Katz 3-year PhD studentships available

Katz 3-year PhD studentships

About the Projects

We are advertising two funded 3-year PhD studentships. These studentships will focus on addressing important research questions linked to understanding tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome. Targeted projects currently include the following:

1. Use multimodal brain imaging or brain stimulation techniques to develop a mechanistic understanding of the role played by neural noise (trial-by-trial variability) in the generation of tics that can be used to inform the development of novel treatments.
2. Develop a Temporal Interference stimulation (TIS) approach to investigate the role(s) played by the anterior insula and mid (motor) cingulate brain areas in the experience of premonitory urge phenomena and the production of tics.
3. Use translational neuroimaging and neurophysiology methods together in a rat model of Tourette syndrome to examine the remote effects of chronic striatal neural disinhibition which has been implicated in tic disorders.
4. Using AI/machine learning methods, develop a smartphone App for automatically quantifying and classifying tics.

These studentships would suit somebody with an honours level undergraduate degree relevant to each individual project, e.g., Experimental Psychology, Physics/Mathematics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related subject. In addition, an appropriate Masters degree and/or relevant previous experience with one or more of: brain imaging (e.g., MRI, EEG, MEG); brain stimulation (e.g., TMS, tACS, TIS); mathematical modelling; or, AI/machine learning would be an advantage.

The PhDs would ideally start in February 2025 and are fully funded by a generous philanthropic donation made to the University of Nottingham.

The studentships are open to UK citizens and will include a stipend of £18,622 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress.

Informal enquiries can be addressed to:

Stephen Jackson

How to apply:

All applications are to be made directly to the University, selecting PhD Psychology (36 months duration) as the course. Please apply at: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/how-to-apply/apply-online.aspx.

In the research proposal section please only include “Stephen Jackson’s advertised Katz PhD positions” in the title. Please note, the application will not be considered if you fail to do so. You are required to upload the following documents to your application:

1. A CV
2. A cover letter
3. Two references.