Position and project
The Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation group at the University of Zaragoza (Spain) seeks a Researcher to work on experimental evaluation of age-induced electrophysiological changes in cardiac cell and tissues. The position is part of the Starting Grant MODELAGE funded by the European Research Council (ERC).
MODELAGE aims at making an important step towards the characterization of human heart aging at both the population and individual levels. An integrative methodological framework combining in silico modeling with in vitro cell and tissue analysis and in vivo electrocardiographic evaluation is used to investigate how cardiac aging manifests at a range of scales, from cell to body surface, and how electrical, structural and autonomic alterations contribute to such manifestations in humans.
The candidate will perform in vitro experiments using patch-clamp and optical mapping techniques, which will be incorporated into multi-scale computational models of cardiac electrophysiology currently being developed in the MODELAGE project. The candidate will join a multidisciplinary team of researchers including electrophysiologists, cell and molecular biologists, mathematicians and engineers. The performed investigations will serve to investigate inter-individual age-related differences in cardiac dynamics, assess underlying mechanisms and set links to arrhythmia susceptibility.
Qualifications
Candidates must have demonstrated training in electrophysiology, with and established track record of success. Experience in optical mapping and/or patch-clamp data acquisition and analysis is required. Hands-on experience in cellular assay development in primary and cultured cells as well as work with tissue preparations and/or animal models is essential. Strong oral and written communication skills in English are a must.
The I3A Institute at University of Zaragoza
The I3A Institute at the University of Zaragoza comprises more than 500 researchers and a vibrant environment for multidisciplinary research. Every year I3A participates in more than 300 research projects funded with over 10 M€ and more than 200 contracts with industry with 5 M€ turnover. Around 50 PhD theses supervised by I3A members are defended and nearly 300 papers are published in JCR journals every year. The Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simula-tion group at I3A, University of Zaragoza, is a leading expert in the development of signal processing tools to aid in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and condi-tions. This expertise is combined with in vitro and in silico investigation of cardiac electrophysiology to unravel causes and consequences of phenomena observed from the processed signals.
Application
For additional information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Esther Pueyo (
[email protected]).