PhD in Neurosciences in Argentina
The Laboratory of Neural Circuits of Emotions of the CONICET, Argentina, looks for and advanced or recently graduated student to start a PhD in April 2019 Research Line: Negative Value Brain Circuits In order to survive in a changing environment, animals must make correct evaluations of the value of the stimuli. These evaluations are made by means of neural circuits that connect the brain superior structures with the brainstem. In this project we will advance in the understanding of these circuits studying the physiology of the Lateral Habenula, the brain nucleus responsible for assigning negative values.
The lab will study how the synaptic connections of the Lateral Habenula are modified during learning and in pathological situations such as depression using rats and mice as a model.Technically use state of the art tools for the analysis of neuronal circuits (optogenetics and imaging of calcium in vivo and in vitro, intersectional tracing) as well as patch-clamp electrophysiology in brain slices will be used. The project will be developed in the new IFIBYNE building, in Buenos Aires. (http://www.ifibyne.fcen.uba.ar/new/institucional-y-autoridades/proyecto-nuevo-edificio/).
Those interested should contact Joaquín Piriz by mail: pirizjoaquin@gmail.com attaching CV (including career average) and motivation letter. Selected candidate will be sponsored for a CONICET PhD fellowhip. Deadline for application is July 13. It is required to be able to graduate before April 2019.
Publications on the Subject:
• Anesthesia drug ketamine may fight depression by muzzling ‘bursting’ brain cells (doi:10.1126/science.aat3277)
• Mood regulation. GABA/glutamate co-release controls habenula output and is modified by anti-depressant treatment. Science 2014 (doi: 10.1126/science.1250469).
• Lateral Habenula determines long-term storage of aversive memories. Front Behav Neurosci.(doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00170)• Synaptic potentiation onto habenula neurons in the learned helplessness model of depression.
