EU FP7 ITN EXTRABRAIN Research & Training Network
searches for 2 outstanding PhD candidates with background in  microscopy or/and optical physics.

2 PhD student positions are available (starting Feb 2014). ESR3:    ECM-mediated regulation of GABAB receptors and schizophrenia (lead: DZNE-2a, partners: MPG, NENCKI)
The project aims to characterize the mechanisms by which the extracellular matrix regulates activities of GABABRs, to determine the role of these mechanisms in schizophrenia and to suppress maladaptive plasticity by interfering with ECM and GABAergic inhibition in animal models of schizophrenia.

The PhD fellowships are available at the Molecular Neuroplasticity Research Group in DZNE Magdeburg headed by Prof. Alexander Dityatev. The group is investigating the role of cell adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules in physiological and pathological plasticity, particularly in rodent models of dementia, epilepsy and schizophrenia, using patch clamp and multielectrode array recordings, functional imaging, optogenetics, viral, enzymatic and pharmacological manipulations in vitro and in vivo.

Successful candidates will have Master degree in Physics or Computational Neuroscience and advanced experience in two photon/confocal microscopy or/and MATLAB. The projects are supposed to be completed within 3 years and the starting date for the each of the positions is February 1, 2014
Salary depends on the qualification of the candidates and is in the range of 20 000 – 40 000 EUR/year.
Applicants should send their curriculum vitae, list of publications, and list of references by email to: stoyanborislavov.stoyanov@dzne.de