Internship to Understand Neuronal Circuits, Neuromodulators, and the Role of Bodily Signals in Brain Dynamics and Behavior

. I’m reaching out because I’m deeply interested in your lab’s work on neuronal circuits, neuromodulators, and the role of bodily signals in brain dynamics and behavior. I would be thrilled if I got the opportunity to intern, learn and be mentored in your lab from Mid-May to August 2025. I’ve gained experience in behavioral research and quantitative analysis as a Research Assistant in Dr. Heidi Kloos’ Cognitive Research Lab and will soon begin working with Dr. Williamson of UC College of Medicine on neuroimaging data analysis.

Having a high IQ: good or bad luck?

In a context of widespread rumours that children with a high IQ are at greater risk of school failure, neurodevelopmental and health disorders (Ramus & Gauvrit, 2017), we have conducted several studies testing those hypotheses, concluding that these rumours were unfounded (Guez et al., 2018; Peyre et al., 2016; Ramus, 2024; Shevchenko et al., 2023; Williams et al., 2023).

Sex differences in human newborns

Despite a number of studies, it remains unclear whether male and female human newborns manifest different visual preferences or perceptual abilities. The goal of this project is to determine with greater confidence whether this is the case or not. In particular, we are interested in finding out whether male and female newborns show different spontaneous preferences for human faces vs. inanimate objects, as suggested by various studies, old and new (e.g., Lewis et al. 1966; Connellan et al. 2000).

Interaction between hebbian and homeostatic plasticity in adult humans

The project investigates the interaction between hebbian and homeostatic plasticity in adult humans. Hebbian plasticity is assessed as the potentiation of the Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) observed after 2-min of high-frequency visual stimulation, using EEG. Homeostatic plasticity is assessed as the shift of ocular dominance (assessed psychophysically with binocular rivalry) observed after 1h of monocular deprivation. The project will combine psychophysics and EEG. The intern will work in close collaboration with a PhD student.

Short-term ocular dominance plasticity and its effect on visual crowing

Short-term monocular deprivation temporarily shifts ocular dominance in favor of the deprived eye in adult humans, reflecting residual homeostatic plasticity after the closure of the critical period (for review see Baroncelli & Lunghi, 2021). This form of plasticity can be reactivated in adult amblyopes, promoting the recovery of visual functions (Lunghi et al, ACTN 2019). In this project, we will investigate the impact of short-term visual homeostatic plasticity (induced by short-term monocular deprivation) on visual crowding in adult normal-sighted participants.

Effect of monetary reward on interocular suppression depth

The aim of the project will be to investigate the impact of monetary reward (via associative learning) on the depth of interocuar suppression as measured by continuous flash suppression. Previous evidence (Lunghi & Pooresmaeili, Sci Rep 2023) has shown that monetary reward can accelerate the access to visual awareness of visual stimuli associated with high reward. Here we will further assess whether the reward association can influence the depth of interocular suppression using a new psychophysical paradigm.

Mechanical morphogenesis of brain development and evolution

A growing brain is a complex dynamical, bio-mechanical system. As such, its possible shapes are strongly constrained by mechanical instabilities, similar to those that sculpt snowflakes and mountains. Our aim is to understand the role that mechanical morphogenetic processes play in the development and evolution of the brain. For this, we use biomechanical models grounded in the physics of soft matter, as well as a large variety of vertebrate species. Our main model of brain development is the ferret, for which we have collected a large database of MRI and microscopy data.

Interactions between visual and non-visual signals in the head direction system

We propose a collaborative M2 internship project at the INCC (CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, Paris, France) under the co-supervision of Desdemona Fricker and Mark Wexler. The candidate will be involved in an innovative project dedicated to studying the neural basis of orientation in space by recording from head-direction (HD) circuits in moving or stationary mice.

Bridging Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence: Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Individual Profile Identification

Context: The Inserm U1237 NeuroPresage team (www.neuropresage.fr) is pleased to announce the opening of a 6-month Master's level internship opportunity. Our team enjoys both national and international recognition for our expertise in Alzheimer's disease, aging, memory, and neuroimaging. We are progressively incorporating cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques into our research endeavors. The project we offer here combines artificial intelligence, psychology, neuroscience, and computer science, providing a unique opportunity to contribute to an innovative project.