Attending to rhythm for language learning (Dr. Ruth de Diego Balaguer)
CENTER
UBNEURO – Institut de Neurociències de la Universitat de Barcelona
CENTER DESCRIPTION
The Institute of Neurosciences is an international, translational research institute of the University of Barcelona. Since its opening in 2015, it has proved to be a frontrunner in international neuroscience research – being one of the few institutes in the world that includes the study of the brain at every level. This includes research groups in neurobiology, neuropharmacology, physiopathology, neurology, psychiatry, clinical psychology, neuropsycobiology and cognitive neurosciences.
The Institute gathers about 300 researchers that belong to the Faculties of Psychology, Medicine, Pharmacy and Biology, and that are distributed among four university campuses (Mundet, Clínic, Bellvitge and Diagonal) in sunny, multicultural Barcelona. We encourage and welcome collaboration with international research groups, teams and individuals to boost our global vision of the Institute.
Our members enjoy benefits such as being part of a close community, learning from some of the best neuroscience researchers in the world, collaborating in both the private and public sectors, and state-of-the-art facilities. One of the biggest events we host for PhD students is an annual PhD workshop. This two-day series includes visiting speakers from throughout Europe, practical skills workshops, and most importantly connects PhD students within the institute to share knowledge, develop solutions together, and set the ground to work together in the future.
ADDRESS
Campus Mundet, Edifici de Ponent
Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171
08035 Barcelona
Tel. +34 934034768
For more information, please contact Dr. Ruth de Diego Balaguer (ruthdb@ub.edu)
Deadline for application: February 6, 2019
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Research Project / Research Group Description:
Language disorders are prevalent in infancy and can last until adulthood. In addition, many brain lesions can be accompanied with speech and language disorders. In all those cases, the quality of life of individuals is largely affected since language is our main communication tool and the vehicle of our social interactions. Understanding the factors that can affect language disabilities or can improve them is thus essential. This research project studies how attention can be one of the key functions that can hinder or improve language disabilities. It combines the use of different neuroimaging techniques and the study of healthy individuals, children with developmental disabilities and patients with brain lesions in different key structures that are related to attention to understand the interaction between attention and language learning. The study aims to pinpoint the different brain circuits involved and the mechanisms that enable the interaction.
Job position description:
A very motivated PhD student is searched to integrate in a dynamic and interdisciplinary team that is part of the Institute of Neuroscience of the University of Barcelona. He/she will work in an interactive and stimulating Unit composed of 5 groups working in different topics and different methods of Cognitive Neuroscience research (Language, Memory, Reward, Brain Plasticity, Brain connectivity) with complementary approaches and a high level of interaction among the members. The suitable candidate should have a degree in Psychology, Engineering, Biology, Physics or other affine disciplines. She/he should have a broad interest and be attracted by learning a variety of neuroimaging techniques, in particular functional and structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging in brain damaged patients and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation along with electroencephalography in healthy individuals in order to study brain and cognitive function. She will be in charge of preparing the experimental behavioural tasks, collect the data and analyse it. He/she is expected to show initiative and will be encouraged to have a critic mind. The PhD candidate will be trained in the necessary techniques and analysis and will benefit from the international collaborations of the project to visit other labs abroad to complement his/her knowledge with new methods, advanced analyses and theoretical approaches. She/he will present his/her data in international conferences and will be in charge of drafting her own papers with the help of the rest of the team. The lab will provide with the necessary equipment, support and funding to develop the research at a highly competitive level.