SELF-FUNDED MRes: AI and Computer Vision to advance understanding of Insect Brain and Behaviour

British Neuroscience Association; North East; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits in the realm of neuroscience, focusing on AI and computer vision to unravel the mysteries of insect behavior. This self-funded MRes project at a prestigious university offers a unique chance to engage in groundbreaking research that intersects ecology, artificial intelligence, and sensory neuroscience. With access to cutting-edge resources and the guidance of leading experts in the field, students will explore innovative approaches to understanding how insects perceive their environments. This role promises a dynamic research environment where students can specialize in areas of personal interest, contributing to vital advancements in both fundamental neuroscience and applied solutions for ecological challenges.

Benefits

Access to cutting-edge experimental resources

Interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities

Regular one-to-one meetings for guidance

Qualifications

• A relevant undergraduate degree with good scores is required.
• Knowledge of modern programming languages is essential.

Responsibilities

• Contributing to behavioural assay development and execution of studies.
• Investigating how bees use multisensory cues to navigate.

Skills

Knowledge of modern programming languages

Automated Behavioural Analysis

Computer Vision

Machine Learning

Neuroscience

Education

Relevant undergraduate degree

Tools

NVIDIA V100 GPUs

LiDAR

RADAR

EEG

Drones

Cameras

Job description

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SELF-FUNDED MRes: AI and Computer Vision to advance understanding of Insect Brain and Behaviour

Vacancy Reference Number: Mres25
Closing Date: 4 Apr 2027
Salary: n/a
Duration: 1 year

Understanding how the insect brain functions and generates behaviours is crucial for ecology, biodiversity, agriculture, pest control, disease prevention and robotics. Advances in computer vision, AI and genetic tools now enable detailed analysis of molecular, cellular and whole-organism behavioural processes, which allow researchers to uncover fundamental biological mechanisms and develop applied solutions.

This MRes project will focus on automated tracking, multimodal sensing and advanced computational models to decode how insects perceive, navigate and respond to their environments. There is a wide range of possible research directions for the student to specialise in an area of interest. All projects have direct relevance to fundamental neuroscience, pollinator conservation and disease vector control. Some examples include:

1. Automated Behavioural Analysis in Insects: Contributing to behavioural assay development, experimental design and execution of behavioural studies in collaboration with the supervisory team.
2. Insect Brain Imaging for Anatomy and Neural Activity Mapping: Focusing on live imaging of neuronal activity in genetically modified mosquitoes, to analyse how insect brains process sensory information, or imaging of brains of mosquitoes and bees to understand and characterise their brain anatomy and the factors that affect brain development.
3. Multimodal Perception in Pollinators: Investigating how bees use multisensory cues to navigate their environments and interact with their surroundings.
4. AI for Disease Vector Monitoring and Control: Applying computer vision and machine learning to analyse mosquito physiology and behaviour to assist in the development of automated monitoring and control systems.
5. Neuromorphic Models Inspired by Insect Intelligence: Designing bio-inspired AI systems that mimic insect neural circuits for autonomous robotic perception and navigation for real-time adaptation to complex and dynamic environments.

OUR RESOURCES

Durham University hosts the UK regional supercomputer, Bede, with 128 NVIDIA V100 GPUs. In addition, our Department of Computer Sciences hosts a NVIDIA CUDA Centre that caters to the increasing GPU demands for research purposes. Our Computer Sciences laboratories have access to a variety of sensors, LiDAR, RADAR, EEG, drones, robots, cameras, etc. The Biosciences Department has a wealth of expertise in Ecology, Animal Behaviour, Cell and Molecular biology, Physiology and Neuroscience. The Department has state-of-the-art Bioimaging facilities, equipped with confocal, light-sheet, two-photon and electron microscopes. The Department also has multiple fully equipped molecular biology laboratories and insectaries.

SUPERVISION

You will be supervised by Dr. Amir Atapour-Abarghouei and Dr. Lena Riabinina. Dr. Atapour-Abarghouei is an expert in AI-driven visual perception, multimodal learning and efficient deep learning for real-world applications. Dr. Riabinina is an expert in insect behaviour, olfactory processing, visual navigation and brain function.

DURING THE MRES STUDY, YOU WILL RECEIVE:

1. Regular one-to-one meetings for guidance on research direction, problem-solving, and project development.
2. Interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities, working at the intersection of computer vision, sensory neuroscience and ecology and AI-driven bio-inspired robotics.
3. Access to cutting-edge experimental and computational resources, including Durham’s GPU clusters, advanced imaging facilities, and insect behavior research labs.

DURHAM UNIVERSITY

Durham University is a world top-100 university and is ranked the 6th in the UK. As a member university of the elite Russell Group, Durham University focuses on research excellence delivered by world-leading academics. It is located at Durham in North East England – one of the safest cities in the UK with an affordable living cost.

Entry Requirements

1. A relevant undergraduate degree with good scores.
2. Knowledge of modern programming languages.
3. Meet Durham's English requirements.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send an email with your resume, transcripts and any supporting documents to Dr. Atapour-Abarghouei or Dr. Riabinina for an initial discussion.

FUNDING NOTES

This is a self-funded position and applications are welcome all year round.

Further Information

http://insectneurolab.com/, http://www.atapour.co.uk/

Contact Details

Dr. Atapour-Abarghouei or Dr. Riabinina