Dr John Morley of the School of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) has a position available
immediately for a postdoctoral researcher in the field of visual
neurophysiology. Current projects in the laboratory include a study of area
21a of cat cortex (one of the extrastriate visual regions) using extracellular
recording and stimulation with computer-generated visual gratings to
characterize the ability of area 21a neurones to resolve spatial detail.
Independent stimulation of each eye will then be used to examine whether area
21a cells are involved in the coding of the depth of an object in the visual
field. Double-labelling with fluorescent tracers is also being employed to
establish details of the corticocortical connections between area 21a and
other visually related brain structures in the cat. Several cortical areas,
including 17, 18, 19, and the Lateral Posterior nucleus of the thalamus are
known to project to 21a, but whether these inputs converge on single neurones
or whether there is discrete clustering of inputs is not known. We are also
examining the response properties of cells in extrastriate regions in the rat
with the aim of using an in vitro brain slice preparation to investigate
corticocortical and thalamocortical relationships in the visual system.
Funding is available for 18 months at RO1 level of the NHMRC (38 092
Australian dollars per annum). Experience in electrophysiology or fluorescent
tracers is highly desirable. Applicants can obtain more details from Dr John
Morley (J.Morley at unsw.edu.au) or by phone to 61 2 3852555.
