PhD Position: Multisynaptic Plasticity in Dendrites

PhD project in Corette Wierenga's lab at the Donders Centre for Neuroscience (Faculty of Science), part of the Donders Institute, on how plasticity at multiple synapses is coordinated within dendrites of hippocampal CA1 neurons in brain slices. Using single-cell electrophysiology, two-photon glutamate uncaging at multiple spines, advanced microscopy and novel biosensors, the project examines how calcium release from internal stores contributes to dendritic calcium signals, how PKA and PKC activity interact with them, whether these interactions explain two modes of spine growth, where retrograde messengers are produced, and how neuromodulators affect these interactions.

Teaching may take up to 10% of working time. The contract is 0.8–1.0 FTE (5- or 4-year track) at €3,204 gross per month rising to €4,051, plus an 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. Applications close on 8 November 2026; first interviews are in the last week of November and the preferred start date is 1 January 2027.

Master's degree in life sciences, biology, biomedical sciences or a related discipline, with interest in intracellular signalling and optical recording methods; experience in advanced microscopy and/or single-cell (patch-clamp) electrophysiology in living brain tissue; programming in Matlab, Python or similar is an advantage; fluent written and spoken English.