Prof D Holder
No more applications being accepted
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
A pre-doctoral research assistant position is available at UCL to work on a project combining several techniques: neural tracers, electrophysiology, and developing a new medical imaging method, Electrical Impedance Tomography, to image fascicular organisation in mammalian nerves within an interdisciplinary bioengineering/neurophysiology research group in Medical Physics at UCL. It is funded for 3 years in the first instance with a start date in early 2018 if possible.
The anatomy of nerve fascicles in human somatic nerves is fairly well understood but, surprisingly, almost nothing is known of the function of fascicles visible on histology in autonomic nerves. This is of topical interest for the new initiative "Electroceuticals" to treat a wide range of diseases by electrical stimulation of autonomic nerves; understanding of fascicle function could underpin selective stimulation and so avoid off-target effects.
The aim of the project is to investigate the anatomical connection and functional activity of all possible organs supplied by the mammalian cervical vagus nerve. Anatomical connections will be delineated with neural tracers and computerised fascicle tracking, functional physiology with multielectrode arrays, and the new method of fast neural imaging with Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) which is a new imaging method, with which tomographic images of the internal impedance of a subject may be produced using arrays of external surface electrodes, which has the unique capability to produce 3D tomographic images of neuronal depolarization over milliseconds. Currently it is the only method which has a potential to produce real-time imaging of fascicular activity non-invasively in humans.
Initial studies will be in rat and rabbit sciatic nerve to enable technical integration of the methods. The refined methods will then be used in a defining dataset in anaesthetised pigs, and then a human study based on these findings using a non-penetrating nerve cuff with fast neural EIT.
Funding Notes
The project is funded by UK Medical Research Council and is an interdisciplinary neurophysiology/engineering project. The successful applicant will work in a multi-disciplinary group which has researchers with backgrounds in neuroscience, medicine, physics and engineering.
Funding via UCL’s Study Assistance Scheme (SAS) is available for UCL staff to apply for, following successful completion of a 9 month probation period.The SAS grant is = 50% of the course fee but at a maximum of £865. For staff working part-time, this contribution will be pro-rated accordingly. For further information and eligibility of the UCL’s SAS please click on the link http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/od/sas/guidelines.php#gu7
Continue with Facebook
