The School of Psychological Science, Birkbeck University of London is seeking 2 open-ended Lecturers (tenure track Assistant Professors) with a focus on computational modelling and psychological processes such as Cognitive Science or Computational Cognitive Neuroscience. The successful candidates will have an emerging research track record in all areas of cognitive neuroscience, particularly with practical experience of neuroimaging and fMRI, and/or cognitive science, including experimental cognitive psychology and computational modelling. Their research interests should align with the department's existing research themes: Perception, Attention, Action and Emotion; Cognitive Computational Modelling; Brain and Cognitive Development; and Health and Lived Experience.

Maladaptive emotional memories contribute to the persistence of numerous mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Using rodent behavioural models of the psychological processes relevant to these disorders, it is possible to identify potential treatment targets for the development of new therapies, including those based upon disrupting the reconsolidation of maladaptive emotional memories. Using examples from rodent models relevant to multiple mental health disorders, this talk will consider some of the opportunities and challenges that this approach provides.

My research focuses broadly on the lifelong health disparities associated with experiences of adversity early in life. In this talk I will present the results of our recently completed Teen Resilience Project, a prospective and longitudinal study of first onset depression during adolescence. First, I will present the results on whether and how inflammatory processes may be shaped by early life adversity. Second, I will present data on the role of stress-induced inflammation in reward-related psychological processes. Finally, I will discuss the biobehavioral predictors of first-onset depression in this sample.