PhD Positions in Computational Biology at ETH Zurich

Two PhD positions are available in the Computational Biology Group at the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel. Our group is engaged in developing mathematical models and efficient algorithms for complex biosystems. We are particularly interested in disease-associated cellular networks and evolutionary dynamics, including genetic and epigenetic variation in cancer and infectious diseases. We seek two PhD students for the following research projects: 

1) Analysis of deep sequencing data:

Development and application of statistical models and efficient algorithms for analyzing high-throughput next-generation sequencing data; haplotype inference of mixed virus and tumor samples; human SNP analysis in association studies; RNA-seq and ChIP-seq. 

2) Reconstruction of cellular networks from perturbation data:

Probabilistic network reconstruction from RNAi data in the framework of graphical models; experimental design of RNAi screens; network analysis and comparison.

Successful applicants have a strong background in computational biology, mathematics, computer science, statistics, physics, or a related field, and exposure to modeling biological systems. Candidates are expected to engage in interdisciplinary research groups and to foster collaborations with biologists and bioengineers.

The Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich is an integral part of SystemX.ch, the Swiss initiative in Systems Biology. It is located in Basel, a European hot-spot for biomedical research, in close proximity of the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, and the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. ETH Zurich is a major research university, offering an excellent environment for innovative and collaborative research across disciplines.

To apply: 

Please send the usual application material, including at least two references, as a single PDF file to niko.beerenwinkel@bsse.ethz.ch (preferred), or via surface mail to:

Prof. Dr. Niko Beerenwinkel
ETH Zurich
Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering
Computational Biology Group
Mattenstrasse 26
CH-4058 Basel
Switzerland
www.cbg.ethz.ch.

PhD positions in Synthetic Biology

pplications are invited for PhD fellowships in the Synthetic Biology Lab of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas, Dallas. The successful candidates will model, design, experimentally implement and characterize synthetic mammalian gene networks. Applicants should have a strong background in mathematical and computational modeling and motivation to carry out experimental research. Experience in standard molecular and mammalian cell biology techniques is an advantage. Candidates will be expected to engage in interdisciplinary research and to foster in-house collaborations with current nanotechnology and biomedical engineering expertise of NSERL. For further information about NSERL please visit the web site: http://ecs.utdallas.edu/nserl-slideshow.html

Please send your application including CV and academic transcripts, to Prof. Leonidas Bleris (lbleris@cgr.harvard.edu)

Victoria University of Wellington - PhD Scholarship (New Zealand)

For the purpose of encouraging postgraduate research Victoria offers PhD scholarships to those about to commence their doctoral studies. These scholarships are awarded on academic merit and are open to New Zealand and international students in any discipline. The Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships are Victoria PhD scholarships targeted at specific research topics that highlight the research strengths and priorities of the University in a particular year.

The scholarship consists of a $21,000 per annum stipend plus domestic tuition fees. Scholarships will be awarded in two selection rounds. Mid-year Victoria PhD scholarships across all disciplines and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships will be offered; in November there will be a further round of general Victoria PhD Scholarships across all disciplines.

Applicants who do not clearly meet the above academic criteria may be considered under any of the following categories for a Victoria Doctoral Assistantship.

i.)The applicant has significant work experience or significant peer esteem in the research field to which they are applying.
ii.)The applicant has a recognised record of publications.
iii.)The applicant’s proposed research would contribute significantly to the School, Institute or Centre’s Research Plan.
iv.)The involvement of the applicant in the School’s programme of research would assist in building a ‘critical mass’ of research and/or involve collaboration between institutions.
v.)The strategic direction of the proposed research could invlove joint initiatives with the business community to develop future commercialisation of the research.

The Victoria Doctoral Assistantship consists of a $15,000 per annum stipend for three years plus domestic tuition fees and an offer of employment as a tutor or research assistant in the School, Institute or Centre for the term of the scholarship. The employment component of the Victoria Doctoral Assistantship is worth $5,000 per annum.

Applications must be made on the forms obtainable from the Scholarships Office or on the Scholarships Website: www.vuw.ac.nz/scholarships. Scholarship applicants must contact directly the School in which they wish to enrol so that their research proposal and the feasibility of supervision can be assessed. Enrolment for a PhD and applying for a PhD scholarship are two separate processes. The holding of Victoria PhD Scholarship is conditional upon the scholarship recipient gaining provisional enrolment as a PhD student.

Applicants, other than those who have completed all of their study at Victoria, must include a certified copy of their academic record from other institutions with this application. Applicants whose degree has been conferred at any university other than a New Zealand University will be considered in two categories:

Category 1 - applicants from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany or Australia must supply an original or certified copy of their university transcript.

Category 2 - applicants from any other country must have their transcript verified and assessed with a course by course evaluation of the prerequisite degree by the below educational evaluators:

Educational Credential Evaluators - http://www.ece.org

All applicants for the midyear rounds of Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships and general Victoria PhD Scholarships will be notified of selection within one calendar month of the closing date. First offers of Victoria PhD November round Scholarships will be made in mid to late December of the year of application. Please note if your application is unsuccessful this will be by email only. Some applicants may be placed on a reserve list and will not be finally notified of the success or otherwise of their applications within two months of first notification.

Applications for the Victoria PhD Scholarships close on 15 June and 1 November 2009. Closing dates from 2010 forward will be 1 March, 1 July and 1 December. Applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships may have a different closing date. It is essential to check the website to be sure of the correct closing date.

Applications should be made to:
Scholarships Office, Office of Research and Postgraduate Study
10 Kelburn Parade
Victoria University of Wellington
P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
Email: scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz

MIT PORTUGAL PROGRAM FOR DOCTORAL PROGRAMS & ADVANCED STUDIES

The MIT-Portugal Program is an international collaboration seeking to demonstrate that an investment in science, technology and higher education can have a positive, lasting impact on the economy by addressing key societal issues through quality education and research in the emerging field of engineering systems. The program has targeted bio-engineering systems, engineering design and advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy systems, and transportation systems as key areas for economic development and societal impact.

The MIT-Portugal Program is a large-scale international collaboration involving MIT and government, academia, and industry in Portugal to develop education and research programs related to engineering systems. The high-level partnership represents a strategic commitment by the Portuguese government to science, technology, and higher education that leverages MIT’s experience in these important areas in order to strengthen the country’s knowledge base through an investment in human capital and institution building.

The MIT Portugal Program offers PhD, Master’s and Executive Master’s programs in four distinct fields within the discipline of Engineering Systems: bio-engineering systems, engineering design and advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy systems, and transportation systems.

In so doing, the Program provides world-class training – including real-world preparation for future employment – in leading-edge areas of engineering, management and policy to top students who seek to become leaders in technological innovation. We offer postgraduate programs that expose top-level graduates in engineering, economics, science and other fields to systems thinking, and to an international group of students who together reflect the global teams in which our students work.

MIT Portugal has formed the first-ever consortium of universities across Portugal. This provides students in the program with opportunities to study at – or collaborate with students and faculty at – eight Portuguese universities and engineering schools, and to receive national degrees. Many doctoral students also have an opportunity to conduct research at MIT.

BIO-ENGINEERING SYSTEMS IN MIT-PORTUGAL PROGRAM

The Bio-Engineering Systems Focus Area consists of two educational programs:

i.)An Advanced Studies course (first year toward a PhD or an Advanced Certificate upon completion) offered jointly by the collaborating Portuguese universities.
ii.)A PhD course (three additional years after the Advanced Studies course) offered jointly by the collaborating Portuguese universities.

These educational programs are intended to educate students in bio-engineering technical innovation, with a strong emphasis on the specific emerging technologies targeted to complement and enhance existing Portuguese biosciences and technologies.

This includes first-rate education and research in: tissue engineering, biomaterials, computational and synthetic biosystems, drug development, neuroscience, biomedical devices and technologies, health and environmental systems, and innovation and leadership for future bioengineers.

Bio-engineering graduates will have a strong knowledge in these research areas and will be capable of conceiving, conducting or implementing research in scientific projects in bio-engineering laboratories and companies around the world.

Graduates will also have a strong background in innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship, and will possess the problem-solving and communication skills needed for successful careers in bio-engineering and bio-engineering systems—certainly among the most important areas of technological inquiry in the world today.

Candidates for Bio-Engineering educational programs will have a strong background in at least one of the following areas: biological and biochemistry engineering, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences or other areas related with bioengineering. Applicants with an interest in technological innovation and entrepreneurship in the bioengineering field, a capacity to work in groups, and a strong motivation to work on R&D projects will be given particular consideration.

Many top MIT faculty/researchers are involved in the educational programs, including faculty from MIT's School of Engineering, the MIT Sloan School of Management, and MIT’s School of Science and the School of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences. Also involved are outstanding Portuguese faculty from the Technical University of Lisbon–UTL (Instituto Superior Técnico, IST), the New University of Lisbon (Faculty of Science and Technology–FCTUNL, the Institute of Chemical and Biologic Technology–ITQB), the University of Minho (School of Engineering–UMinho), and the University of Coimbra (Faculty of Science and Technology–FCTUC, and the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology–CNC).

BIO-E Advanced Studies Course

The Advanced Studies Course is a one-year educational program. It serves as the first year of the doctoral course, or stands alone as a one-year graduate course.

The Advanced Studies Course includes training in innovation as well as brief laboratory placements and visits to research laboratories and industrial plants. The mandatory curriculum modules are taught in the fall semester, and the elective modules are taught in the spring semester. In the spring, students also initiate their research; get laboratory placements in one of the research groups involved in the Program, and work on the Innovation Teams project (i-Teams).

Graduates of the Advanced Course in Bio-Engineering Systems will have developed a strong knowledge base, as well as a significant number of technical skills and competences in the advanced areas of:

Bioprocess engineering
Computational biosystems
Cell and tissue engineering
Nanobiotechnology and biomaterials
Biomedical devices and technologies
Drug development practices and neuroscience


Graduates also will be capable of the following:

i.)Integrating different research areas in bio-engineering in problem-solving
ii.)Identifying the best path for commercializing a novel technology through an innovation process based on a go-to-market strategy
iii.)Using bioengineering technical skills and competences in research projects (which might include a PhD thesis) in different fields of Bio-Engineering Systems
iv.)Coordinating multiple, interdisciplinary tasks in order to achieve an objective

To know more details of advanced studies,Click here.


BIO-Engineering Doctoral Course

The Bio-Engineering Systems Doctoral Course attracts the highest-performing students and involves exchanges with MIT faculty and their laboratories. Curriculum development as well as teaching activities involves the Portuguese institutions as well as MIT faculty.

The PhD course will continue for 36–48 months past the Advanced Studies Course(1st Year), and will accommodate extensive training periods at MIT (approximately 12-18 months).

Depending on student interest and expertise, placements in other laboratories are possible. At the end of the Ph.D. course, the student is also expected to have completed a significant amount of original research work which represents an important contribution to extend the knowledge in the Bio-Engineering field and that has quality enough to be published in peered reviewed international scientific journals and communicated at international conferences.

To know more details about Doctoral Programs, Click here.

Doctoral Program Requirements

Candidates to the Bioengineering PhD Course must hold a Bologna 2nd cycle degree or a Master's degree or a 5 year degree (Licenciatura). Candidates in the final year of these degrees are welcome to apply.

Doctoral Program Host Institutions

The PhD course is offered jointly by the following institutions:

University of Coimbra
Faculty of Science and Technology (FCTUC)
Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC)

Technical University of Lisbon
Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)

New University of Lisbon
Faculty of Science and Technology (FCTUNL)
Institute of Chemical and Biologic Technology (ITQB)

University of Minho
School of Engineering (UMinho)

Scholarships

In each academic year, scholarships are available for outstanding PhD candidates in each of the four program areas. In 2009 post-doctoral candidates will also be welcomed in Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing.

The best students with a scholarship will have the opportunity to conduct some of their doctoral research at MIT.

The description and stipends of the FCT scholarships can be found at http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.en and http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.en. Note that at these pages, BD refers to PhD scholarships and BPD to post-doctoral scholarships.

In the Transportation Systems Master’s degree (CTIS), a few corporate scholarships are available; they only cover tuition fees. In extraordinary circumstances, candidates who can demonstrate need may be able to obtain further funding to support living expenses.

The Advanced Study courses do not offer scholarships.

Apply for a scholarship

If you indicate on the application form that you would like to be considered for an FCT scholarship (PhD or post-doc), your candidacy information will be sent to FCT automatically.

To know contact details about the faculties , click here.

Bio-Engineering Systems Contacts

Dava Newman
Bio-Engineering Systems Co-Director
dnewman@mit.edu | 617 258-8799

Manuel Nunes da Ponte
Bio-Engineering Systems Co-Director
mnp@dq.fct.unl.pt

Manuel Mota
Bio-Engineering Systems Co-Director
mmota@reitoria.uminho.pt

Bruce Tidor
Bio-Engineering Systems Co-Director
tidor@mit.edu

Joaquim Sampaio Cabral
Bio-Engineering Systems Co-Director
joaquim.cabral@ist.utl.pt

Robin Pringle
Administrative Assistant
rpringle@mit.edu

Flavia Cardarelli
Administrative Assistant
flavia@mit.edu | 617 253-5843

DAAD PhD SCHOLARSHIPS -2010

DAAD(Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst)
German Academic Exchange Service - PhD Scholarships Announcement 2010/2011

Objectives
To do a PhD degree at one of the German Universities or Research
Institutions

Target Group
Highly qualified post graduates from any discipline

Duration
3 years

Scholarship Value

• Stipend of Euro 1000.00 per month
• A lump sum towards air fare from India to Germany and back
• Exemption from payment of university tuition fees
• A study and research subsidy
• Compulsory health insurance covered by DAAD
• 2 months German Language Course in India - free tuition*
• 4 months German Language Course in Germany - free tuition,
boarding, lodging plus pocket allowance during the period of
the German language course in Germany (preceding stud-
ies/research)
• Spouse allowance** and additional rent subsidy***
• Financial support for field research (see appendix)

*Out station participants will also get a lump sum towards travel & lodging
**Married scholars, who wish to call their spouses to Germany after the completion of the German language course, for duration longer than 3 months, may apply for an extra family allowance. DAAD does not cover for the visa fee, air ticket, insurance and other incidental expenses of the spouse.
***Under special conditions where awardees are not able to rent accommodation within the financial limits, an additional rent subsidy can be applied for

Requirements and Conditions

• A 1st class Master’s Degree
• There should not be a gap of more than 6 years between the award of last degree (M.A., M.Sc., M.Phil., etc.) and application deadline (1st October)
• Candidates must have a recent dated acceptance letter confirming academic supervision from a German Professor on the university’s letterhead with a clear reference to the candidate’s research proposal
or
• Candidates, who want to do a PhD under the structured doctoral study programme, must attach an admission letter from their study programme or at least a proof that they are being considered for admission.
• A detailed research proposal including a precise work schedule are the most important selection criterion besides previous academic achievements
• German language skills are not mandatory****
• In general, candidates should be residing in India at the time of application. Candidates, who have been in Germany for more than one year at the time of application, are not eligible to apply.

**** Candidates in the fields of Law and Philosophy must have a good knowledge of the German Language.

Application Documents

To be arranged in the order mentioned below
• 2 application forms with a passport-size photograph attached to each form. Please ensure that you have signed both forms before sending them to us.
• 2 typed copies of full curriculum-vitae (bio-data)
• 2 copies of the confirmation from a German professor stating that she / he is willing to guide the PhD studies (if candidate has more than one confirmed placement, preference should be indicated – 1st priority, 2nd priority, etc.)
or
• 2 copies of admission letter from their study programme or at least a proof that they are being considered for admission (if candidate has more than one study programme, preference should be indicated – 1st priority, 2nd priority, etc.)
• 2 typed copies of detailed description and precise work schedule for the topic of the proposed PhD studies developed in coordination & agreed upon with the academic supervisor,as well as information on any previous study or research project of particular relevance to decision of award
or
• 2 copies of letter of admission to the study programme or a proof that they are being considered for admission
• 2 references from senior academics from the applicant's field of study/research on the proforma available on our website.

The referee’s title and academic status should be clearly indicated in this (with official rubber-stamp). These should be Confidential (in sealed envelopes) and should be recent-dated
• 2 typed copies of list of academic publications, if any; 1 set of available reprints, if any
• 2 copies of all chronologically arranged academic certificates
and mark-sheets (all copies must be attested; attested Eng-
lish translation, if the originals are in Hindi; Attestation can be
done by a gazetted Government officer).

Application Procedure

• The application submission process is online. The link is available on DAAD website.
• The deadline for submission of applications is 1st October of each year at DAAD New Delhi Office.

Important: DAAD will not consider incomplete applications.
All short-listed candidates have to attend a personal interview.

Time Line

• Announcement : Jul/Aug 2009
• Application deadline : 1st Oct 2009
• Selection Interview : Last week of Nov 2009
• Language course for Apr-May 2010 (India);
selected scholars Jun-Sept 2010 (Germany)
• Beginning of PhD studies : 1st Oct 2010

Important Information

Kindly Note:
• Please use A4 size paper only and DO NOT staple the documents
• The first and last name filled in the application form should be identical to the name in the Passport
• Candidate must be a resident of India and an Indian national
• Private Laboratories can not be considered under this programme as a German host

Contact Person and Address

Applications and relevant documents have to be submitted at the DAAD office in New Delhi

German Academic Exchange Service
Mrs. Anuroopa Dixit
IIIrd Floor, 72 Lodi Estate, Lodi Road
New Delhi – 110 003
Tel.: +91 11 2461 5148 / 5009
Fax: +91 11 2469 0919
E-Mail: dixit@daaddelhi.org
WWW: www.daaddelhi.org

APPENDIX

Field Research outside Germany during DAAD scholarship for doctoral studies in
Germany (to be applied for at the time of application)

Financial support for field research can be granted under the following conditions:
• The field research must be an integral and indispensable part of the doctoral research project;
• The field research trip should be arranged in co-operation with and approved by the academic supervisor of the doctoral project;
• The necessity and scope of the field research should be clearly indicated in the research proposal that is submitted with the first scholarship application;
• The academic selection committee should approve the field trip.
• The maximum duration of field research outside Germany during a DAAD scholarship for doctoral studies is twelve months.
• If several field research stays are necessary during the doctoral project, the sum of these field research stays must not exceed 12 months.
• Only 3 months of approved field research trip are covered under the scholarship with all the benefits. The scholarship is resumed once the scholar returns to the host institution in Germany.
• DAAD can grant a lump sum subsidy to support the travel costs for a field research trip twice during a scholarship period and only once in a calendar year in question.

The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) - PhD in Singapore

The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) is a collaboration between the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). PhD training will be carried out in English at your chosen lab at A*STAR Research Institutes, NUS or NTU. Students will be supervised by distinguished and world-renowned researchers in these labs. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by either NUS or NTU.

Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)


A*STAR is Singapore's leading research agency that complements research and PhD education through its state-of-the-art facilities and renowned scientists located at integrated research campuses - Biopolis and Fusionopolis - for Biomedical Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering research respectively. With 14 research institutes dedicated to a multitude of technological disciplines, including infocommunications, nanotechnology and manufacturing, A*STAR attracts a diverse community of leading local researchers & foreign specialists from the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific region.

National University of Singapore (NUS)


NUS is ranked as being among both the world's and Asia's best universities. Top flight researchers who are committed to developing young talent, make for a rewarding PhD experience at NUS. The multi-campus University, with distinctive strengths in education and research, features strong entrepreneurial and global dimensions in its multi-faceted initiatives. An NUS education optimises students' potential, broadens intellectual horizons and shapes global outlooks. NUS leverages on its multi-disciplinary strengths to deliver a comprehensive broad-based education. The University has a cosmopolitan community of over 30,000 students from 100 countries. A vibrant residential life, and exciting cultural and sporting pursuits add to the learning and living experience.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)


NTU is a research-intensive university with globally acknowledged strengths in science and engineering. NTU provides a highquality global education to more than 19, 100 undergraduates and 8,600 graduate students. The student body includes top scholars and international olympiad medallists from the region and beyond. NTU's 2,500-strong teaching and research staff hail from more than 40 countries, bringing dynamic international perspectives and years of solid industry experience.

ELIGIBILITY

Open to all international students
Graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results
Good skills in written and spoken English
Good reports from academic referees


AWARD TERMS

1.)Attractive monthly stipend over 4 years of PhD studies, which can support you comfortably. The stipend amount is SGD 24,000 annually, to be increased to SGD 30,000 after passing Qualifying Examination.
2.)Full support for tuition fees for 4 years of PhD studies.
3.)One-time SGD 1,000 Settling-in Allowance
4.)One-time Airfare Grant of SGD 1,500

RESEARCH THROUGH SINGA

SINGA brings together top scientists from A*STAR, NUS, and NTU. These scientists have made a mark in the international R&D landscape and are currently pursuing research work here at A*STAR, NUS, or NTU.

Through SINGA, you will be able to work with these top scientists in finding cures for aids, cancer, infectious diseases, diabetes, obesity, aging etc, establishing novel approaches in bioengineering and nanotechnology for the next big scientific breakthrough, and developing ground-breaking and cutting-edge methods in data storage, optical communication, wireless and mobile technology, artificial intelligence etc.

Research areas under the PhD Programme fall broadly under two categories:
(i) Biomedical Sciences; and
(ii) Engineering and Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Click here for A*STAR research projects.

Click here for NUS research projects.

Click here for NTU research projects.

TO APPLY

Application for January 2010 intake has closed. Click here to apply for August 2010 intake.

Hard copies of the following supporting documents must be submitted to the SINGA Office compulsory:

1.)A copy of your Identity Card or Passport
2.)Certified true copies of university transcript(s), one in English translation and the other in the original language
3.)Certified true copies of degree scroll(s) or a letter or certification from the university on your candidature if your degree scroll has not yet been conferred.
4.)Two Academic Referees' Recommendation (download the recommendation form here)
5.)Two recent passport-sized photographs

Not compulsory but good to include (if any):

1.)A certified true copy of TOEFL / IELTS results
2.)A certified true copy of SAT I & II / GRE / GATE results
3.)Certified true copies of awards / prizes and certificates
4.)List of publications
5.)List of patents filed

The application deadline for August 2010 intake is 1 January 2010. Only applications with complete supporting documents received by SINGA Office before or on 1 January 2010 will be processed for the August 2010 intake.

Applications for the August 2010 intake received before or on 1 January 2010 but whose complete supporting documents are received after 1 January 2010 will be considered late, and will be processed for the January 2011 intake instead.

All supporting documents are to be submitted by post to:

Attention:
Ms Lee Suet Leng / Ms Pris Ang
A*STAR Graduate Academy
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
20 Biopolis Way, #07-01 Centros
Singapore 138668

Please check and ensure that all data you have entered in the online application form is correct and accurate before you submit the application. Amendments to the application will not be possible after it is submitted.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified within 10 weeks from the application closing date.

Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) RESEARCH FELLOWSIPS

The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a research institution in Italy that is currently in an advanced startup phase. The fellowships assigned by IIT to the University of Genova are part of the start-up strategy of the Institute and have the specific goal of forming the first generation of IIT’s research fellows.

Following the start of the Research Labs in the IIT’s Headquarters in Genova Morego the PhD program supported by IIT is organized in a Doctoral School on Life and Humanoid Technologies” articulated in 4 courses. Each Course offers research topics proposed by the Research Directors and their senior collaborators. The candidates are asked to prepare a research project of their choice with explicit reference to the Theme proposed. The soundness of the project will be part of the evaluation Process and will be considered preferential for the choice of the individual scientific theme that will be made jointly by the tutor and the candidate.

The Nanosciences Course is related to basic research and to research programs oriented to the comprehension of fundamental phenomena at the nanoscale and to the application of nanotechnologies to life sciences and to the development of new technologies, this is a challenge for the next twenty years. More specifically, nanobiotechologies have a broad field of application that goes from cells-to-chip and chip-tocells technologies to advanced characterization tools and imaging, from intelligent drug delivery to the development of artificial tissues and smart materials. So, the main research activities related to this course can be subdivided into the following main areas:

1. Nanochemistry that aims to advance the exploitation of nanostructures, fabricated by chemical approaches, as building blocks for engineered self assembly architectures across multiple length scales, from the molecular level up to the macroscopic world. The goal is related to the development of new strategies of nanostructure assembly able to create various types of nanoparticle architectures, to discover collective properties stemming from them, and to exploit such properties in a wide range of applications (for instance in energy-related applications and in medicine). The path to these architectures will exploit concepts that are amenable to large scale deposition and parallelization. The advanced fabrication of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals of a variety of materials will be one of the basic targets. These will be then surface-functionalized and assembled into both ordered and
disordered superstructures onto substrates and in association various polymers, for preparing nanostructured films and surfaces, nanocomposites and nanocapsules.

2. Nanofabrication. Research is based on the utilization of advanced techniques of micro and nanomanufacturing to produce Micro Electric Mechanical Systems (MEMS), micro electrodes and scaffolds with dimensions comparable to cells,innovative devices for different applications.

3. Nanophysics research programs are focused to design, realize and utilize advanced methodologies and instrumentations within the framework of optical spectroscopy and microscopy, scanning force microscopy and optical nanoscopy, and are oriented to the study and characterization of nanostructured, biological and hybrid materials at the nanoscale, i.e. having at least one of the here spatial dimensions controllable at the nanometric or subnanometric scale. The focus is on the development of new strategies for the assembly of nano-systems able to realize new nanoparticles and nanostructured environments, to design and realize architectures to characterize materials, both artificial and biological, within a scale ranging from single molecules or particles or nanostructured complexes to the full biological scale, molecules, cells, tissues, organs and human bodies. As well we aim to integrate different design and knowledge levels from a 2D to a 4D (x, y, z, t).

4. Computer Vision research programs are focused on computational vision, Geometrical approach to 4D scene reconstruction, Sensors, Videosurvelliance(including tracking activity and behavioral analysis), Machine learning focused to image analysisand video sequences, Embedded Computer Vision.

The themes of the Doctoral Course on Nanosciences are structured as it follows:
1. Nanochemistry (Liberato Manna)
2. Nanofabrication (Enzo Difabrizio)
3. Nanophysics (Alberto Diaspro)
4. Computer Vision (Vittorio Murino)

Each application must make specific reference to one of the research themes proposed.

Click here for more details.

PhD “Molecular Interactions of Pathogens with Biotic and Abiotic Surfaces” fellowship at germany

The International Graduate School (GRK 1409)
“Molecular Interactions of Pathogens with Biotic and Abiotic Surfaces” at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft invites applications for 13 Ph.D. and 8 M.D. fellowships for the graduate program starting January 1st, 2010.

The Graduate School integrates the Faculties of Medicine, Biology, and Chemistry and offers interdisciplinary research opportunities in Cellular and Molecular Biology. The program offers high-profile research including scientific and soft-skills training. Funding will be for three years.

Ph.D. applicants should hold a M.Sc. or comparable degree in the Life Sciences.

For further information and application details please visit here.

Application Deadline: 01.09.2009

Contact

International Graduate School GRK 1409
Institute of Infectiology (ZMBE)
Von-Esmarch-Str. 56
D-48149 Münster, Germany
grk1409@uni-muenster.de

Ph.D. Students -- Biomedical Applications of Magnetic Nanoparticles in University of Puerto Rico

Job Title: Ph.D. Students -- Biomedical Applications of Magnetic Nanoparticles
Department: Chemical Engineering Department
Department Website: http://inqu.uprm.edu
Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Position Start Date: Fall and Spring Semester Enrollment Possible

Academic Field(s):
Biomedical Engineering
Biochemistry & Cellular Biology
Clinical Research
Oncology & Hematology
Pharmacology & Toxicology

Apply Online Here: http://grad.uprm.edu/oeg/ENGLISH/

Job Description:

We are looking for graduate students to develop research in the areas of the interaction of nanomaterials and cells, the evaluation of cytotoxicity of nanomaterials and the development of novel forms of drug delivery and cancer treatment, based on magnetic nanoparticles.

Our research is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation through a Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology.

Students in our group are part of a multidisciplinary team of engineering and science students who design, synthesize and functionalize novel composite magnetic nanoparticle and, subsequently, evaluate their suitability for drug delivery and cancer treatment through hyperthermia.

Interested students should contact Prof. Rinaldi and, subsequently, apply to the Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Program at UPR.

Limited opportunities for visiting students may be available.

Support is available through individual research grants and many fellowship opportunities, such as NSF AGEP, LSAMP and the Puerto Rico Institute for Functional Nanomaterials.

FES PhD IN DENMARK

At the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, Department of Health Science and Technology a position as Ph.D. fellow (position no. 562/06-21-29174) is open for appointment from 1.9.2009.

Job description:

Suppression of Tremor through Selective FES

The PhD stipend is available within the general study programme “Biomedical Science and Engineering”.

The project is co-funded by the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, The European Union, and the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine at Aalborg University, Denmark. The PhD student will be employed at Aalborg University and the supervisors will be Professor Dario Farina and Professor Dejan Popovic.

Tremor is a rhythmic oscillation of a body part. It is not a life-threatening disorder, however it can be responsible for important functional disability and social inconvenience. Moreover, tremor is the most common movement disorder and its incidence strongly increases with ageing. Current treatments for tremor, such as drugs, surgery (thalamotomy), and deep brain stimulation, are not effective in a large portion of patients. This PhD project aims at developing a method for mechanically suppressing tremor through selective Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) based on a closed-loop control system driven by EMG and accelerometer signals. The PhD project is part of the European project TREMOR “An ambulatory BCI-driven tremor suppression system based on functional electrical stimulation”.

Qualification requirements:

The PhD student is expected to have a relevant Masters degree and experience in biomedical engineering or a related discipline.

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Masters degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 18 of January 14, 2008 on the PhD Programme at the Universities. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed every six months. It is a prerequisite for continuation of salary payment that the previous progress is approved at the time of the evaluation.

The qualifications of the applicant will be assessed by an assessment committee. On the basis of the recommendation of the assessment committee, the Dean of the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine will make a decision for allocating the stipend.


Appointment and salary acc. to the Ministry of Finance Circular of January 11, 2006 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the Ministry of Finance Circular of June 13, 2007 on the employment structure at Danish Universities.

For further information about stipends and salary contact Ms. Tine Lützhøft, The Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, email: tl@adm.aau.dk, phone: +45 9940 7380.

The PhD application form can be downloaded from the following address:
http://www.phd.ins.aau.dk/get-a-phd/3591832

The faculty has a research school, The Doctoral School of Engineering, Science and Medicine: http://www.phd.ins.aau.dk and a Network for all PhD students: http://pau.aau.dk


You may obtain further information from Professor Dario Farina, phone: (+45) 9940 8821, email: df@hst.aau.dk or Professor Dejan Popovic, phone (+45) 9940 8726, email: dbp@hst.aau.dk concerning the technical aspects of the stipend.

Application marked with the PhD stipend No. 562/06-21-29174, should include in four copies: the PhD application form, the Masters diploma including grades, publications, Curriculum Vitae, proposal for a PhD study plan and any other material, as well as a list of submitted material. Due to legal constraints electronic applications will not be accepted. The application must arrive at Aalborg University with the morning post by the 10.8.2009.


Application is to be forwarded to :

Aalborg Universitet
De Ingeniør-, Natur- og Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakulteter
Niels Jernes Vej 10
Denmark-9220 Aalborg Øst

PhD (Structural Biology) in Vienna, Austria

The Medical University of Vienna (MUW), the University of Vienna (UNIVIE), the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) announce the opening of an International PhD Program called “Structure and Interaction of Biological Macromolecules (SIBM)”.

All the participating institutions are located at the Vienna Biocenter (http://www.viennabiocenter.com), providing an intellectual and scientific environment with a stimulating atmosphere of discovery.

The program is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna.

The PhD program aims at providing students with an in-depth, interdisciplinary training in applying structural methods to the study of biological interactions.

The research projects will be focused on:

Host pathogen interactions (Dieter Blaas, Tom Marlovits , Tim Skern)
Cell cycle control (Jan-Michael Peters)
Protein quality control (Tim Clausen, Robert Konrat)
Membrane proteins (Tom Marlovits, Peggy Stolt-Bergner)
Macromolecular assemblies (Dieter Blaas, Kristina Djinovic-Carugo, Jan-Michael Peters)
Posttranslational modifications (Andrea Pichler, Jan-Michael Peters)

The techniques include:

Protein Biochemistry
Macromolecular Crystallography
NMR Spectroscopy
Cryo-Electron Microscopy
Mass Spectrometry

Successful applicants will be enrolled in a three year program, expected to conclude with the presentation and public defense of a PhD thesis. Doctoral degrees will be awarded by the Medical University of Vienna or University of Vienna.

The program is open to all candidates holding a university MSc degree (or equivalent) in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, biology, or related fields. The candidate selection is performed through an oral interview and presentation. The entire program is in English.

Application deadline: June 30th, 2009.

Selected candidates will be interviewed in Vienna from 6th to 8th September, 2009 and will be expected to join the program shortly afterwards.

Further Scholarship Information and Application

http://www.phd-structural-biology.at

PHD NEUROLOGY IN INNSBRUCK MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRIA

A 3 year PhD student position is now available at the Department of Neurology (Clinical Neurobiology).

Requirements for the position:

a completed diploma (on a master level) in medicine or biology (or related subjects within the natural sciences). They expect basic knowledge of cell culture, strong interest in neuroscience and motivation to perform a research project on Neuroinflammation in Parkinsonism. You will join the research team of the Section of Clinical Neurobiology and will have the chance to enrol for the PhD Program in Neuroscience at the Innsbruck Medical University.

Please send your application (letter of intent; CV; proof of your degree) for the position by email to nadia.stefanova@i-med.ac.at

Assoc.-Prof. Nadia Stefanova
Clinical Neurobiology
Department of Neurology
Innsbruck Medical University
Anichstrasse 35
6020 Innsbruck
Austria

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30.06.2009

JOB VACANCIES AT UMEA UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN

Umeå University welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines.

Your complete application should include the requested documents in the job listing. If you apply to more than one position, you should send all documents for every position, so the respective department can have the chance to review your submittal in its entirety. It is important to mark your application with the appropriate reference number.

The university saves application documents, including attachments, for two years. If desired, the documents can be returned. Documents sent electronically should be in pdf or word format. Applications for professors, senior lecturers and PhD student positions should be sent in paper form, not electronically, if mentioned.

Current Vacancies

[2009-06-17] Postdoctoral fellow

[2009-06-17] Two Postdoctoral Fellows in Environmental Chemistry, 2 years

[2009-06-12] Two PhD student positions in Sociology

[2009-06-09] 6 forskarassistenter/6 positions as Assistant Professor

[2009-06-08] Professor in Literacy

[2009-06-08] Professor in ICT, Media and Learning

[2009-06-08] Professor in Special Education

[2009-06-08] Professor in Measurement and Evaluation (profile Evaluation)

[2009-06-08] Professor in Measurement and Evaluation (profile Measurement)

[2009-06-08] PhD Student Position in Theoretical Physics at Integrated Science Lab (IceLab)

[2009-06-08] Postdoctoral fellowships in the area Biotechnology for the biorefinery

[2009-06-04] PhD position(s) in the subject of Medical Science with an orientation towards: Anatomy

[2009-06-03] Three PhD positions in chemistry

[2009-06-02] Post Doc Position in Lens Developmental Biology

[2009-06-01] Ph.D. student position in Chemisty at Computational Life Science Cluster

[2009-05-28] PhD student position in Molecular Biology

[2009-05-26] Postdoctoral position in wireless multimedia sensor networks (2 years)

[2009-05-26] PhD student position in theoretical physics

[2009-05-20] PhD position in Molecular Microbiology

[2009-05-05] Assistant professor in the field of printable solar cells

[2009-04-30] Four PhD studentships

[2009-03-19] Post-doctoral position at the Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology


TO APPLY

To apply for the above positions, click here.

Nanomaterials PhD Fellowship at University College Dublin in Ireland

The PhD project is to develop a new method for studying the biophysical solvation of nanomaterials. The previous research predicted a novel Raman breathing (SBM) mode which represents a new probe/sensor of solvation. Using experiment, simulation and theory in the new project we will a) detect for the first time the SBM b) make very accurate measurements of solvation shifts c) derive nanotube-solvent interaction potentials and d) try to characterise biophysical interactions using such shifts relevant to biophysics and nanotoxicology. This project would suit a student with a physics or chemistry background who is interested in biophysics and will be a mixture of experimental and theoretical research.

To know more details, click here.

CONTACT ADDRESS

Prof N Quirke
Engineering & Materials Science Centre,
University College Dublin,
Belfield,
Dublin 4,
Ireland

HBIGS International PhD Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology- Heidelberg (Germany)

The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology (HBIGS)

The HBIGS International PhD Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology Heidelberg offers training and excellent research opportunities for outstanding PhD and MD/PhD students from Germany and abroad in a vibrant and stimulating scientific environment. Outstanding PhD students will receive competitive fellowships of up to 1468,- EUR/month.

The focus of the Graduate School on molecular and cellular biology takes into account that molecular and cellular biology provides the conceptual and technological foundation on which most other fields, sub-disciplines and specialized areas of life and biosciences rest - from structural biology to bioinformatics, from molecular medicine to biotechnology, and from immunology to systems biology. A higher qualification in molecular and cellular biology will, therefore, prepare graduates for leading positions in all areas where in-depth knowledge of biological processes is required - be it in academia, industry or the public sector.

Website : http://www.hbigs.uni-heidelberg.de/

To see the titles and dead lines of the potential projects,  click here.

CONTACT ADDRESS

The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology (HBIGS)
Heidelberg University
Im Neuenheimer Feld 282
69120 Heidelberg
T: +49 6221-546891
F: +49 6221-546824
contact@hbigs.uni-heidelberg.de
www.hbigs.uni-heidelberg.de

Office hours:
Mon–Fri 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Wed 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Secretariat, room 020d at the ZMBH, INF 282

SINGAPORE GRADUATE AWARD (SINGA) - PHD SCHOLARSHIPS IN SINGAPORE

DESCRIPTION

SINGA is a collaboration between A*STAR, NUS and NTU in singapore. PhD training will be carried out in English at your chosen lab at A*STAR Research Institutes, NUS or NTU. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by either NUS or NTU.



Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)

A*STAR is Singapore's leading research agency that complements research and PhD education through its state-of-the-art facilities and renowned scientists located at integrated research campuses - Biopolis and Fusionopolis - for Biomedical Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering research respectively. With 14 research institutes dedicated to a multitude of technological disciplines, including infocommunications, nanotechnology and manufacturing, A*STAR attracts a diverse community of leading local researchers & foreign specialists from the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific region.

For more information about A*STAR, please click here.

National University of Singapore (NUS)

NUS is ranked as being among both the world's and Asia's best universities. Top flight researchers who are committed to developing young talent, make for a rewarding PhD experience at NUS. The multi-campus University, with distinctive strengths in education and research, features strong entrepreneurial and global dimensions in its multi-faceted initiatives. An NUS education optimises students' potential, broadens intellectual horizons and shapes global outlooks. NUS leverages on its multi-disciplinary strengths to deliver a comprehensive broad-based education. The University has a cosmopolitan community of over 30,000 students from 100 countries. A vibrant residential life, and exciting cultural and sporting pursuits add to the learning and living experience.

For more information about NUS, Click here.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

NTU is a research-intensive university with globally acknowledged strengths in science and engineering. NTU provides a highquality global education to more than 19, 100 undergraduates and 8,600 graduate students. The student body includes top scholars and international olympiad medallists from the region and beyond. NTU's 2,500-strong teaching and research staff hail from more than 40 countries, bringing dynamic international perspectives and years of solid industry experience.

For more information about NTU,Click here.

ELIGIBILITY

(1) Open to all international students

(2) Candidates with a passion for research and excellent academic results

(3) Good skills in written and spoken English

(4) Good reports from academic referees

WORTH OF AWARD

i.)Attractive monthly stipend over 4 years of PhD studies, which can support you comfortably. The stipend amount is SGD 24,000 annually, to be increased to SGD 30,000after passing Qualifying Examination.

ii.)Full support for tuition fees for 4 years of PhD studies.

iii.)One-time SGD 1,000 Settling-in Allowance

iv.)One-time Airfare Grant of SGD 1,500


HOW TO APPLY

check this website to find how to apply.

For more information about SINGA, Click here


To download the referee form, click here.

All supporting documents are to be submitted by post to:

A*STAR Graduate Academy
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
20 Biopolis Way, #07-01 Centros
Singapore 138668.

DEADLINE :

Application opens from 2 January 2009 - 30 June 2009 for the January 2010 intake.

14 PhD Student Fellowships in Infection Biology of Human Pathogens

The International Research Training Group is seeking highly qualified and motivated individuals for 14 PhD Student Fellowships in Infection Biology of Human Pathogens
(starting September 1, 2009)

The German Research Foundation (DFG) provides funding to Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig to establish an International Research Training Group (IRTG) together with the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm .

The central aim of the programme is to give young researchers the opportunity to perform their PhD work in the rapidly moving field of the infection biology of human microbial pathogens in a highly stimulating, competitive, international environment. The core element of the IRTG is a joint research programme centering on the question how human microbial pathogens achieve acute or persistent infection and how the host organism reacts to persistent infection. In addition, graduate students will participate in a highly interdisciplinary joint study programme which is based on the established infrastructure for graduate training available at both MHH (Hannover Biomedical Research School, Center for Infection Biology) and KI (MTC Postgraduate Programme in Infection Biology).

Stipends will be 1,365 €/month and are available for up to three years. It is an integral part of the programme that PhD students spend 6-12 months in one of the partner labs at the Karolinska Institute.

Candidates that hold the equivalent of a master’s degree in Biology, Biochemistry or Life Sciences, or who graduated in medicine are welcome to apply. Those applicants who are selected for interviews in a first round of screening will be asked to attend a selection workshop in Hannover to be held June 10 / 11, 2009.


The deadline for receipt of a complete application is April 30, 2009. Applications are only accepted via the online application platform www.irtg1273.mh-hannover.de.

Prof. Dr. Sebastian Suerbaum, Department of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany, or to IRTG1273mh-hannover.de

To fill the Online Application,Click here.

Coordinator:
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Suerbaum
Hannover Medical School
Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology
OE 5210
Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1
D-30625 Hannover
Phone: +49 511 532 - 6769
Fax: +49 511 532 - 4366

Coordinator in Sweden:
Prof. Birgitta Henriques Normark, MD, Ph.D.
Head, Dept. of Bacteriology
Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control
MTC, Karolinska Institute
S-17182 Solna
Phone: +46 8-4572413
Fax: +46 8-302566

PhD studentship - "Predictive Mechanisms in Perception" (Netherlands)

Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging
Maximum Salary: € 2,612 gross/month
Vacancy number: 30.03.09
Closing date: 30 May 2009


Job description
The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour currently has a vacancy at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging for a PhD student to work on the project “Predictive Mechanisms in Perception”. The goal of this project is to investigate how the brain implements predictions in visual perception. Prediction is essential for virtually all aspects of human cognition: we are continuously anticipating what we will hear, see, and feel next. Examples of prediction can be seen in many domains such as motor control (e.g. catching a ball), language (e.g. resolving ambiguity in the speech signal) and visual perception (e.g. recognizing the cat behind the tree). However, it is still largely unknown how the brain implements these predictive mechanisms. We will make use of behavioural experiments in healthy participants and state-of-the-art psychophysical/neuroimaging methods (MEG, fMRI, TMS, eye tracking) to investigate how predictions influence visual perception.

The successful PhD candidate will work at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, which is part of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (http://www.ru.nl/donders/). This is an internationally renowned centre for cognitive neuroimaging, which currently hosts more than 100 PhD students and post-docs from many different nationalities. We offer a unique, multidisciplinary working and learning environment with possibilities to develop expertise in a diversity of research areas and techniques.

Requirements
The ideal candidate for this position has a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a field related to cognitive neuroscience (e.g., experimental/cognitive psychology, biology, artificial intelligence). However, excellent candidates from other backgrounds will also be considered.
Programming skills (e.g., Matlab) and demonstrable prior experience in scientific research are highly desirable.

Organization
The Donders Institute is part of Radboud University Nijmegen (http://www.ru.nl/english/). Radboud University Nijmegen is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. Situated in the oldest city of the Netherlands, it has nine faculties and enrols over 17,500 students in 107 study programmes. The successful candidate will work in the newly established research group "Prediction and Attention", which has ongoing collaborations with other international research teams (e.g., NeuroSpin, Paris, France and Columbia University, New York, USA).
Website: http://www.ru.nl/donders

Conditions of employment
Maximum employment: 1,0 fte
Maximum salary per month, based on a fulltime employment: € 2,612 gross/month
The gross starting salary is € 2,042 per month and will increase to € 2,612 (fourth year)
Duration of the contract: 4 years

Additional conditions of employment
The candidate will be appointed as a PhD student (1.0 FTE) for a period of 4 years. The candidate’s performance will be evaluated after 18 months. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2½ years.
Candidates should submit a letter of application, including CV and the names of two persons who can provide references.

Additional Information
Dr. Floris de Lange, Jr. PI
E-mail: floris.delange@donders.ru.nl

Application
You can apply for the job (mention the vacancy number 30.03.09) before 30 May 2009 by sending your application -preferably by email- to:

Radboud University Nijmegen, Mrs. Tildie Stijns
P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB NIJMEGEN, NL
Telephone: +31-(0)24-3610651
E-mail: tildie.stijns@donders.ru.nl

PhD Studentship - Bilingual language processing (Netherlands)

Faculty of Social Sciences
Maximum Salary: € 2,621 gross/month
Vacancy number: 24.09.09
Closing date: 25 April 2009

Job description
The Donders Centre for Cognition currently has an opening for a PhD student within a project called ’The processing of morphologically complex words in beginning and proficient second language speakers’. As a PhD student you will investigate how speakers of a second language process words that consist of more than one basic constituent (e.g. ‘under-stand’).


As part of the project, behavioural and neuroimaging experiments are planned with beginning and experienced second language speakers. Additional methods available are eye-tracking and EEG. The proposed language combination to be investigated as a starting point is German as a native and Dutch as a foreign language. Extending the study to other language combinations later on is desirable, depending on the language of your background.


Because the project will focus particularly on the action component of complex verbs, such as ‘stand’ in ‘understand’, the project taps into both motor control and (bilingual) language processing research, and makes use of the most advanced methods in the field (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging, MRI).

Requirements
- university graduate with a Master’s degree in experimental/cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, or related cognitive neuroscience fields;
- demonstrated interest in and qualification for scientific research;
- proficiency in Dutch and German, as well as in English;
- experience with behavioural experiments and/or experience with neuroimaging methods is a plus;
- the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team of psychologists, linguists, and cognitive neuroscientists in an international context;
- excellent writing skills (in English).

Organization
The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University Nijmegen was founded on September 1, 2008, and comprises the Centre for Cognition, the Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging and the Centre for Neuroscience. The project is based at the Centre for Cognition (formerly the Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information, NICI), which plays a central role in Radboud University’s focus on Cognitive Neuroscience. Housed in the Spinoza building, home of the Educational Institute for Psychology and Artificial Intelligence, the Centre cooperates closely with the other centres involved in the new Donders Institute, as well as with affiliated institutes such as the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. The focus on Cognition is exemplified by research on topics such as Perception, Action and Intention; Psycholinguistics; and Learning, Memory and Plasticity. Scientists study these and related topics in an interdisciplinary manner, at different levels of analysis (task, computational, and neural) and using a variety of research methods, including behavioural experiments, conceptual analysis, computational modelling, and neuroimaging techniques.
Website: http://www.ru.nl/fsw

Conditions of employment
Maximum employment: 1,0 fte
Maximum salary per month, based on a fulltime employment: € 2,621 gross/month
Salary scale: PhD Scale.
Duration of the contract: 4 years.

Additional conditions of employment
You will initially be appointed for 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If evaluated positively, the contract will be prolonged by 2.5 years.

Additional Information
dr. Kristin Lemhöfer
Telephone: 31-(0)24-3612630
E-mail: k.lemhofer@donders.ru.nl

dr. Shirley-Ann Rüschemeyer
Telephone: 31-(0)24-3612648
E-mail: s.rueschemeyer@donders.ru.nl

Application
You can apply for the job (mention the vacancy number 24.09.09) before 25 April 2009 by sending your application -preferably by email- to:

Faculty of Social Sciences/P&O
P.O. Box 9104
6500 HE NIJMEGEN
E-mail: vacancies@socsci.ru.nl

PhD Scholarship on Biomedical Signal Analysis

• $ 26,669 per annum (tax‐free), for 3 year

The Biomedical Systems Laboratory (http://www.bsl.unsw.edu.au), under the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, has an Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) scholarship available immediately for one student to pursue a full time PhD degree and participate in a project jointly supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Telemedcare Pty Ltd. The research area is on the development of novel techniques for analysing and modelling biomedical signals to extract parameters for early diagnosis of critical illness in human. Of particular interest is the beat‐to‐beat change exhibited in heart rate variability (HRV) and the arterial pulse waveform.


Applicant must have at least Honours 1 (or equivalent) in an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science or other relevant disciplines in science or engineering. We specifically look for the following attributes:

• Strong background in mathematics and digital signal processing
• Good programming skills in Matlab or Labview
• Interest in physiology and clinical studies
• Interest in frequency domain analysis, time series analysis, nonlinear dynamics, statistical signal processing, data mining, and graphical representation of biomedical signals.


Applicant must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen. Relocation costs may be reimbursed, subject to a certain limit.

Interested applicants should send CV (including description of any previous experience relevant to this project) and application materials, and / or directly contact
Dr. Gregory Chan (gregchan@unsw.edu.au),
Prof. Andrey Savkin (Tel: 61‐2‐93856359; a.savkin@unsw.edu.au), or
Prof. Nigel Lovell (Tel: 61‐2‐93853922; n.lovell@unsw.edu.au).