PhD Studentship: Development of the Whisker Sensorimotor Cortex

Funding for: UK Students Funding amount: Home (UK) tuition fees and stipend at standard UKRI rates.  A PhD studentship (3.5 years) is available from September 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Varun Sreenivasan, Neuroscience department, School of Life Sciences.  Deadline: 26th February 2024 Rodents use their whiskers to gather tactile information from their surroundings. Motor control is an active component of the Whisker system since the Whiskers need to be moved back and forth to obtain sensory input. The neuronal circuits of the Whisker system are thus part of a “scanning sensorimotor loop” where sensory information will guide movements and movements will in-turn alter the sensory information that the brain receives.  Two key structures in this sensorimotor loop are the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and the primary motor cortex (M1), which process sensory information and control motor movements respectively.  Like any other behaviour, newborn mice do not actively whisk and whisking develops slowly over the first and second postnatal weeks. In this project, we will investigate the neuronal correlates of emergent whisking in newborn mice. We will use cutting edge in-vivo whole cell and extracellular recordings, optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations to obtain a mechanistic understanding of theDevelopment of motor control and sensorimotor interactions in the cortex.  Informal enquiries about the project can be made to Varun Sreenivasan at V.Sreenivasan@sussex.ac.uk.  How to apply:  Please submit a formal application using the online admissions portal attaching a CV, degree transcripts and certificates, personal statement, and two academic referees. A research proposal is not required.  On the application system select Programme of Study – PhD Neuroscience. Please state the project title under funding obtained and the supervisor’s name where required. Candidates should have or expect to obtain a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree. An MSc degree will be advantageous. Your qualification should be in Neuroscience or a related subject area. You may also be considered for the position if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing. Candidates should demonstrate willingness to learn programming and data analysis. Candidates for whom English is not their first language will require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in any section - English language requirements Applications are particularly welcomed from candidates with protected characteristics – e.g., from Black and other ethnic minorities – who are under-represented in postgraduate research at our institution. For enquiries about the application process, please email Emma Chorley: lifesci-rec@sussex.ac.uk