Help unlock the linkage between sleep and the pathophysiology of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

Our group, under Dr. Michael Prerau, is developing state-of-the-art techniques in statistical signal processing algorithms to understand the dynamics of brain activity during sleep and to identify robust biomarkers for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. We are looking for exceptionally self-motivated and creative people with a strong background in computer science, statistical modeling, and signal processing to help us change the way people look at sleep and brain health.

Open Positions:

Research Assistant

The research assistant should have extensive programming experience in MATLAB, and experience with python, C/C++, is a plus. They should hold at least bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, computer science, data science, computational neuroscience, mathematics and statistics or related fields. They should have knowledge of signal processing and analysis and possess an interest in sleep and neuroscience. Previous experience with EEG analysis, data visualization, and spectral analysis is also highly desirable.

Postdoctoral Fellow

A postdoctoral position is available in the Prerau Lab (sleepEEG.org) within the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The primary goal of this position is to use advanced statistical modeling techniques, particularly point process models, to better understand the relative influence of neural mechanisms on sleep spindle dynamics in the context of natural aging, neurodevelopment, and neurodegenerative disease. The ideal candidate will hold a PhD in mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, computational neuroscience, or computer science. Direct experience and a history of publication in research involving EEG signal processing, sleep data analysis, spectral analysis, and point process modeling within a generalized linear model (GLM) framework are strongly preferred. Strong programming skills in MATLAB are required. Salary and fringe benefits commensurate with experience will be provided in compliance with approved NIH standards. Interested candidates should send a personal statement describing their research interests, three potential referees, and a Curriculum Vitae to Dr. Prerau (mprerau@bwh.harvard.edu).

The Prerau Lab focuses on understanding the relationship between brain dynamics during sleep and neurological dysfunction, with the goal of biomarker discovery for diagnosing and treating neurological, psychiatric, and sleep disorders. The lab also explores how brain activity patterns are highly specific to individuals, contributing to a deeper understanding of individual differences in brain function. Through cutting-edge quantitative analyses and experiments, the lab aims to advance the understanding of brain health and disease, striving toward improved diagnostics and treatments.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.