Research Associate in Experimental and Theoretical Neuroscience

We are looking to appoint a computational/experimental neuroscientist to join a research project funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. You will contribute to a new ambitious project that seeks to determine how insect compound eye of evolutionary adaptations dynamically sample light information. This research project will be undertaken at the University of Sheffield.

This project aims to study functional eye evolution using insects (houseflies, Fruit flies, honeybees, ants and butterflies) with unique lifestyles and eye architectures, in which photoreceptor microsaccades can be recorded with powerful in vivo assays. The project capitalises on, and further develops, new biological and technological methods to understand the compound eye function. We can draw on key preliminary work that includes piloted deep pseudopupil-imaging of stereo information in the Drosophila and honeybee compound eyes coupled to a novel 3D-stimulator for these insects walking on trackballs; availability and analysis of connectomic data to identify neural circuits which could integrate visual information from the left and right eyes; exploratory use of machine learning to predict how peripheral visual network processes and channels phasic photoreceptor information; well-grounded computational and hardware modelling methodologies that have successfully transferred algorithms from insect eyes to robot control.

The outcomes of this work would also be of wider interest in biology and bioinspired systems as an example of active perception, where the sensors alter their configuration and properties in response to the signal received.

Applicants must have a PhD in computational/experimental insect vision along with experience in mathematical modelling, designing and building scientific instruments and neural activity recordings. Proven experience in computational and experimental neuroscience, including electrophysiology and mathematical modelling along with knowledge of vision research, including compound eye optics and active sampling their role in insect vision, are also essential.

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