The International Center for Primate Brain Research (co-directed by Prof. Mu-Ming Poo & Prof. Nikos Logothetis) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Shanghai is looking for scientists, engineers and technicians in different areas of research. The main goal of the institute is to understand the processes of self-organization of the brain concurrently at micro, meso and macroscopic levels, using multidisciplinary methods and combinations of technologies, such as electrophysiological recordings, electrical or optogenetic stimulation, pharmacological and neurochemical approaches, and genetical engineering, all combined with different types of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The recruitment of scientists and engineers, who are expected to form so-called infrastructure personnel is of critical importance. Such colleagues are expected to be in continuous interaction with senior and junior scientists to enable the implementation of the highly complicated multidisciplinary technology, which is necessary for advanced research in systems neuroscience. The synopsis below briefly describes the expectations of Prof. Logothetis, who will be directing the core-facilities of the institute. Details for each domain of expertise are provided in the end of this advertisement. The construction of infrastructure personnel will start by recruiting the following experts:

[1] Electronics Engineer:  The master in electronics is expected ot have 5-10 years of experience in manufacturing processes, as well as experience in the electronics-technology, that will be applied in MRI.

[2] Mechanical Engineer:  Here the head of the machine shop will be an engineer with experience in CAD/CAM and Computer Numerical-Control (CNC), milling machines and CNS lathes. Knowledge in Rapid Prototyping is also important, and so are the Master’s welding skills.

[3] MRI Physicists or Engineers:  The researchers in the institute will be using traditional methods, such as MRS, CMRO2, CBF, CBV, and DTI, as well as novel MR-Methods combined with invasive methods, such as intracranial recordings. The candidates are expected to have 5-10-year experience in developing pulse-sequence codes and algorithms for imaging, contrasts, signal processing, and image reconstruction.

[4] Computer Administrator(s):  The administrator is expected to manage ordering and installing computers of all kinds, e.g. windows/Linux [MacOS]) including setups  and periphery like monitors, keyboards, etc. She/he will be responsible for server-management, programming, network management, AD & DNS services, etc.

[5] Computer-Programmer(s): The Programmer will be active in all software used for data acquisition, preprocessing of collected data, analysis methods and statistics, as well as development of “intermediates” for transferring data into the usual programs, e.g. Photoshop, Power Point, etc.

Complete applications, including a CV, copies of recent publications (if any), letters of recommendation, and a short research proposal of 1-2 pages including a project title, should be submitted to email: hr@ion.ac.cn  and yghuang@ion.ac.cn.  We are an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will receive full consideration and will be evaluated only based on their scientific abilities. 

The main goal of the institute is to understand the processes of self-organization of the brain concurrently at micro, meso and macroscopic levels, using multidisciplinary methods and combinations of technologies, such as electrophysiological recordings, electrical or optogenetic stimulation, pharmacological and neurochemical approaches, and genetical engineering, all combined with different types of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS), measurements of energy metabolism, in terms of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRo2), blood circulation, e.g. Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) and Volume (CBV), BOLD-fMRI, Oxygen Extraction Fractions (OEF), perfusion-based fMRI, and functional MRS.  All types of imaging are carried out in high and ultra-high magnetic resonance scanners, using single-coil or parallel imaging, also used for high-resolution anatomical imaging, and connectivity studies including methods such as the Manganese-Enhanced MRI (MEMRI) and Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI).

Evidently this multidisciplinary approach requires synergistic activity between researchers and a group of highly qualified physicists or engineers, with substantial experience in the fields of imaging. We expect this group, i.e. top-quality infrastructure personnel, to interact with researchers and contribute in further developments of our diverse technology, dedicated to basic and translation research of the brain. What follows briefly describes our expectations for the first four members of the infrastructure personnel.

Ideal candidates are expected to have a Master’s degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or any other related fields, such as that of technology of radiofrequency coils, hardware for phased-array MRI, and modern reconstruction techniques. What follows lists the expected skills of candidates for each position in the ICPBR.

The person must be familiar with the management of a workshop in which electronic measurement and control devices for the research sector are to be manufactured. Specific requirements are:

v Master or technician degree in electronics (standard in Germany)

v 5-10 years of experience in the electronic field / incl. overview of suppliers and manufacturers

v Experience with the different manufacturing processes in electronics production

v Profound competence in the organization of workshop processes

v Strong assertiveness and motivation

v Knowledge of the relevant safety laws, ordinances, regulations and rules of technology

v Most importantly: Ability to communicate with MRI-Engineers, for solving problems related to concurrent electrical and MRI measurements

v Capacity to organize and control mostly parallel progressing projects

v Creation of Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) drawings and use of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, i.e. programs using numerical control (NC) in order to create detailed instructions (G-code) that drive CNC machines.

v Programming in Computer-Numerical-Control (CNC) milling machines and CNC lathes

v Production of prototypes, individual parts and small series in titanium, aluminum and copper alloys, stainless steels and thermoplastics on CNC machines, as well as on conventional lathes, milling and drilling machines for general research and laboratory use

v Knowledge in Rapid Prototyping, as many items used in experiments must be tentatively “created” and tested within limited time windows.

v Assembly of precision mechanical parts

v General repair and service-work on experimental setups

v Welding Skills, e.g. familiarity with Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding process

Preferably candidates should have at least 3 years of experience in controlling either MR hardware or MR/MRS pulse sequence developments, being acquainted with acquisition control software packages, such as the ParaVision 7.0, of the Bruker Corporation. Our institute will have two vertical scanners (4.7T/60cm & 7/60cm) optimized for experiments with non-human primates, and three horizontal scanners (7T/40cm, 9.4T/30cm & 7T/30cm) for high field imaging of small animals, including primates and rodents.

At least one of the candidates is expected to regularly communicate with researchers, fathom into the requirements of research combining MRI/MRS with invasive methods, and guide the development of pulse-sequence code and algorithms for imaging, contrasts, signal processing, and image reconstruction. All advances will have to consider the software already developed by our engineers and scientists over the last 2 decades, used for electrophysiological data acquisition, or various types of intracranial stimulation. Acquaintance with operating systems, such as Linux or MS, and with languages including C++, Python and Matlab will be necessary.

Another candidate will be mainly working – in collaboration with the Electronics Shop (see below) - on the development of electronic circuits that are used for on-line interference removal, in experiments combining electrophysiology and MRI, as well as on the construction of radiofrequency (RF) coils, phased-arrays, implantable coils, and animal chairs for optimal positioning within the scanner. Last but not least one of the four candidates will be expected to have experience in mechanical engineering for a variety of constructs including different types of sensors and levers used to record and analyzed animal behavior.

The software will be provided to candidate, who want to know what kind of technical work has been done in the past.

Goense, J., Logothetis, N. K., & Merkle, H. (2010). Flexible, phase-matched, linear receive arrays for high-field MRI in monkeys. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 28(8), 1183-1191. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2010.03.026

Goense, J. B. M., & Logothetis, N. K. (2008). Neurophysiology of the BOLD fMRI Signal in Awake Monkeys. Current Biology, 18(9), 631-640. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.03.054

Goense, J. B. M., Zappe, A. C., & Logothetis, N. K. (2007). High-resolution fMRI of macaque V1. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(6), 740-747. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2007.02.013

Hagberg, G. E., Mamedov, I., Power, A., Beyerlein, M., Merkle, H., Kiselev, V. G., . . . Logothetis, N. K. (2014). Diffusion properties of conventional and calcium-sensitive MRI contrast agents in the rat cerebral cortex. Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging, 9(1), 71-82. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000331189100008

Juchem, C., Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2005). High-resolution H-1 chemical shift imaging in the monkey visual cortex. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 54(6), 1541-1546. doi:10.1002/mrm.20687

Juchem, C., Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2007). H-1-MRS of the macaque monkey primary visual cortex at 7 T: strategies and pitfalls of shimming at the brain surface. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(6), 902-912. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2007.03.008

Juchem, C., Merkle, H., Schick, F., Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2004). Region and volume dependencies in spectral linewidth assessed by H-1 2D MR chemical shift imaging in the monkey brain at 7 T. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 22(10), 1373-1383. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.005

Juchem, C., Muller-Bierl, B., Schick, F., Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2006). Combined passive and active shimming for in vivo MR spectroscopy at high magnetic fields. Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 183(2), 278-289. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2006.09.002

Keliris, G. A., Shmuel, A., Ku, S. P., Pfeuffer, J., Oeltermann, A., Steudel, T., & Logothetis, N. K. (2007). Robust controlled functional MRI in alert monkeys at high magnetic field: Effects of jaw and body movements. Neuroimage, 36(3), 550-570. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.02.057

Logothetis, N. K., Kayser, C., & Oeltermann, A. (2007). In vivo measurement of cortical impedance spectrum in monkeys: Implications for signal propagation. Neuron, 55(5), 809-823. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2007.07.027

Logothetis, N. K., Merkle, H., Augath, M. A., Trinath, T., & Ugurbil, K. (2002). Ultra-high-resolution fMRI in monkeys with implanted RF coils. Neuron, 35(2), 227-242. doi:10.1016/S0896-6273(02)00775-4

Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2004). On the nature of the BOLD fMRI contrast mechanism. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 22(10), 1517-1531. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.018

Mishra, A., Pfeuffer, J., Mishra, R., Engelmann, J., Mishra, A. K., Ugurbil, K., & Logothetis, N. K. (2006). A New Class of Gd-Based DO3A-Ethylamine-Derived Targeted Contrast Agents for MR and Optical Imaging. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 17(3), 773-780. doi:10.1021/bc050295b

Oeltermann, A., Augath, M. A., & Logothetis, N. K. (2007). Simultaneous recording of neuronal signals and functional NMR imaging. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(6), 760-774. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2007.03.015

Oeltermann, A., Ku, S. P., & Logothetis, N. K. (2007). A novel functional magnetic resonance imaging compatible search-coil eye-tracking system. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(6), 913-922. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2007.02.019

Pfeuffer, J., Juchem, C., Merkle, H., Nauerth, A., & Logothetis, N. K. (2004). High-field localized H-1 NMR spectroscopy in the anesthetized and in the awake monkey. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 22(10), 1361-1372. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.002

Pfeuffer, J., Merkle, H., Beyerlein, M., Steudel, T., & Logothetis, N. K. (2004). Anatomical and functional MR imaging in the macaque monkey using a vertical large-bore 7 Tesla setup. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 22(10), 1343-1359. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.004

Schmid, M. C., Oeltermann, A., Juchem, C., Logothetis, N. K., & Smirnakis, S. M. (2006). Simultaneous EEG and fMRI in the macaque monkey at 4.7 Tesla. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 24(4), 335-342.

Stoewer, S., Goense, J., Keliris, G. A., Bartels, A., Logothetis, N. K., Duncan, J., & Sigala, N. (2011). Realignment strategies for awake-monkey fMRI data. Magn Reson Imaging, 29(10), 1390-1400. doi:S0730-725X(11)00180-9

von Pfostl, V., Li, J., Zaldivar, D., Goense, J., Zhang, X. Z., Serr, N., . . . Rauch, A. (2012). Effects of lactate on the early visual cortex of non-human primates, investigated by pharmaco-MRI and neurochemical analysis. Neuroimage, 61(1), 98-105. doi: DOI 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.02.082

Zappe, A. C., Pfeuffer, J., Merkle, H., Logothetis, N. K., & Goense, J. B. M. (2008). The effect of labeling parameters on perfusion-based fMRI in nonhuman primates. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 28(3), 640-652. doi:10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600564

Zappe, A. C., Reichold, J., Burger, C., Weber, B., Buck, A., Pfeuffer, J., & Logothetis, N. K. (2007). Quantification of cerebral blood flow in nonhuman primates using arterial spin labeling and a two-compartment model. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(6), 775-783. doi:10.1016/j.mri.2006.11.028

Zappe, A. C., Uludag, K., Oeltermann, A., Ugurbil, K., & Logothetis, N. K. (2008). The Influence of Moderate Hypercapnia on Neural Activity in the Anesthetized Nonhuman Primate. Cerebral Cortex, 18(11), 2666-2673. doi:10.1093/CerCor/bhn023

We are planning to start with two computer engineers, one for computer administration and another one for programming (often together with skilled scientists) of software related to the acquisition, processing and analysis of experimental data.

v Computer Management: ordering and installation of computers of all kinds, e.g. windows/Linux [MacOS]) including setup  and periphery like monitors, keyboards, etc.

v Server Management: ordering and installation of servers of all kinds: compute nodes, file servers, backup servers, clusters including rack installation and server room management

v Setup (Computer) Management: ordering and installation of setup computers                    including first test of equipment and periphery like functionality of data acquisition systems, connectivity and proper functioning of all attached hard- and software

v Programming: basic programming (including functionality check) of self (institute level) written software like Matlab, stimulation software, QNX, control software esp. in respect of interfaces and communication

v Network Management: assuring the proper functioning of all (department level) network equipment like patching, VLAN management, switch management, cable installation

v User Management: setting up users for IT specific requirements: domain management, permission and access settings, shares, mail setup, group (LDAP) management

v Software Management: ordering of software like Office, Matlab including installation support and license management and server setup

v Campus Infrastructure Management: additional tasks in setting up and                  maintaining services like email (including Exchange) services, AD services, DNS services, network infrastructure, campus backup services, VM services. Web Services

The Computer-Engineer, devoted to programming work, must have the following skills:

v Windows, Real-Time-OS (e.g. UNIX derived system). Most of the work in ICPBR is likely to use the free real-time OS from QNX.

v Languages: C/C++, (Matlab, can be helpful but it is not requirement for the computer engineers

v Knowledge of graphics/sound (OpenGL/DirectX for windows, GTK/KDE/QT/OpenGL Library for Linux/BSD or any game library).