PhD student position in Auditory Systems Physiology

In the 3rd funding period of CRC 889, the Department of Otolaryngology, Institute of Auditory Neuroscience, and Inner Ear Lab offer an attractive

PhD student position
in Auditory Systems Physiology
limited for 3,5 years, 65% | salary according to TV-L

The University Medical Center Göttingen is a tertiary care center and offers great development potential. Its 7,700 employees work in over 65 departments and facilities to provide top-quality patient care, excellent research and modern teaching. Göttingen, “City of Science”, located near the center of Germany, the University Medical Center Göttingen is embedded in the city’s attractive network of scientific research facilities.

The successful candidate will study the disease mechanisms of human hearing loss using genetically modified mouse lines that carry mutations implicated in human deafness. We focus on the question how sound encoding in the auditory nerve and sound perception are changed when the organ of Corti and specifically the inner hair cell ribbon synapse do not function normally. With a direct link to the clinical department, our aim is to better understand normal and impaired hearing function and to improve diagnostic techniques and hearing rehabilitation strategies.

The experimental work of the project will consist of in vivo recordings from the rodent auditory system, including challenging extracellular single neuron recordings from the auditory nerve, as well as immunohistochemical staining on preparations of the Organ of Corti. Potentially, behavioral assessments of hearing function will also be used. All techniques are generally established in the lab.

Previous experience with electrophysiological experiments, microsurgery and/or a completed course on animal experimentation (FELASA B) will be useful. In addition, experience with immunohistochemical staining procedures and confocal or STED imaging, as well as technical knowledge and programming skills, ideally in Python and/or Matlab, will be helpful. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in neuroscience, audiology, physiology, animal biology or molecular medicine, ideally with a focus on sensory physiology. The ability to work in an interdisciplinary, Englishspeaking international team of researchers is required.

The Göttingen Campus is a leading Neuroscience Center hosting numerous prestigious and internationally renowned research institutions. This includes the University and its Medical Center, three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, and the German Primate Center. The Auditory Systems Physiology group is part of the InnerEarLab (http://www.innerearlab.unigoettingen.de), consisting of 7 groups employing molecular, structural, physiological, and theoretical approaches to study inner ear function. Most PhD students are enrolled in the „sensory and motor neuroscience“ or “systems neuroscience” programs of the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB, http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/sh/56640.html).

Women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities and equal qualifications
will be given preferential treatment.

We look forward to receiving your application by January 15th, 2019:

University Medical Center Göttingen
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Nicola Strenzke
D-37099 Göttingen
Tel.: +49 (0)551/39-9688
Fax: +49 (0)551/39-61957
E-Mail: [Email Address Removed]
Web: http://www.sfb889.uni-goettingen.de

Please send your application only via e-mail as a PDF-file.

Travel and application fees cannot be refunded or transferred.