recording, (avian) neuroanatomy and/or song analysis will be welcome. However, it is understood that past experience in all these domains is unlikely to be found in any candidate and this position will be a good occasion to learn new techniques.
The research group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology is part of the GIGA Neurosciences (Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée, Interdisciplinary Group of Applied Genomics and proteomics including 90 to 100 scientists). All researchers in the Cornil/Balthazart group have free access to all technical facilities of the GIGA neurosciences including fully equipped laboratories for molecular biology, protein chemistry, HPLC, cell culture, histology, light, confocal and electron microscopy, histology and electrophysiology. We also have exclusive use to a newly renovated animal facility dedicated to avian research that includes two rooms for housing canaries in controlled photoperiodic conditions (up to 80 birds per room), sound proof boxes with constant video and sound recording, one quarantine room, one surgery room (equipped with gas anesthesia, stereotaxic apparatus, appropriate hoods), one perfusion room and two rooms for behavioral testing.
Candidates are invited to send, by email preferably, their curriculum vitae, a letter of motivation and a list of 3 people who could be contacted for reference to Dr. Jacques Balthazart at the GIGA Neurosciences, 15 avenue Hippocrate, Tour de pharmacie, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. Phone: 04-366.59.70 Fax: 04-366.59.71 E-mail: jbalthazart@ulg.ac.be.
More information on the laboratory can be found at:
http://www.giga.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_23913/fr/laboratory-of-neuroendocrinologyhome
or
http://www2.ulg.ac.be/bioneuro/
Applications will be evaluated immediately and the position will be Nilled as soon as a suitable candidate has been identiNied.