Research Assistant

Job description

Department Overview The Mello (Dept. Behavioral Neuroscience) and von Gersdorff (Vollum) labs have close collaborative projects (funded by the NIH and NSF) to study the neurobiology of vocal learning, using as model organism the zebra finch, a songbird species. We use a combination of molecular, neuroanatomical, behavioral, electrophysiological and computational approaches to understand how the specialized vocal control brain circuitry enables male zebra finches to produce complex learned songs. We also study how these birds learn their vocal-motor patterns guided by auditory feedback, similar to how infants acquire speech and language skills. Function/Duties of Position: We are recruiting an entry-level RA to assist with zebra finch colony husbandry tasks, song recording and analysis, basic histological and molecular biology tasks, viral injections of zebra finch brains, post-recording brain slice processing for cell morphometry and imaging, as well as general laboratory management. - Manage husbandry of the zebra finch colony during breeding, post-surgical and/or custom diet protocols. - Help record and analyze zebra finch songs from normal and experimental birds. - Perform suppo...