Exploring the Neural Circuit and Synaptic Mechanisms of Behavioral Control

On a moment-by-moment basis, animals use environmental information, prior experience, and internal goals to navigate the world. What are the organizing principles of this behavioral output and how do neural circuits mediate this process? How do perturbations in neural circuit function drive the altered cognitive and motor outputs seen across neurodevelopmental disorders? Our lab uses all available neuroscience technologies to address these questions.

Open Positions

Postdoctoral Fellows: Seeking highly motivated, independent postdoctoral candidates to work on projects related to 2 recently funded R01s. See details below:

RE: Postdoctoral positions for the in vivo analysis of basal ganglia circuit function

The Fuccillo lab is immediately seeking postdoctoral fellows interested in working on projects related to two recently funded R01s:

1. Examining the neural circuit mechanisms within cortico-basal ganglia circuits that drive impaired value-processing in genetic models for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). This project will use high-density extracellular recordings together with social or appetitive value-based choice tasks, behavioral modeling and population neural analysis to examine how altered neural states relate to reinforcement deficits seen in NDD models. Opportunity for candidate with prior in vivo electrophysiology or computational neuroscience training to develop a multidisciplinary skill set for mapping disease-associated molecular dysfunction to the systems and behavioral level. Strong future translational potential.

2. Examining how distinct populations of striatal interneurons across the striatal axis are recruited and interact with other interneurons and local striatal circuits to mediate unique neural computations and functional control of basal ganglia-based behaviors. This project uses a range of in vivo imaging and manipulation approaches, together with CRISPR-mediated perturbations to assess the roles of local neuropeptides.

For further information on ongoing science in the Fuccillo lab, see ‘research’ tab on our lab website (http://www.med.upenn.edu/fuccillolab/)

Successful candidates will be highly motivated and independent, with strong backgrounds in in vivo or in vitro physiological analyses. Desirable skills include in vivo extracellular recording, in vivo calcium imaging and large-scale data analyses approaches. PhD, MD or MD/PhD required. Prospective candidates should send a cover letter and C.V. to: Marc Fuccillo, MD/PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, fuccillo@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Graduate Students: Please inquire about opportunities for research rotations. Excellent opportunity to learn a wide array of skills including in vitro electrophysiology, in vivo neural imaging or electrophysiology, quantitative analysis of motor and reward-driven choice behaviors in mice, and systems-level investigation of circuit changes accompanying neurodevelopment disorders. Also projects exploring the development and molecular function of basal ganglia circuitry 

Please contact fuccillo@pennmedicine.upenn.edu for all inquiries.