[visionlist] 15 PhD positions (f/m/d) in the EU Horizon 2020 Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Project: MSCA-ITN-ETN LIGHTCAP

[Kort, Y.A.W. de]

15 PhD positions (f/m/d) in the EU Horizon 2020 Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Project: MSCA-ITN-ETN LIGHTCAP

LIGHTCAP: LIGHT, Cognition, Attention, Perception

What: Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network
When: contract start between April 1st and September 1st
Where: 8 Universities: Basel, Berlin, Eindhoven, Lausanne, Liège, Manchester, Sheffield
Duration: 3 – 4 years

The LIGHTCAP project is a European Training Network under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions framework. LIGHTCAP aims to provide a strong, innovative and necessary impulse to our insights in the intricate and complex relationships between light, perception, attention and cognition.

Cognition, Attention and Perception (CAP) are crucial for professional success, core to educational success, and essential to productive, safe and healthy functioning. Yet cognition is hard work, attention is fragile, and perception is selective. Recent research has shown that light directly and indirectly helps to foster CAP, in particular via the activation of a recently discovered photoreceptor in the human eye. However, large-scale migration to cities, increased time spent indoors, and our 24-hour economy have impacted on our light exposure. Disturbance of sleep/wake cycles, fatigue and cognitive failure, mood disorders and even cancer pathologies may be the consequences of ignoring the impact of aberrant light dark cycles on human physiology and functioning,

The goal of LIGHTCAP is to prepare the next generation of experts for the domain of intelligent, human-centric lighting. We promise an international, interdisciplinary, cross-sectional and translational training program. It unites experts from neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, chronobiology, psychology and lighting technology. It will train a generation of researchers who can look beyond the borders of their discipline and understand the implications of their findings for other fields.

LIGHTCAP will:

  *   Provide a strong and highly innovative impulse to the domain of light, uniting international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral expertise; with strong foundations in neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, chronobiology, psychology and lighting technology and applications
  *   Unravel the fundamentals of neural anatomy, physiology and psychology of light using advanced technology in basic animal models and in humans;
  *   Establish how timing, duration, intensity, distribution, spectrum and directionality of light translate to modulation of CAP in human beings through state-of-the-art in-depth (neuro)psychological, chronobiological and neurophysiological research;
  *   Deepen our understanding of light’s impact on CAP, via visual and non-visual processes, in our living environments, and translate these insights into the lighting practice and cutting-edge (lighting) technology together with the most innovative actors in the lighting industry;
  *   Create an outstanding training program including webinars and gathering events for academics and experts from the industry, network-wide training and individual teaching, attention to broad translational skills and in-depth expertise, all centered around fine-tuned Personal Career Development Plans (PCDP);

In LIGHTCAP, 15 early stage researchers will be trained in a joint programme between 7 academic European partners: The Human-Technology Interaction group and the Building Lighting group at Eindhoven University of Technology; the Centre for Biological Timing at the University of Manchester; the Lighting and Visual Perception group of the University of Sheffield; the GIGA-Cyclontron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging of the University of Liège; the Centre for Chronobiology of the University of Basel; the Laboratory of Integrated Performance in Design of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL); and the Lighting Technology group of the Technical University of Berlin. These groups will be working together intensively with each other and with the solid consortium of industrial and medical partners through secondments (research visits), consortium meetings and a joint training programme.

More information: https://lightcap.eu/

MSCA-ITN General rules
All early-stage researchers in the MSCA-ITN programme must meet the following eligibility and mobility requirements:

Eligibility
ITN offers funding for early-stage researchers only. To be eligible for recruitment within an ITN project, you therefore must – at the date of recruitment – be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of your research career and not have a doctoral degree.

Mobility
The MSCA are a researcher mobility programme. You are therefore required to undertake transnational mobility in order to be eligible for recruitment in an ITN project. As such, you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (e.g. work, studies) in the country where you have been recruited for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before your start date.

Brief project descriptions:

UNIMAN
Fellow 1: Mapping melanopic modulation - Determining the effects of selective modulation of melanopsin photoreception in non-image forming vision
How is ambient light measured in the eye and translated by the brain into changes in mood, alertness, sleep propensity and biological timing? Addressing this question in laboratory rodents allows us to conceive of more mechanistic and fundamental answers than can be achieved by studying humans alone. This project will exploit an array of cutting-edge methods in experimental neuroscience (viral gene delivery, multichannel in vivo electrophysiology, chemo- and opto-genetics), and address topics of direct relevance to lighting design and human health.

Research will be under the supervision of Professor Robert Lucas in the Centre for Biological Timing, University of Manchester, with secondments planned at the University of Liege and the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology.

Fellow 2: Melanopsin influences on vision - Determining melanopsin’s role in adjusting vision to ambient light.
Among the most surprising recent discoveries in vision science is that rods and cones are not the only photoreceptors that we use to see. Melanopsin, a newly discovered photoreceptor in the inner retina, also appears to play an important supportive role in visual perception. We will apply the tools of modern experimental neuroscience in laboratory rodents to understand this role and to explore how that knowledge can be applied to improve lighting design.

Research will be under the supervision of Professor Robert Lucas in the Centre for Biological Timing, University of Manchester, with secondments planned at the Techinical University of Eindhoven and Arup.

ULIEGE
Fellow 3: NIF impact on subcortical brain structures
We will establish the fundamental role of the subcortical areas and identified NIF pathways beyond the retina in vivo in human. We will also strengthen our understanding of melanopsin retinal cell contribution to alertness and cognition. Studies will be laboratory based on healthy human participants. The project will use Ultra-high-field high-resolution 7 Tesla MRI geared towards subcortical areas, metameric illumination and analyses based on detailed recordings of melanopsin cell responses in rodents. Results could have implications for treatment of brain disorders.

Research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Gilles Vandewalle and in collaboration with Dr. Balteau, MR physicist, and Dr. Phillips, MR method developer, at GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging @ ULiège. We have planned secondments with Dr. Lucas at University of Manchester and SIGNIFY.

Fellow 4: NIF impact on the brain in teenagers
First, we will establish whether subcortical areas play an important role in NIF responses to light in teenagers and in the transition to adulthood.  Second, we will show whether basic cortical function (as indexed by cortical excitability) is affected by light exposure in teenagers and young adults. We will bring an important piece of information as to how melanopsin cells modulate brain activity beyond subcortical areas in adults and in teenagers, which are increasingly exposed to screen light at any times of the day. The project will use Ultra-high-field high-resolution 7 Tesla MRI geared towards subcortical areas, TMS coupled to EEG to assess cortical excitability.
Research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Gilles Vandewalle and in collaboration with Dr. Balteau, MR physicist, and Dr. Phillips, MR method developer, at GIGA Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging @ ULiège. We have planned secondments with Dr. Cajochen at University of Basel Manchester and BALDER.

UBAS
Fellow 5: Dose-response relationships of evening light on human CAP, circadian physiology and sleep.
This project investigates the role of different photoreceptors (cones, rods, and ipRGCs) in the human retina and their role in driving non-visual responses during evening light exposure. The project will use novel spectrally tunable lighting sources to target different photoreceptors, with a view to characterize the contribution of the photoreceptors as a function of absolute light level on human CAP. Research will be conducted at the Centre for Chronobiology in Basel under the supervision of Dr. Manuel Spitschan, Dr. Oliver Stefani, and Prof. Christian Cajochen.

We have planned secondments with Prof. Rob Lucas at the Centre for Biological Timing, University of Manchester.


Fellow 6: Circadian timing system and it moderating role for light’s CAP effects in teenagers
In this project, we will investigate the interaction of circadian time with NIF responses in teenagers, using a combination of field and laboratory-based measurements. Research will be conducted at the Centre for Chronobiology in Basel under the supervision of Dr. Manuel Spitschan, Dr. Oliver Stefani, and Prof. Christian Cajochen.

We have planned secondments with Dr. Gilles Vandewalle at the University of Liège and the Technical University of Eindhoven.


TUE-HTI
Fellow 7: Time-related factors in acute NIF effects on attention and cognition during daytime
We aim to quantify the magnitude and direction of acute NIF effects on subjective and objective markers of attention and cognition. Important factors will be the timing of the light exposure in relation to internal circadian time and time awake, and the duration of the light pulse. Studies will be mostly laboratory based and may include psychophysiological measurements, cognitive tasks as well as self-reports, and may make use of metameric light interventions to assess acute NIF effects of (melanopic) light exposure on attention and cognition.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Karin Smolders, Dr. Luc Schlangen, and Prof. Yvonne de Kort and embedded in TU/e’s Intelligent Lighting Institute. We have planned secondments with the chronobiology group in Basel and Emmlight.

Fellow 8: Effects of daytime light on CAP and sleep in persons with sleep disorders
This project aims to investigate NIF effects of light on attention, cognition and sleep among patients suffering from chronic primary sleep disorder with reduced daytime vigilance (e.g., those suffering from Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and/or narcolepsy patients). Studies will be performed both in the laboratory and in the field. Studies will assess the potential of (melanopic) lighting to support attention and cognition under controlled conditions with relatively high homeostatic sleep pressure. Light-induced moderations in vigilance and sleep will be monitored and quantified over prolonged time (e.g., multiple weeks) under dynamic real-life conditions. In theses studies, we may employ a multimeasure approach where behavioral, psychophysiological and subjective assessments are combined with advanced data analytics.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Karin Smolders, Prof. Sebastiaan Overeem, and Prof. Yvonne de Kort, and embedded in TU/e’s Intelligent Lighting Institute. The research is performed in close collaboration with Kempenhaeghe Sleep Center. We have planned secondments with the chronobiology group in Basel and the sleep disorders center at the Liège University Hospital (CHU) in Liege.

Fellow 9: Effects of SPD on CAP in mesopic outdoor situations.
We aim to investigate the acute NIF and IF effects in pedestrians under mesopic conditions. For this purpose we will investigate the role of spectral power distributions (SPD), in particular blue (NIF) and green (IF) wavelengths, in spatial brightness perceptions and safety judgements, and in decision making in critical situations (e.g., face recognition or road crossing situations). The research mostly involves laboratory experiments, but we aim to develop, together with other LIGHTCAP partners, experimental paradigms to test and measure pedestrian attention and (crossing) behavior in an ecologically valid manner. Findings will contribute to a better understanding of the importance and practical significance of considering NIF effects in mesopic / outdoor lighting conditions; also in light of the health and ecological concerns associated with blue wavelengths.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Ir. Antal Haans, and Prof. Yvonne de Kort, and embedded in TU/e’s Intelligent Lighting Institute. We have planned secondments with the Centre for Biological Timing at the University of Manchester,  the Lighting and Visual Perception group of the University of Sheffield, and Signify.

USFD
Fellow 10: Lighting at pedestrian crossings
We will investigate how lighting conditions affect safety at pedestrian crossings, through the influence of light level and light spectrum on the visibility and conspicuity of the pedestrian, and the alertness of the driver and pedestrian. This is likely to involve laboratory experiments, field study, and analyses of RTC data.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Professor Steve Fotios within the Lighting Research Group at Sheffield University. We have planned secondments with Manchester University and Signify.


Fellow 11: Nighttime driving
We will investigate how lighting conditions affect drivers ability to detect and identify hazards, such as pedestrians, through the influence of light level and light spectrum on the visibility, conspicuity and alertness. This is likely to involve laboratory experiments, field study, and analyses of RTC data. The research will be conducted under the supervision of Professor Steve Fotios within the Lighting Research Group at Sheffield University. We have planned secondments with Manchester University and Signify.


TUB
Fellow 12: Directionality of light for visual comfort and NIF effects
We will investigate the influence of light directionality, considering different spectral characteristics, on visual comfort and NIF effects. In this project, user studies will be conducted in a fully LED backlit test room, which allows a high variety of luminance distributions for walls and ceiling with different spectral power distributions. In order to link the human responses to the lighting conditions, a measurement device for describing the light received at the eye in terms of directionality and spectral composition will be further developed.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Martine Knoop and Prof. Stephan Völker at the Chair of Lighting Technology at the Technische Universität Berlin. Secondments are planned with the research group Human Technology Interaction of the TU Eindhoven and Zumtobel.

EPFL
Fellow 13: Light exposure patterns in the built environment - the importance of NIF effects in daily living
We will investigate how lighting conditions found in the built environment, and in offices and residences in particular, influence the neurophysiological behavior of its occupants, with a dedicated focus on daylighting aspects. We will put a special emphasis on alertness and circadian phase synchronization and will evaluate these effects both through user experiments – mostly in real-life conditions and involving wearable technology – and through computational modelling.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Marilyne Andersen within the LIPID laboratory at EPFL. We have planned secondments with the Intelligent Lighting Institute at TU/e and with ARUP.

Fellow 14: Anticipating the impact of NIF effects in indoor-dominated lifestyles - the role of (daylighting) design
We will explore how the so-called non-visual responses to light (attention and cognition, alertness, phase-shifting effects) complement visual comfort requirements in order to better define what “healthy” (indoor) lighting conditions may be. We will aim to determine the extent to which it is relevant to consider non-visual lighting needs in the design of spaces, and how daylight and electric lighting complement each other in this respect. The work will combine simulations-based evaluations relying on existing models with field studies.
The research will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Marilyne Andersen within the LIPID laboratory at EPFL. We have planned secondments with the Intelligent Lighting Institute at TU/e and with VELUX.

TUE – BL
Fellow 15: Combining IF and NIF effects in the lighting design process
We aim to translate the knowledge how light impacts visual performance, human health, behavior, and well-being into lighting design recommendations.  In this project, we will investigate how any given lighting condition can be evaluated within a quality scheme, depending on different static and dynamic parameters e.g. time and activity, and considering state of the art insights in both image-forming (IF) and non-image forming (NIF) effects. Key quality aspects will be validated in a real-life situation, e.g. an operational office environment. The end product will be recommendations for a holistic lighting design.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of Mariëlle Aarts, Dr. Juliëtte van Duijnhoven, in the Building Lighting Group chaired by Prof. Alexander Rosemann and embedded in TU/e’s Intelligent Lighting Institute. We have planned secondments at the Technische Universität Berlin and Zumtobel.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://visionscience.com/pipermail/visionlist_visionscience.com/attachments/20200319/ba303b2a/attachment-0001.html>