[visionlist] Postdoctoral Fellowship in Visual Psychophysics and Retinal Function available at the University of Rochester

[Debbie Shannon]

David Williams and William Merigan at the University of Rochester seek a 
neuroscientist to join their collaboration to discover the perceptual 
roles of individual retinal circuits in the primate retina.  There is 
considerable controversy about the contributions each of the 20+ classes 
of ganglion cells make to visual experience in part because we have not 
had a viable method to directly stimulate cells of known class in the 
awake behaving primate.  Using fluorescence adaptive optics imaging of 
the calcium responses to visual stimuli of single retinal ganglion 
cells, we have recently shown that single cells can be classified in the 
living primate eye. These cells can be subsequently stimulated 
optogenetically, offering the exciting possibility of conducting 
psychophysical experiments on single cells to reveal the visual role of 
each ganglion cell class.  These experiments have potential implications 
not only for the basic neuroscience of vision but also for new 
approaches to restore vision in the blind. The most attractive 
candidates will have completed a PhD in the area of visual neuroscience. 
We are especially interested in candidates with experience applying 
psychophysics in animal models. Experience with neurophysiology, 
adaptive optics retinal imaging, calcium imaging, and/or optogenetics, 
is desirable but not required.  The position provides an excellent 
opportunity to broaden your skills to include those methodologies.
The Williams and Merigan laboratories are part of the Advanced Retinal 
Imaging Alliance (ARIA), a community of more than two dozen scientists 
and engineers who use advanced optical technologies to probe retinal 
function.  ARIA is closely affiliated with the Center for Visual 
Science, the Flaum Eye Institute, the Institute of Optics, Brain and 
Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience. The University of Rochester has 45 
vision scientists, many with international reputations including Farran 
Briggs, Greg DeAnglelis, John Foxe, Krystel Huxlin, Susana Marcos, 
Juliette McGregor, Martina Poletti, Michele Rucci, Duje Tadin and Jesse 
Schallek among others, providing a vibrant and highly collaborative 
community for training in vision science. We enjoy unusually strong 
links between our signature strengths in vision science and optics, 
providing unique opportunities for postdocs to merge visual science and 
optical engineering. Rochester is a very affordable city that hosts a 
superb jazz festival annually and has excellent opportunities for 
outdoor adventures in the nearby Finger Lakes Region and the Adirondack 
Mountains.  Salary support will be provided by a MURI grant from the Air 
Force Office of Scientific Research for a minimum of 3 years and will 
follow the NIH scale for postdoctoral fellows.
Applicants should submit a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, and 
names of three references to:
David Williams
Center for Visual Science
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627-0270
david at cvs.rochester.edu

The University of Rochester is an equal opportunity employer.

-- 
Debbie Shannon, Administrator
Center for Visual Science
Box 319
Rochester, NY  14620
(585) 275-6864 office
(585) 749-2176 cell