Applications are invited for one full-time postdoctoral research position funded by the ERC project BACKUP (https://r1.unitn.it/back-up/). The goal of the project is to develop a hybrid neural network by interfacing neuronal culture with photonic circuits. Instrumental to this goal is the simulation of the brain network functioning by using artificial intelligence. To this aim, we are currently seeking a highly motivated Postdoc with a PhD in Physics, with a background in complex science, data analysis, software development and machine learning.
The ideal candidate is highly motivated to participate in the development of the software for the hybrid neural network and curious to work in an interdisciplinary group where biologists develop neuronal culture and physicists photonic circuits.
Duration of the position: Three years starting from now or at a suitable date
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact prof. Lorenzo Pavesi at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The successful candidate will participate in proposing, implementing and applying simulation methods for the analysis and the interpretation of electrophysiological signals of biological neuronal networks stimulated by patterned light. Specifically, time series signals will be produced in experiments via the electrical and/or optical stimulation of the activity of a culture of in-vitro alive neurons. These raw signals will be used to train an artificial neural network in order to predict (“encode”) the biological neuron activity in the near future. Predicting the future activity of the biological neurons will show that the artificial network can “understand” and internally represent the “semantics” of the biology signals. We will investigate different methods for brain (neuronal network) activity encoding and we will generalize the proposed methodology to different kinds of brain activity signals. The developed simulation will be used in the hybrid circuit development to provide the modelling of the circuit.
The successful candidate will work in the Nanoscience Laboratory of the Physics department of the University of Trento (http://nanolab.physics.unitn.it/), in a strongly inter-disciplinary group composed of biologists and physicists.
For more information, please contact prof. Lorenzo Pavesi (email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Interested applicants should send:
- a one-page cover letter summarizing their interests, how they can contribute to the project, as well as the earliest date that they can start the appointment,
2. curriculum vitae, and
3. contact information for two references
Only applicants considered for employment will be contacted. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.