How can vision be restored in blind people? Developing novel retina implants is the focus of the PhD Graduate School RTG2610 Innoretvision. Engineers, medical students and PhD students in natural sciences from the RWTH Aachen University, The Helmholtz Forschugnszentrum Jülich and the University Duisburg work together to find new solutions for better interfaces stimulating the retina to restore visual input in patients and animal models.

The Systems Neurophysiology Lab at the RWTH Aachen University focuses on the processing of visual information in the cortex of mice during navigation in virtual reality. Applying state-of-the-art multiphoton imaging techniques, we manipulate cortical neurons and measure their responses to visual input. Using different mouse models we investigate how the visual cortex responds to novel introduced visual input like additional color sensitive photoreceptors in the retina. This study will explain how the brain can deal with novel visual inputs like retina implant stimulation and how these inputs can be transformed in useful information for visual perception.

We are currently looking for motivated PhD students to participate in this study. Experience in patch-clamp recordings, imaging or behavioral neuroscience as well as computer programming skills (i.e. Matlab, Labview, Python) are welcome. Intense training in neuroscience and technical expertise will be provided and an active participation in the research group is expected. The Systems Neurophysiology Lab is situated in the Zoology Institute oft he RWTH Aachen University and jointly connected with the University Hospital and the Helmholtz Research Center Jülich. The RWTH Aachen is one of Germany’s Excellence Universities and offers an ideal environment for education and scientific exchange and education. And the unique location at the border triangle of Belgium, Holland and Germany makes Aachen a vibrant city with high quality of life.

Applications should include a motivation letter, CV, the academic achievements and 2 letters of recommendation.