The project aims at studying the information processing pathway in the honeybee brain and its potential impairment by neonicotinoid pesticides. Using two-photon microscopy, morphological as well as functional information is acquired from the brain in vivo. Odour stimuli will be used to monitor odour discrimination, learning, and memory retrieval processes. This will allow insights into the principles of neural information coding and possible impairments after acute and chronic exposure to neonicotinoids. In behavioural experiments, consequences to single animal performance in learning and memorizing odorants will be verified. The project’s objectives are a fundamental understanding of structure and function of the honeybee olfactory neural network as well as the identification of possible causes for the world’s honeybee population decline.
The candidate is expected to take a leading role in the project and will be involved in all phases of the experiments starting from study design, animal preparation, image acquisition, data post-processing and analysis.
Contract duration:
12 month, prolongable to 24 months;
Application:
Deadline: presumably February 21st, 2018;
Applications to albrecht.haase@unitn.it comprising
- a scientific/professional CV based on the European CV model;
- a list of publications with links;
- doctoral degree certificate;
- names and contact details of possible referees (max. 3);
Required skills and experience:
- a PhD in biology, neuroscience, or related disciplines;
- appropriate scientific and professional knowledge required to carry out the research described (documented by peer reviewed publications);
- advanced experience in microscopy and data analysis;
- excellent English language skills;
About the employer:
- Neurophysics research group, a joined initiative between the Physics department and the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC) at the University of Trento (Italy);
- Principle investigator: Dr. Albrecht Haase, Group website: http://r.unitn.it/en/cimec/nphys;
- The University of Trento ranks first among all Italian state universities (ANVUR report 2016);
- CIMeC ranks first in the field of psychological sciences among all Italian universities;
