Postdoctoral position on epilepsy, sleep and memory

The EEG and Epilepsy Unit of the University Hospitals and Faculty of medicine of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) are offering a

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW POSITION IN EPILEPSY RESEARCH (start date: January 1st 2025 or mutual agreement)

The successful candidate will join the Epilepsy and Brain Networks Laboratory, led by Prof. Serge Vulliémoz. The lab is internationally recognized for its work on brain network dynamics in epilepsy, leveraging high-density EEG analyses and electrical source imaging for diagnosis and prognosis, but also intracranial EEG and multimodal MRI. Located within the Hôpitaux Universitaire de Genève (HUG) and benefiting from active collaborations with the Campus Biotech—a research center jointly operated by UNIGE and the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)—the lab offers an ideal setting that bridges clinical neuroscience and cutting-edge research. The research team includes several postdoctoral fellows and PhD students, as well as more independent senior scientists from an international background.

This postdoctoral position is part of a four-year project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), investigating sleep-related EEG markers of memory impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy—the most prevalent form of focal epilepsy. For individuals with epilepsy, memory impairments are the second most significant concern after seizures, as they have a major impact on their quality of life. The project is a translational study across both humans and animal models and aims to understand how epilepsy and varying levels of epilepsy burden (e.g., medication withdrawal) affect sleep and memory consolidation.

The selected candidate will work closely with a senior scientist and a master’s student to collect and analyze EEG data from both healthy individuals and patients before and after an afternoon nap. Using electrical source imaging and brain network analysis, the successful candidate will examine source-level EEG activity and its relationship to memory performance and epileptic activity. In addition, the candidate will collaborate with a PhD student to analyze EEG network dynamics in a rodent model of epilepsy.

This highly interdisciplinary project sits at the interface of cognitive and clinical neuroscience, offering the opportunity to work with experts in both human and animal neuroscience within a rich collaborative ecosystem, including the HUG and Campus Biotech.

The researcher will participate in weekly lab seminars, present their work at international conferences, and contribute to scientific publications.

Candidates must hold aPhD in Neuroscience (clinical, cognitive, or computational), Biomedical Engineering, or a related field and have a good proficiency of spoken French for interactions with participants and patients. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Proficiency in EEG data analysis (experience with sleep EEG and/or electrical source imaging is a plus)
• Previous experience in cognitive or memory testing using EEG, i.e. study design, drafting of ethical protocols and data collection (preferred)
• Strong programming skills (MATLAB/Python/R)
• Excellent spoken and written English (for scientific communication)
• Strong interpersonal skills, motivation to work in a team environment, openness to feedback and ability to work independently

If you meet the above criteria, we would be delighted to receive your application package (cover letter, CV, one reference letter), which must be submitted exclusively through the online portal by clicking the "Postuler/Apply now" button.