Opportunities

NMRC members in action at a PD Walk

Available Positions

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Post-Doctoral Associate: Sleep-specific DBS for Parkinson's Disease JobID# 374550

Post-Doctoral Associate: Sleep-specific DBS for Parkinson's Disease

Job ID# 374550

Position Summary:

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) at the University of Minnesota is seeking a Post-Doctoral Associate to study the brain mechanisms involved in disordered sleep in
Parkinson's disease (PD) and develop sleep-specific deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapies. Under the direction of Luke Johnson, PhD and Jerrold Vitek, MD PhD, the Post-Doctoral Associate will work collaboratively within the NMRC on a clinical research project and have the unique opportunity to perform cortical and subcortical electrophysiological recordings across the sleep- wake cycle in patients receiving DBS implants. The Post-Doctoral Associate may also be involved in a study utilizing high-field 7T MRI fiber tractography and computational modeling to associate pathway activation patterns with sleep outcomes following clinically optimized DBS in PD patients. The Post-Doctoral Associate's research will provide a better understanding of the brain circuitry involved in disordered sleep in PD, contribute to the development of electrophysiological based strategies (e.g., closed-loop DBS) for the treatment of sleep-wake disturbances, and provide the rationale for selection of DBS targets and programming settings in PD patients for whom sleep disturbances play a major role in their disease. 

We are a large collaborative research team and part of the NIH funded University of Minnesota Udall Center of Excellence in PD Research (Center Director: Jerrold Vitek MD PhD). Our research involves collaborations across multiple fields including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology, and Biostatistics. We also have a robust preclinical translational research program that includes sleep studies in the nonhuman primate model of PD. Together this provides a vibrant training and research environment for the Post-Doctoral Associate. 

The candidate should have a strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity. Candidates with a background in sleep
physiology are especially encouraged to apply.

Work Schedule: Hybrid, M-F, 8:30am - 5pm

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

  • 75% Research Duties: Data collection, analysis, method development, publication of results in manuscripts, proceedings, and conference abstracts.
  • 10% Supervision and Project Management: Manage junior lab members, and volunteers to ensure timely completion of project aims.
  • 5% Career Development: Professional skills, leadership training, technical skills development.
  • 5% Outreach: Patient/community outreach, Industry Partnerships.
  • 5% Travel: Attending/presenting at local/national/international conferences.
     

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar field.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others.
  • Strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity.
  • Strong record of presenting research results through publications and conference abstracts.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Programming in MATLAB.
  • A background in sleep physiology.

About the Department

To learn more about the Department of Neurology, please visit https://med.umn.edu/neurology. 

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $65,480 annually – $79,076 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.


JobID# 374550

Post-Doctoral Associate: Pathophysiology of PD JobID# 376342

Post-Doctoral Associate: Pathophysiology of PD

Job ID# 376342

Position Summary: 

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC), at the University of Minnesota, seeks a postdoctoral associate to study the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD), in a progressive, preclinical, MPTP rhesus macaque model of disease progression. In particular, we are looking for candidates with interest and experience with high density recording approaches, building on recent work in our lab establishing acute and semi-chronic Neuropixel implantation approaches targeting basal ganglia, thalamus and cortex. Neural recordings are acquired across the basal ganglia thalamo-cortical circuit to examine changes in cell population dynamics, oscillatory activity, and connectivity as motor signs develop and become more severe, and as they improve with treatment conditions. These studies aim to provide the rationale for development of neuromodulatory approaches designed to reshape network activity.

Under the supervision of Luke Johnson, PhD and Jerrold Vitek, MD PhD, the associate will work collaboratively within the NMRC on an existing project supporting the collection and analysis of large-scale electrophysiological data sets. Trainees will also have opportunities for clinical exposure through our robust deep brain stimulation and movement disorders clinical research program. Candidates may refer to the below papers for context relating to ongoing experiments:

Work Schedule: Hybrid, M-F, 8:30am – 5:00pm

Duties/Responsibilities:

  • 75% Research Duties: Neural data collection, analysis; experimental and method development related to the use of Neuropixel recording probes in a preclinical paradigm. Analyze single and multi-unit activity derived from distributed brain regions to assess how neural circuits coordinate in the PD condition during a multiplicity of behaviors and conditions.
  • 10% Supervision and Project Management: Manage direct junior lab members and volunteers to ensure timely completion of project aims
  • 10% Career Development: Professional skills, leadership training, technical skills development, weekly mentor meetings
  • 5% Travel and Presentations: Dissemination of research via abstracts, posters, and papers: may require travel away from the University of Minnesota campus

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar field
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others
  • Strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity
  • Strong record of presenting research results through publications and conference abstracts

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Programming in MATLAB / Python
  • Experience with electrophysiological recording and analysis techniques, particularly high density recordings such as Neuropixel

About the Department

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) involves collaborations across multiple fields including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology, and Biostatistics; melding the expertise of a diverse team into a unique translational research model. More information about our center can be found here: https://nmrc.umn.edu/

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $65,480 – $79,076 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

  • Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
  • Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
  • Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
  • Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
  • University HSA contributions
  • Disability and life insurance
  • Employee wellbeing program
  • Financial counseling services
  • Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

UMN Job Portal

Intern Funding Opportunities

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Overview

The Neuromodulation Research Center relies on the help of volunteers and interns to conduct its numerous ongoing studies in both clinical and pre-clinical labs. We are grateful to those who have dedicated their time and expertise to advancing research of movement disorders: in our labs, at outreach events, and by raising awareness. 

We hope to design programs that are academically rigorous and engage students of all disciplines in meaningful research. To that end, we have partnered with a number of organizations, both intra and extramural, to provide opportunities to better support our volunteer's experience. Below are just a few of the options that can enrich and enable research with the NMRC. We encourage students of all backgrounds to reach out with questions so that we can continuously improve our programs and provide best possible outcomes for those looking toward careers in fields related to biomedical research. If you have questions, comments, or with to discuss volunteering, please feel free to reach out to:

Wyatt Doepke
Lab Operations Scientist
[email protected]
612-626-6158

Directed Research

Directed research is conducted by UMN undergraduate students with sponsoring faculty in numerous labs on campus. This work can exist in tandem with existing projects or be completely novel research based on the paradigm, permission, and resources of the sponsoring faculty member. These projects are self-designed and proposed to the director of undergraduate studies of the student’s major and Directed Study staff. Students undertaking this research are awarded credit at the successful completion of their projects on a S/N scale.

The College of Biological Sciences has put together a great resource for those interested in directed research. Generally, at the NMRC, we require a semester’s experience in our labs before designing and applying for a directed research program.

UMN Undegraduate Funding

Of the mostly commonly awarded internal undergraduate funding mechanisms, the NMRC most often receives awards through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), the North Star Alliance programs, and MnDRIVE Brain Conditions initiative. Generally, the NMRC requires a semester’s lab experience before applying for any of these programs except the MnDRIVE award which places undergraduates with our labs on a predetermined project. Students receive direct funding to defray their tuition and research expenses. Incoming interns should begin to identify application timelines with their mentors immediately when starting at the NMRC to ensure deadlines align with their intended volunteer period.

External Undergraduate Funding

Multiple organizations offer grants in aide to undergraduate researchers either writ large or by the field of research. Some of most frequently awarded stipends include Parkinson's Foundation Summer Fellowship, a ten week mentored experience, and the North Star STEM alliance award(s) to encourage traditionally underrepresented demographics in research.

There are numerous options for recognition and funding to better support your research experience. When applying for an undergraduate research position, anywhere, consider your long-term goals. Securing independent funding is a vital skill for every principle investigator

Macalester Co-Op

The NMRC fosters a close and reciprocal relationship with Macalester College and provides for-credit internships through the Macalester Internship Office during the summer term. In the past, the NMRC has also been host to independent research undertaken as capstone projects, sponsoring students who have received Macalester specific institutional scholarships, and taken Macalester students to present their research at national conferences.

We encourage students of diverse academic backgrounds to inquire or apply!

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) offers a collaborative and translationally focused training environment, and brings together the University of Minnesota’s experts from engineering, neuroscience, neurology, neurosurgery, and radiology to advance the understanding of brain disorders and neuromodulation therapies for these disorders. 

Potential roles and levels in the NMRC range from student volunteers, junior scientists, post-doctoral fellows to research associate and faculty levels when available. For more information please email NMRC Operations Manager Wyatt Doepke ([email protected]). All formal applications for paid positions must be made through the UMN job portal.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Training Opportunities

Under the direction of Dr. Jerrold Vitek, NMRC brings together an interdisciplinary team of experts from neurology, neurosurgery, neuroscience, radiology, and engineering to advance neuromodulation therapies for movement disorders. Our group is part of the Udall Center for Excellence in Parkinson’s Disease Research awarded to the University of Minnesota in 2016. In the heart of Minnesota’s ‘Medical Alley’ our NIH-funded team fosters inventive, translational research aimed at training the next generation of researchers and clinicians and providing Minnesotans with world-class care.

We seek outstanding scientists interested in working in an NIH funded research program studying motor systems neurophysiology, the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD), mechanisms of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in preclinical animal models of PD, and new DBS approaches. Staff scientist positions may also be considered depending on applicant qualifications and career goals. For more information please email NMRC Operations Manager Wyatt Doepke ([email protected]) with your CV.

Undergraduate Opportunities

The NMRC offers numerous opportunities for both funded and unfunded volunteer and intern positions. The interdisciplinary approach of our research means that students with backgrounds in many fields including, neuroscience, electrical and mechanical engineering, computer science, animal science, biology chemistry have the opportunity to conduct research in the Academic Health Center at the University. We are especially interested in hearing from you if you have engineering, programming, or experience working with the statistical analysis of large data sets.

Typical interns usually work around ten hours a week in our clinical or pre-clinical labs working with and shadowing a researcher on the one of our NIH funded projects. Volunteers gain a holistic experience of their project, working on aspects from data collection to analysis and then to presentation with our cohort at the Society for Neuroscience conference or similar.   

Numerous opportunities for funding of for-credit research exist for both UMN students and extramural applicants. Check out just a few of the opportunities below to enrich your experience with the NMRC in the left column.