PhD Position

University of Bern
June 11, 2023
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Offerd Salary:Negotiation
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PhD Position

100 %

Project „Preventing cognitive decline using portable, non-invasive sleep enhancement“

Universitätsklinik für Alterspsychiatrie und Psychotherapie Start of employment: June 2023

Our group investigates the vicious cycle between deteriorating sleep quality and cognitive decline in old age. We focus on the relationship between healthy sleep, memory functions and clearance of metabolic waste products like amyloid beta. By employing non-invasive techniques to enhance sleep, we try to break this vicious cycle. In this project, we employ portable devices to measure and acoustically stimulate sleep in older volunteers with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment across multiple weeks in the comfort of their home. We measure cognitive abilities using engaging tablet-based “serious games” and metabolic waste products using blood samples.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will work on a large longitudinal project measuring sleep and cognitive functions in older adults with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment. Responsibilities include:

  • Participant recruitment, data collection and study management
  • Analysis of sleep EEG and neurocognitive data.
  • Presentation of results, writing of manuscripts and publication in peer- reviewed scientific journals.
  • Qualifications

  • Master's degree in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering or related field, average grade ≥ 5.0 (Swiss grading system or equivalent)
  • Proficiency in German and English (spoken and written)
  • Willingness to work nights
  • Knowledge of experimental methods and statistics
  • Ability and willingness to work with older individuals and their family members, at their homes
  • Highly motivated, self-driven, conceptual-logical problem solver with willingness to learn
  • Team player
  • Coding experience (e.g., Matlab or R) a plus, willingness to learn coding necessary
  • We offer

  • Working in a cooperative team devoted to advancing our understanding of sleep, cognitive functions and potential prevention of cognitive decline
  • Inclusive, equal opportunity environment with competitive (SNSF- standard) salary and social benefits
  • A vibrant academic environment with many opportunities for exchange
  • Development of academic skills, -thinking and -portfolio serving as a stepping stones for an academic career
  • Application

    Interested? Please send

    a single pdf file

    with CV including contact details of at least two references, statement describing motivation and personal qualifications, bachelor's and master's level grades and master's thesis to [email protected]

    www. unibe.ch

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