Job ID: 119105

PhD Scholarship

Position: Ph.D. Student

Deadline: 24 June 2024

Employment Start Date: 1 November 2024

Contract Length: 4 years

City: Rovereto

Country: Italy

Institution: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Department: Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems

Description:

Description:

The Laboratory of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at IIT (IIT-LAND), directed by Dr. Michael Lombardo, at the Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, invites applications for 2 PhD scholarships to investigate early biomarkers behind autism subtypes. Our research aims to understand how autism may be split into distinctive types of autisms, characterized by distinctive phenotypic presentation, underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and differential responses to treatment. To answer these types of questions, we use a combination of approaches from neuroimaging (EEG, MRI), cognitive and computational neuroscience, and data science. Our work is primarily focused on human patients (i.e. autistic children), but we also collaborate with other groups on larger cross-cutting translational work focused on elucidating biological mechanisms in model systems. For more info, see:  https://land.iit.it.

Role summary:

We have 2 PhD positions focused on identifying biomarkers for different clinically and behaviorally distinctive subtypes of autism. The work heavily focuses on methodologies such as eye tracking, EEG, and MRI/fMRI. The datasets we work with are a combination of large publicly available datasets, datasets from international collaborators, as well as data coming from ongoing experiments run within IIT-LAND. The work will heavily rely on new or past stratification models of neural and phenotypically distinctive autism subtypes. The two positions are fully-funded off of an ERC Consolidator Grant to Dr. Michael Lombardo.

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for talented and highly motivated individuals that can build on prior skill sets or knowledge within the core areas of our research – EEG, eye tracking, neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI), data science, and autism. Advanced understanding and conceptual thinking with regards to statistics and big data analysis is a plus, as is requisite computational and programming skills (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB) to implement such ideas. Ability to speak both Italian and English is highly prioritized. Good communication skills and ability to work within larger groups is also emphasized. Strong passion/desire to pursue an academic career focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders like autism is also a key characteristic we are looking for, as is an existing strong grasp of the literature on autism and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Research environment and training: 

Successful candidates will join a growing diverse, multidisciplinary and collegial group, and will be offered direct training, supervision and mentorship from the principal investigator and other senior members of the lab. The work also offers up the possibility of working within a larger international context, as nearly all of the work we do on this topic is done with collaborations from colleagues in Europe and the USA. The position is a four-year scholarship, offered in partnership with the international doctoral school in Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CIMEC) at the University of Trento. Candidates will join a diverse cohort of PhD students and receive multi-disciplinary training at the interface of computational, experimental and cognitive neuroscience across humans and animal models.

The IIT-CNCS in Rovereto is actively expanding its infrastructure for systems level neuroscience research. Our center is located in Trentino, a region of Northern Italy nested within the Dolomite mountains, offering easy access to spectacular natural beauty and mountaineering, vibrant culture and exceptional quality of life (https://www.iit.it/it-IT/cncs-unitn/).

How to apply

To apply, please follow the guidelines on the CIMeC doctoral school website. The official call will tentatively open on the 24th of May, and close on the 24th of June.  Final admission to entails a competitive selection process, as per the doctoral school regulations, with interviews held in July.

Candidates can informally contact Dr Michael Lombardo (michael.lombardo@iit.it) to gather more information about the position, the project, the application procedure and the selection process.