Post-doc position - Tandon
School of Engineering, New York University
Project title: Robotics may
help unravel the biological determinants of substance use disorders: studies in
zebrafish
A two-year post-doc position is available in the Dynamical
Systems Laboratory (DSL) at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, for work on a project
combining robotics, behavior, and preclinical models to study the fundamental
mechanisms governing substance use disorders.
Substance use disorders, the continuous use of psychoactive
substances in spite of negative consequences for the individual, constitute a
major societal and economic burden. While many individuals have had experience
with drugs, only few develop specific disorders associated with such use.
Although both genetic and environmental factors play a crucial role, their
precise contribution has remained elusive.
The selected candidate will conduct a project aimed at
advancing this field of investigation through the combination of robotics and
ethology. Specifically, she/he will perform a series of behavioral studies in
zebrafish, a rapidly emerging laboratory animal species characterized by: a
fully sequenced genome; a short intergeneration time; and a rapid adaptability
to different environments.
Although the aforementioned characteristics may beget
remarkable advancements, zebrafish behavioral studies are flawed by the
following limitations: the 3D swimming behavioral pattern is predominantly
addressed through a 2D approach; the experimental stimuli against which focal
fish behavior is tested are generally constituted of live animals, which offer
inconsistent stimuli; and finally, social behavior is scored through methods
that investigate group variables, but fail to quantify the behavior exhibited
by an individual subject swimming in a group. Herein, we will bridge these gaps
through an innovative robotics-enabled platform, coupled with a 3D tracking
system to automatically investigate zebrafish individual and social behavior.
The latter will allow for investigating how a single individual – exposed to
ethanol, sedatives, or stimulants – behaves in isolation, or once introduced in
a group of untreated shoal-members.
This project poses technological and methodological hurdles
that will be addressed by the selected candidate in collaboration with a team
of scientists composed of engineers, biologists, psychologists, and
mathematicians.
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD who is fascinated by
the mechanisms underlying drug addiction and excited by the theoretical and
technological challenges posed by this project. The work will include both
handling and behavioral observations of zebrafish as well as laboratory work to
analyze the collected data. Consequently, the ideal applicant will have
training in animal experiments and psychopharmacology. More generally, the
successful candidate is expected to have: i) a demonstrated ability to conduct
original research, theoretical or experimental, as evidenced by high-quality
journal publications; ii) outstanding English language oral and written
communication skills; iii) a strong work ethic with the ability to work
independently as well as in a research group; and iv) evidence of good
project/laboratory management skills. The successful candidate will also
collaborate with Dr. Simone Macrí (Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Rome, Italy)
and Prof. Sachit Butail (Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL). A PhD in
Bioengineering, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Ecology, Neuroscience, or
closely related fields is required.
The DSL was established over ten years ago by Prof.
Maurizio Porfiri (Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering) and is the home of a highly-collaborative and interdisciplinary
group of young scholars, with complementary expertise across theory and
experiments. The director of the DSL, Prof. Porfiri, is the author of
approximately 250 journal publications and the recipient of numerous professional
awards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurizio_Porfiri).
Candidates are encouraged to contact Prof. Porfiri via
email (mporfiri@nyu.edu). The email to Prof. Porfiri should include a detailed
curriculum vitae, a one-page statement of past research experience, and a list
of references. Review of applications will begin immediately and the candidate
is expected to join as early as December 2017.