About the Project
This project is one of 11 studentships available in the new EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Neurotechnology for Life and Health (see http://www.findaphd.com/search/PhDDetails.aspx?CAID=2386).
Supervisors: Dr Tobias Reichenbach, Dr Robert Leech, Professor Etienne Burdet, Professor Richard Wise
The Group for Biophysics of Hearing and Sensory Neuroscience (http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/) at the Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, is looking for a highly motivated student to take up this MRes + PhD studentship.
Our auditory environment is highly complex: different speakers often talk at the same time, music plays in the background, cars drive by. Our central nervous system is highly effective in analyzing such an auditory scene; for example, we can easily understand a speaker despite background noise. A range of neurological disorders can, however, impair the cognitive processes necessary to parse an acoustic scene and hence significantly impair a person's life. Both the brain's auditory processing as well as the associated disorder remain poorly understood.
The graduate project will develop methods to assess the brain’s processing of complex auditory signals such as speech and music through noninvasive electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. The methods will be used to diagnose patients with brain injury whose auditory processing is impaired. As an example, the project will study patients with aphasic stroke that affects brain regions for communication and language. The research will help to better understand the neurological basis of such disorder and help to develop novel rehabilitation strategies. The project will involve EEG data acquisition, advanced data analysis, machine learning, computational modeling and collaboration with clinical researchers.
Candidates should have a degree in mathematics, physics, engineering, or computer science, solid quantitative and computational abilities, and a strong interest in working on biomedical problems.
The CDT programme is not a standard PhD programme. Throughout the 4 years, there is considerable emphasis upon multidisciplinary and transferrable skills, through centre activities beyond the individual research project. The programme cannot be taken without the first (MRes Neurotechnology) year, as it is an integral part of the overall programme.
Applicants should send their CV and a cover letter together with a copy of transcripts to Tobias Reichenbach ([Email Address Removed]). Applicants should also arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent to Tobias Reichenbach. Closing date is 02 May 2014.
The Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London is performing internationally-leading, multi-disciplinary research in biomechanics, neurobiology, neurotechnology, and further related areas. More information about the department and about Imperial College can be found online (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/about and http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/aboutimperial).