This Earmarked Scholarship project is aligned with a recently awarded Category 1 research grant. It offers you the opportunity to work with leading researchers and contribute to large projects of national significance.
Supervisor – Dr Laura Fenlon, l.fenlon@uq.edu.au
For decades, neuroscientists have noted that severe brain malformations or injuries that occur early in life often result in a better functional outcome than those that occur later in life. This has contributed to our understanding that the developing brain has an astounding potential for the rearrangement and rerouting of connections to recover neurological function, known as plasticity. However, very little is understood about the mechanisms and functional consequences of developmental brain plasticity. This project will use mouse models where the corpus callosum, the largest fibre tract in the human brain, is ablated either genetically or surgically. A PhD candidate will apply state-of-the-art surgical and labelling techniques such as in utero electroporation, as well as behavioural assays, immunohistochemistry and chemogenetic manipulations of neuronal activity to characterise and manipulate long-range axonal plasticity in the brain.
Preferred experience in: i) animal handling, ii) immunohistochemical techniques, iii) microscopy. Please detail your experience in these in your application.
Preferred educational background
Applications will be judged on a competitive basis taking into account the applicant's previous academic record, publication record, honours and awards, and employment history.
A working knowledge of developmental neurobiology, developmental biology, systems neuroscience, statistics/biostatistics, molecular biology, cell biology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology would be of benefit to someone working on this project.
*The successful candidate must commence by Research Quarter 4, 2022. You should apply at least 3 months prior to the research quarter commencement date. International applicants may need to apply much earlier for visa reasons.