Overview
The Visual Perception team, based in the Department of Imaging Neuroscience and led by Professor Peter Kok, uses a combination of state‑of‑the‑art neuroimaging techniques (esp. 7T fMRI and MEG) to shed light on the neural underpinning of our visual perception of the world. A major insight from the past decades is that visual perception is strongly influenced by our prior knowledge and predictions. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this process are largely unknown.
Key Focus Areas
A major focus of the Visual Perception team in the coming years will be the role of the hippocampus in supplying predictions to guide visual perception. We plan to investigate the computations taking place in the different hippocampal subfields and the role of hippocampal theta in coordinating predicting and perceiving.
Research Fellow Role
We are now recruiting a Research Fellow to undertake high‑quality research using cutting‑edge human neuroimaging, for example, subfield‑specific hippocampal and layer‑specific cortical responses (using 7T fMRI) and time‑resolved decoding of the neural dynamics underlying visual predictions (using MEG and intracranial recordings). For some analyses deep neural networks (DNNs) will be used to probe the representational contents of neural signals.
Key responsibilities will be to design experiments, recruit and assess study participants, coordinate study logistics, and to collect and analyse behavioural and neuroimaging data for publications and presentation at international conferences and internal meetings.
Requirements
You will have a PhD in psychology, neuroscience, or a related discipline, coupled with experience of designing and conducting experiments using 7T MRI and/or MEG/EEG, and analysing the resulting data. Good knowledge of neuroanatomy, visual perception, and advanced neuroimaging analyses such as retinotopic mapping, machine learning (classification and decoding methods), structural MRI techniques (cortical segmentation), and deep neural networks is essential. Strong programming and problem‑solving skills, and exceptional attention to detail, are also required.
Salary & Benefits
Starting salary offered in the range £45,103 - £46,261 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance.
Appointment as Research Fellow is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant (salary £39,148 - £41,833 per annum) with appointment as Research Fellow being back‑dated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits.
