Brain Circuits Controlling Appetite

Supervisor: Dr Giuseppe D’Agostino (Rowett Institute of Nutrition & Health)

Applications are invited to join a new MRC-funded team of scientists focusing on understanding the basic mechanisms underlying brain’s integration and processing of ingestive signals.

The overall aim of the studentship project is to identify discrete neuronal populations critical for maintaining homeostatic gut-brain interactions, with particular emphasis on the caudal brainstem. The project will involve the use of several genetic engineering techniques to visualise and manipulate the activity of intact neuronal circuits. Genetic tools will be employed in combination with neuroanatomical and biochemical analyses to label and trace genetically identified subpopulations of neurons and their activation profile upon challenges with naturally occurring gastrointestinal compounds.

Follow-up experiments will involve the use of optogenetic tools to probe the activity of discrete populations of caudal brainstem neurons and to manipulate their activity during behaviour.

Candidates with backgrounds in molecular biology, imaging, electrophysiology, gastroenterology or behavioural analysis are particularly invited to apply.

For further details about the project, contact Dr Giuseppe D’Agostino ([Email Address Removed]).

Application Process:

Please select ’Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (Medicine)’ from the list of programme options in the University of Aberdeen’s online postgraduate applicant portal to ensure that your application is passed to the correct school for processing. Then manually enter the name of the supervisor(s), project title and funder (Elphinstone) in the space provided.