Research Associate in TMS-EEG 

Job ID: 016884

Salary: £38,304 - £ 42,652 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance

Posted: 23-Feb-2021

Closing date: 09-Mar-2021

Business unit: IoPPN

Department: Basic & Clinical Neuroscience

Contact details: Professor Mark Richardson, mark.richadson@kcl.ac.uk

Denmark Hill Campus   Research     

Job description 
The Epilepsy Research Lab headed by Prof. Mark Richardson (https://epilepsy-london.org/) is seeking experienced candidates for a 18 months fully funded post-doctoral research of pharmacodynamic markers of drug-target engagement using simultaneous TMS-EEG. The role we seek would be the senior researcher in the study, involved directly in recruitment of healthy volunteers, data collection using TMS-EMG and TMS-EEG, data analysisposition to conduct research using TMS-EEG . The candidate will be part of an ongoing Phase I clinical trial of a novel brain-active drug and will participate in the development, and with the potential for first-author publications.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated researcher with strong experience in TMS and ideally who is able to run neuronavigated TMS experiments combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) without supervision. The essential requirements for a successful candidate is confidence and independence in performing TMS-EMG experiments, including motor area hotspotting, measurement of single-pulse (ie., RMT/AMT) and paired-pulse protocols (SICI, LICI). Ideally, the candidate should have experience in the use of TMS guided neuronavigation and an in EEG data collection, but training in these areas can be provided as needed. Experience with programming in Matlab is required and experience with EEG processing software would be a considerable advantage (EEGLab, Fieldtrip, TESA). Ideally, the candidate should have strong leadership to guide and coordinate a clinical research team composed of 3 researchers, 1 medical doctor and 1 research nurse. Finally, an important and crucial task is to report step-by step trial activities and results to the PI of the study (Prof. Richardson) and the commercial sponsor.

In addition to the Phase I clinical trial of a novel brain-active drug, there is opportunity to be involved in other TMS-EEG studies, and an expectation that the candidate would provide some support to less technically experienced researchers.

The role will be based in the world-renowned Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN, see https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn), which is one of the four health faculties of King's College London. The role will involve data collection in the exceptional environment of the Denmark Hill Clinical Research Facility (see https://kingscrf.nihr.ac.uk/UltimateEditorInclude/UserFiles/NIHR%20CRF%20PDF%20Booklet.pdf) and will be based in the world-class multidisciplinary environment of the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neurosciences Institute (see https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/research/centres/mauricewohl).

This is a full-time post, a fixed-term contract for 18 months.

Key responsibilities

• Recruitment of study participants (healthy volunteers);
• Coordinating trial activities with the clinical and research teams
• Carrying out multimodal TMS experiments: including neuronavigation, and recording of EEG and EMG TMS-induced responses
• TMS-EEG/EMG data entry and data analysis;
• Report of interim and final results to study PI and sponsor
• Scientific dissemination

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience
Essential criteria

• Undergraduate degree in a science, engineering or biomedical discipline
• PhD in a neuroscience field or closely-related discipline
• Experience in TMS-EMG data collection, with sufficient skill to reliably identify motor hotspot, measure motor thresholds, and obtain single-pulse and paired-pulse measures, without requiring supervision
• Experience in recruiting participants to research studies
• Experience in analyzing TMS data
• Familiarity with approaches to data analysis in electrophysiology
• Experience with Matlab
• Strong leadership to guide and coordinate a research team
• Proven ability to write scientific manuscripts and reports as first author

Desirable criteria

• Experience and familiarity with TMS-EEG
• Experience with neuronavigation for TMS
• Experience in designing and writing clinical trials protocols
• Experience in interacting with industry
• Experience with EEG processing software (EEGLab, Fieldtrip, TESA)

Further information
Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.