Postdoctoral Fellow

Short summary

The Schmack lab studies the biological mechanisms underlying psychosis. Our goal is to develop new biological treatments for psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and to generate fundamental insights into how the brain generates perceptions and thoughts. We are working on the interface of psychiatry, neuroscience and immunology. We are committed to visionary and rigorous science that is driven by shared passion and individual growth, and that pushes the boundaries of biological knowledge relevant to disease. We study human patients and mice using a range of methods including psychometric experiments, computational modelling, targeted neural circuit manipulations, and immunological techniques.

Lab web page: https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/katharina-schmack

Key Responsibilities

Motivated by the emerging role of the brain in controlling immune responses and the immune system in psychosis, this project will examine the interplay between neuronal dynamics and immune processes in a psychosis mouse model. The project will employ a variety of techniques from computational psychiatry (e.g., psychometric behavioral tasks, cognitive modeling), systems neuroscience (e.g., high-density electrophysiological recordings, opto- and chemogenetics, endoscopic calcium imaging) and immunology (e.g., active and passive immunization, flow cytometry).

This is an excellent opportunity for a neuroscientist to contribute to a basic science research program relevant to psychiatry. The Schmack lab strives to provide a nurturing environment for all lab members regardless of background with an emphasis on professional growth and career development. Postdoctoral Scientists are expected to lead their own projects and to contribute to other projects on a collaborative basis. Postdoctoral Scientists are further expected to pro-actively develop their mentoring and people management skills and to guide PhD and other students in their research. All lab members are expected to commit to the lab’s vision (see Research Group above) and to actively contribute to a productive and positive lab atmosphere.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and disease. Its work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL, Imperial College London and King’s College London.

The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under in one building in Europe.

The Francis Crick Institute will be world-class with a strong national role. Its distinctive vision for excellence includes commitments to collaboration; developing emerging talent and exporting it the rest of the UK; public engagement; and helping turn discoveries into treatments as quickly as possible to improve lives and strengthen the economy.

• If you are interested in applying for this role, please apply via the ‘Apply’ button above.
• All offers of employment are subject to successful security screening and continuous eligibility to work in the United Kingdom.

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