2 PhD Candidate Positions at Maastricht University

Two PhD positions are available at Maastricht University funded by the ERC consolidator grant of dr. De Martino focusing on understanding predictive human hearing using laminar fMRI, MEG and computational modeling.

The two PhD positions are part of an ERC consolidator grant awarded to dr. F. De Martino. The grant focuses on understanding predictive human hearing. Using a combination of high resolution (laminar) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and computational modeling, the research in the grant will investigate the role of subcortical and cortical areas in processing the context in which sounds are heard. Through a series of studies, the grant aims at understanding how hierarchical interactions in the brain underlie our ability of predicting which sounds will come next. The MEG studies will be performed in collaboration with Prof. de Lange at the Donders institute for brain, cognition and behavior in Nijmegen. The PhD students may focus on one or both the imaging modalities. The PhD students will be integrated in the research that takes place at the Department for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Maastricht Brain Imaging Center at Maastricht University, which has access to an MR-lab with 3 Tesla, 7 Tesla and 9.4 Tesla human MRI systems (www.scannexus.nl). The students will be embedded in the group led by dr. De Martino. This group currently consists of a PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher, and will be complemented by an additional postdoctoral researcher to be hired within the following 12 months.

The primary tasks and responsibilities of the PhD students will be: 1) to actively participate in the development of the experimental design, acquisition, and analysis of 7 Tesla functional MRI and/or MEG data; 2) to collaborate with the other members of the research group, and 3) to write and publish research articles.