Research Position at the Groman Lab
Opportunity Description:
The Groman Lab is seeking motivated UChicago undergraduates for research positions in neuroscience. The Groman Lab (www.gromanlab.com) is part of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Chicago. We are interested in understanding why some individuals are more susceptible to developing addiction and other diseases compared to others. Current projects include understanding how neural activity in specific circuits is related to behavior across key developmental periods, the molecular mechanisms that regulate genetic and environmental behavioral mechanisms of addiction risk and investigating the computational mechanisms of select decision-making functions in normal and abnormal states. Our work integrates complex behavioral assessments with state-of-the-art neuroscience techniques in rats to develop links between biology and behavior.
Duration of appointment:
- Minimum requirement is 10 h/week
- Minimum commitment is 1 quarter, but trainees are encouraged to stay longer
Primary Responsibilities:
- Assist lab members with behavioral experiments using rats, including operant conditioning, decision-making tasks, and drug self-administration paradigms.
- Collect and analyze behavioral data using specialized software, including Matlab.
- Assist with molecular biology techniques, such as tissue processing, immunohistochemistry, and gene expression analysis.
- Maintain accurate records of experimental procedures and data.
- Contribute to general lab maintenance and organization.
- Participate in lab meetings and present research findings.
- Potential to assist with surgeries, including stereotaxic injections and implantation of catheters.
Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements:
- Curiosity about behavior and the brain
- Ability to communicate with tact and diplomacy
- Strong organizational skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to working as a team
- Strong communication skills (written and verbal)
- Strong data management skills
Application Process:
Interest individuals should send an email to labgroman@gmail.com with “Undergraduate research” in the subject line. In the email, send a brief statement (3-4 sentences) about why you are interested in conducting research specifically in the Groman Lab. Please also attach a CV and unofficial transcript.
No deadline. All applications will be reviewed.