Scholarship at Lab of Aniruddha Das by Columbia University

New information USA scholarship at Lab of Aniruddha Das.
Columbia University, Dept of Neuroscience.

Applications are invited for post doctoral positions to study the cortical mechanisms underlying early visual processing. There are currently three projects in the lab:

• We have developed a technique for dual-wavelength optical imaging in the alert monkey, simultaneously measuring blood volume and oxygenation. Using this, we have discovered a novel, stimulus-independent anticipatory response in V1 that brings fresh arterial blood to cortex in expectation of predictable visual tasks. We are currently exploring the functional consequences of this novel cortical response.
• Using the same optical imaging technique in alert monkeys we find nonlinear interactions amongst visual elements in V1, appropriate for parsing visual scenes into simple visual forms – contours, textures, simple shapes. The second project relates these measured nonlinearities to the animals’ reported perceptions of the same visual forms.
• Using a novel technique for measuring tuning in fMRI signals we find, in human fMRI, some of the same tuned nonlinear neuronal interactions that we see in monkey optical imaging. This allows us to relate monkey physiology to more complex human perceptual tasks.

Candidates to work on these projects should have a strong quantitative background with a demonstrated interest in applying such quantitative methods to problems in neurobiology. Experience working in visual neurophysiology, particularly with alert animals is preferred, though not a requirement. The candidate’s Ph.D. could be in Neuroscience, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering or a related field. A facility with Matlab / IDL and / or C++ is highly desirable.

We are located in the Center for Integrative Neuroscience at Columbia University. We share a floor with 5 other groups also working on issues of systems neuroscience – with diverse interests ranging over attentional mechanisms, oculomotor control, emotional circuitry and computational neurobiology. Our Center is committed to maintaining a strongly interactive and collaborative atmosphere amongst the different laboratories.


Please send inquiries or CVs plus the names of 3 references to address below:
Aniruddha Das (ad2069@columbia.edu).

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