[EXPIRED] The Capital Region of Copenhagen is looking for a postdoctoral researcher in brain imaging informed transcranial stimulation

4-year postdoctoral research position in brain imaging informed transcranial stimulation at DRCMR

We are currently scaling up our efforts to develop novel circuit-based precision brain stimulation approaches of the human brain.
Our long-term goal is to enhance the efficacy of transcranial stimulation as a treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases.

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher who
● is experienced in transcranial brain stimulation,
● enjoys working at the intersection of engineering, neurophysiology, brain mapping, and clinical neuroscience
● is eager to advance state-dependent precision stimulation to modulate brain networks and improve brain network dysfunction.

You will become part of a transdisciplinary team focusing on developing precision brain stimulation therapy by combining transcranial magnetic stimulation with neuroimaging. You will work alongside dedicated researchers at our recently established interventional brain stimulation research facility comprising three state-of-the-art brain stimulation laboratories fully equipped with robotic transcranial brain stimulation, neuronavigation, and EEG.

What we do: We are conducting state-of-the-art neuroimaging-informed brain stimulation therapy in Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Major Depressive Disorder. We are a world leading institution in both informing and reading out brain stimulation effects with EEG and fMRI.

Your role: You will spearhead our efforts to develop precision brain stimulation protocols using MRI and EEG read-outs to inform transcranial magnetic stimulation, leveraging newly developed transcranial stimulation technology. You will design and conduct EEG-informed precision stimulation experiments, acquiring and analyzing data, and writing the data up for publication and dissemination.

Essential skills & experience:
• You have extensive experience with transcranial brain stimulation (preferentially transcranial magnetic stimulation)
• You have experience in conducting neurophysiology (EEG) or neuroimaging (MRI) experiments in humans.
• You have strong signal processing and analysis skills in the field of electrophysiology or brain mapping
• You hold a PhD degree in neuroscience, biomedical/electrical engineering, clinical medicine, or related field
• Prior refereed journal publications
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills

Advantageous skills & experience:
• Prior experience with EEG or MRI applications in patients with brain disorders
• Prior experience with teaching and supervision of students and technicians

Working at DRCMR. You will become a member of the Brain Circuit Modulation & Therapy group, headed by Hartwig Siebner at the DRCMR (www.drcmr.dk) based at Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with engineers, neurologists, psychologists, and interact with other groups at DRCMR.

DRCMR is a leading research center for biomedical MRI in Europe. Approximately 75 researchers from a diverse range of disciplines are currently pursuing basic and clinically applied research. The DRCMR is embedded in the Dept. for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark. DRCMR has a state-of-the-art MR-research infrastructure enabling translational research, which includes a pre-clinical 7T MR scanner, six whole-body MR scanners (one 7T, four 3T and a 1.5T scanner) and a High-Performance Computer cluster. The DRCMR has pre-clinical labs, a neuropsychology laboratory, an EEG laboratory, and five laboratories for precision brain circuit stimulation. It is situated ~25mins cycle ride from central Copenhagen, a city consistently ranked one of the highest in the world for quality of life [link].

Selected Publications

Dunås T, Wåhlin A, Nyberg L, Boraxbekk C-J. 2021. Multimodal Image Analysis of Apparent Brain Age Identifies Physical Fitness as Predictor of Brain Maintenance. Cerebral Cortex. 31(7):3393-3407. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhab019

Hansen AL, Boraxbekk C-J, Petersen ET, Paulson OB, Andersen O, Siebner HR, Marsman A. 2021. Do glia provide the link between low-grade systemic inflammation and normal cognitive ageing? A 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 7 tesla. Journal of Neurochemistry. 159(1):185-196.

Nyberg L, Magnussen F, Lundquist A, Baaré W, Bartrés-Faz D, Bertram L, Boraxbekk CJ, Brandmaier AM, Drevon CA, Ebmeier K, Ghisletta P, Henson RN, Junqué C, Kievit R, Kleemeyer M, Knights E, Kühn S, Lindenberger U, Penninx BWJH, Pudas S, Sørensen Ø, Vaqué-Alcázar L, Walhovd KB, Fjell AM. 2021. Educational attainment does not influence brain aging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 118(18):1-3. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2101644118

Sandberg P, Boraxbekk C-J, Zogaj I, Nyberg L. 2021. Ancient Mnemonic in New Format-Episodic Memory Training With the Method of Loci in a Smart Phone Application. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 76(4):681-691. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa216

Vidal-Pineiro D, Wang Y, Krogsrud SK, Amlien IK, Baaré WF, Bartres-Faz D, Bertram L, Brandmaier AM, Drevon CA, Düzel S, Ebmeier K, Henson RN, Junqué C, Kievit RA, Kühn S, Leonardsen E, Lindenberger U, Madsen KS, Magnussen F, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Roe JM, Segura B, Smith SM, Sørensen Ø, Suri S, Westerhausen R, Zalesky A, Zsoldos E, Walhovd KB, Fjell A. 2021. Individual variations in 'brain age' relate to early-life factors more than to longitudinal brain change. eLife. 10:1-19. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.69995

Lind, A., Boraxbekk, C.J., Petersen, E.T., Paulsson, O., Siebner, H., & Marsman, A. (2020). Regional myo-inositol, creatine and choline levels are higher at older age and scale negatively with visuo-spatial working memory: A cross-sectional proton MR spectroscopy study at 7 tesla on normal cognitive ageing. Journal of Neuroscience, 40(42), 8149-8159.

Nyberg, L., Boraxbekk, C.J., Eriksson Sörman, D., Hansson, P., Herlitz, A., Kauppi, K., Ljungberg, J.K., Lövheim, H., Lundquist, A., Nordin Adolfsson, A., Oudin, A., Pudas, S., Rönnlund, M., Stiernstedt, M., Sundström, A., & Adolfsson, R. (2020). Biological and environmental predictors of heterogeneity in neurocognitive ageing: Evidence from Betula and other longitudinal studies. Ageing Research Reviews.

Gylling AT, Bloch-Ibenfeldt M, Eriksen CS, Ziegler AK, Wimmelmann CL, Baekgaard M, Boraxbekk CJ, Siebner HR, Mortensen EL, & Kjaer M. (2020). Maintenance of muscle strength following a one-year resistance training program in older adults. Experimental Gerontology, 139.

Eskilsson, T., Fjellman-Wiklund, A., Ek Malmer, E., Stigsdotter Neely, A., Malmberg Gavelin, H., Slunga Järvholm, L., Boraxbekk, C-J. & Nordin, M.(2020). Hopeful struggling for health: Experiences of participating in computerized cognitive training and aerobic training for persons with stress-related exhaustion disorder. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.

Friedman, B. B., Suri, S., Solé-Padullés, C., Düzel, S., Drevon, C. A., Baaré, W. F. C., Bartrés-Faz, D., Fjell, A. M., Johansen-Berg, H., Madsen, K. S., Nyberg, L., Penninx, B. W. J. H., Sexton, C., Walhovd, K. B., Zsoldos, E. & Budin-Ljøsne, I. (2020). Are People Ready for Personalized Brain Health? Perspectives of Research Participants in the Lifebrain Consortium. The Gerontologist.

Hansen, A. L., Boraxbekk, C-J., Petersen, E. T., Paulson, O. B., Siebner, H. R. & Marsman, A. (2020). Regional glia-related metabolite levels are higher at older age and scale negatively with visuo-spatial working memory: A cross-sectional proton MR spectroscopy study at 7 tesla on normal cognitive ageing. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 36 p., 864496.

Karalija, N., Jonassson, L., Johansson, J., Papenberg, G., Salami, A., Andersson, M., Riklund, K., Nyberg, L. & Boraxbekk, C-J. (2020). High long-term test-retest reliability for extrastriatal 11C-raclopride binding in healthy older adults.
Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism.

Wheeler, M. J., Green, D. J., Ellis, K. A., Cerin, E., Heinonen, I., Naylor, L. H., Larsen, R., Wennberg, P., Boraxbekk, C-J., Lewis, J., Eikelis, N., Lautenschlager, N. T., Kingwell, B. A., Lambert, G., Owen, N. & Dunstan, D. W. (2020).
Distinct effects of acute exercise and breaks in sitting on working memory and executive function in older adults: a three-arm, randomised cross-over trial to evaluate the effects of exercise with and without breaks in sitting on cognition.
British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Bangsbo, J., Blackwell, J., Boraxbekk, C-J., Caserotti, P., Dela, F., Evans, A. B., Jespersen, A. P., Gliemann, L., Kramer, A. F., Lundbye-Jensen, J., Mortensen, E. L., Lassen, A. J., Gow, A. J., Harridge, S. D. R., Hellsten, Y., Kjaer, M., Kujala, U. M., Rhodes, R. E., Pike, E. C. J., Skinner, T., Skovgaard, T., Troelsen, J., Tulle, E., Tully, M. A., van Uffelen, J. G. Z. & Viña, J. (2019). Copenhagen Consensus statement 2019: physical activity and ageing. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 53, 14, p. 856-858.

Bojsen-Møller, E., Boraxbekk, C-J., Ekblom, Ö., Blom, V. & Ekblom, M. M. (2019). Relationships between Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Cognitive Functions in Office Workers.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16, 23, p. 1-15, 4721.

Düzel, E., Acosta-Cabronero, J., Berron, D., Biessels, G. J., Björkman-Burtscher, I., Bottlaender, M., Bowtell, R., Buchem, M. V., Cardenas-Blanco, A., Boumezbeur, F., Chan, D., Clare, S., Costagli, M., de Rochefort, L., Fillmer, A., Gowland, P., Hansson, O., Hendrikse, J., Kraff, O., Ladd, M. E., Ronen, I., Petersen, E., Rowe, J. B., Siebner, H., Stoecker, T., Straub, S., Tosetti, M., Uludag, K., Vignaud, A., Zwanenburg, J. & Speck, O. (2019). European Ultrahigh-Field Imaging Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EUFIND). Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands). 11, p. 538-549.

Hedlund, M., Lindelöf, N., Johansson, B., Boraxbekk, C-J. & Rosendahl, E. (2019). Development and Feasibility of a Regulated, Supramaximal High-Intensity Training Program Adapted for Older Individuals. Frontiers in physiology. 10, p. 1-12, 590.

Holm, S. K., Madsen, K. S., Vestergaard, M., Born, A. P., Paulson, O. B., Siebner, H. R., Uldall, P. & Baaré, W. F. C. (2019). Previous glucocorticoid treatment in childhood and adolescence is associated with long-term differences in subcortical grey matter volume and microstructure. NeuroImage. Clinical. 23, p. 1-11, 101825.

Jonasson, L. S., Nyberg, L., Axelsson, J., Kramer, A. F., Riklund, K. & Boraxbekk, C-J. (2019). Higher striatal D2-receptor availability in aerobically fit older adults but non-selective intervention effects after aerobic versus resistance training. NeuroImage. 202, p. 1-10, 116044.

Magnusson, P. O., Boer, V. O., Marsman, A., Paulson, O. B., Hanson, L. G. & Petersen, E. T. (2019). Gamma-aminobutyric acid edited echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) with MEGA-sLASER at 7T.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 81, 2, p. 773-780.

Månsson, K. N. T., Lindqvist, D., Yang, L. L., Svanborg, C., Isung, J., Nilsonne, G., Bergman-Nordgren, L., El Alaoui, S., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Kraepelien, M., Högström, J., Andersson, G., Boraxbekk, C-J., Fischer, H., Lavebratt, C., Wolkowitz, O. M. & Furmark, T. (2019). Improvement in indices of cellular protection after psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder. Translational psychiatry. 9, p. 1-10, 340.

Marsman, A. & Pol, H. H. (2019). Glutamaterge neurotransmissie. Handboek schizofreniespectrumstoornissen. 2nd udg. De Tijdstroom/Boom, Bind 2019. p. 370-385..

Malmberg Gavelin, H., Eskilsson, T., Boraxbekk, C.J., Josefsson, M., Stigsdotter Neely, A., & Slunga Järvholm L. (2018). Rehabilitation for improved cognition in patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder: RECO – a randomized clinical trial. Stress.

Boraxbekk, C.-J. (2018). Non-invasive brain stimulation and neuro-enhancement in aging. Clinical Neurophysiology, 129, 464-65.

Baruël Johansen, L., Madsen, K. S., Andersen, K. W., Madsen, K. H., Siebner, H. R. & Baaré, W. F. C. (2017) Reduced orbitofrontal functional network centrality characterizes high neuroticism across childhood and adolescence.

Stomby, A., Otten, J., Ryberg, M., Nyberg, L., Olsson, T. & Boraxbekk, C-J. (2017). A Paleolithic Diet with and without Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Increases Functional Brain Responses and Hippocampal Volume in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 9, 391.

Jonasson, L. S., Axelsson, J., Riklund, K. & Boraxbekk, C.-J. (2017). Simulating effects of brain atrophy in longitudinal PET imaging with an anthropomorphic brain phantom.
Physics in Medicine and Biology. 62, 13, p. 5213-5227.

Gavelin, H. M., Neely, A. S., Andersson, M., Eskilsson, T., Järvholm, L. S. & Boraxbekk, C-J. (2017). Neural activation in stress-related exhaustion: Cross-sectional observations and interventional effects.
Psychiatry Research. 269, p. 17-25.

Flodin, P., Jonasson, L. S., Riklund, K., Nyberg, L. & Boraxbekk, C.-J. (2017). Does Aerobic Exercise Influence Intrinsic Brain Activity?: An Aerobic Exercise Intervention among Healthy Old Adults.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 9, p. 267.

Eskilsson, T., Slunga Järvholm, L., Malmberg Gavelin, H., Stigsdotter Neely, A. & Boraxbekk, C-J. (2017). Aerobic training for improved memory in patients with stress-related exhaustion: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 17, 322, p. 1-10, 322.

Bas-Hoogendam, J. M., van Steenbergen, H., Nienke Pannekoek, J., Fouche, J. P., Lochner, C., Hattingh, C. J., Cremers, H. R., Furmark, T., Månsson, K. N. T., Frick, A., Engman, J., Boraxbekk, C.-J., Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., Fredrikson, M., Straube, T., Peterburs, J., Klumpp, H., Phan, K. L., Roelofs, K., Veltman, D. J., van Tol, M. J., Stein, D. J. & van der Wee, N. J. A. (2017). Voxel-based morphometry multi-center mega-analysis of brain structure in social anxiety disorder. NeuroImage: Clinical. 16, p. 678-688.

Jonasson, L.S., Nyberg, L., Kramer, A.F., Lundquist, A., Riklund, K., & Boraxbekk, C.-J. (2017). Aerobic exercise intervention, cognitive performance, and brain structure: Results from the physical influences on brain in aging (PHIBRA) study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience; 8, 336.

Boraxbekk, C.-J., Salami, A., Wåhlin, A., & Nyberg, L. (2016). Physical activity over a decade modifies age-related decline in perfusion, gray matter volume, and functional connectivity of the posterior default mode network - a multimodal approach. NeuroImage; 131, 133-141

Group Members

Naiara Demnitz

Group Leader

Sussi Larsen

External Collaborators

Prof. Erik Lykke Mortensen

Department of Public Health, Copenhagen University

Prof. Michael Kjær

Department of Clinical Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen

Prof. Gunhild Waldemar

Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet

Prof. Lars Nyberg

Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging