Postdoctoral Researcher

Organisation/Company Ghent University Research Field Engineering » Biomedical engineering Engineering » Other Medical sciences » Other Psychological sciences » Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 1 Oct 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The GHEP lab is a research unit investigating (ab)normal stress reactivity and emotion regulation in healthy and psychiatric patients. We especially aim for interdisciplinary research collaborations to employ state-of-the-art methods that advance the field of mental health.

The GHEP lab is closely connected to the psychiatric ward of the Ghent University Hospital, and specializes in treating mood and anxiety disorders. Hence, there is a strong background and interest in finding more efficacious treatment options using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. Working with the veterinary department we created translational animal models to examine the effects of neurostimulation on the dogs’ brain. This knowledge can be incorporated into the treatment of psychiatric patients, with the goal of enhancing healthcare.

The lab is specialized in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), theta-burst stimulation (TBS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), but also invasive brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The researchers have initiated and collaborated in numerous studies, aiming to find working mechanisms and biomarkers to understand, predict, and enhance the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation.

YOUR TASKS

• The position is embedded in the FWO-funded WEAVE 2025 project, a collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). The project develops personalized brain stimulation protocols using current flow modeling and investigates how individual differences in brain anatomy and conductivity impact treatment efficacy, especially in depression and early Alzheimer’s disease. The postdoc will bridge this simulation research line with its clinical implementation, testing the impact of personalized TMS parameters using concurrent TMS-EEG.
• Implement and validate MRI-based electric field simulations (using tools like SimNIBS, Chaospy).
• Integrate multimodal imaging data (T1w, T2w, dw-MRI) to generate personalized stimulation parameters.
• Set up and run concurrent TMS-EEG sessions to evaluate effects of individualized stimulation (in collaboration with international partners).
• Contribute to manuscript writing and dissemination (high-impact journals, conferences), including by analysing various types of neurophysiological data.
• Supervise Master/PhD students and promote an open, collaborative team culture.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• PhD in Medicine, Life Sciences, or related field (within last 2 years).
• Expertise in non-invasive brain stimulation, preferably TMS and/or tDCS.
• Expertise in electroencephalography (EEG). Experience in combining EEG with TMS is a strong asset.
• Proven experience in complex EEG and (f)MRI data analysis, and multi-modal integration is a strong asset (e.g, connectivity analysis).
• A proven track‑record in current flow modeling (SIMNIBS) for TMS and/or tDCS.
• Skilled in programming (Python, MATLAB, R).
• Experience with psychological clinical or translational psychiatric research is a plus. Experience in the development and study of motor control in clinical populations is an alternative asset.
• Strong publication record and excellent English writing and presentation skills.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer you a contract of definite duration with a term of 24 months.
• Your contract will start on 01/11/2026 at the earliest.
• Be a co-author on the research papers that we aim to be accepted/submitted by the end of this period.
• Participate in an exciting and rapidly evolving new research area with labs with young, dynamic and enthusiastic research staff with great team spirit.
• Integration into an exciting European multidisciplinary team.
• "state-of-the-art" technology ( TMS, TES, ECT, tVNS) and facilities (fMRI, EEG, fNIRS).
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

MORE INFORMATION

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