We are recruiting postdoctoral fellows to join a Wellcome Trust-funded programme, ‘Decoding competition in the brain’, in the lab of Prof. Carolina Rezaval at the University of Birmingham (UK).

Duration: 3 years.

Projects are flexible and will be shaped by your interests and expertise.

THE QUESTION

The aim of this programme is to understand how the brain resolves behavioural conflict. Animals routinely encounter situations in which incompatible actions compete for expression, such as feeding in the presence of danger. How are conflicting motivations evaluated, prioritised, and transformed into action? Using Drosophila, we will dissect these processes across levels, linking molecular and synaptic mechanisms to circuit dynamics and behavioural output. We will determine how competitive pressure biases behavioural priorities, how prior social experience induces lasting changes of decision-making circuits, and whether shared neural principles govern action selection across behavioural contexts and between sexes.

APPROACH

Successful candidates will contribute to distinct projects within a multidisciplinary programme that integrates Drosophila genetics, in vivo two photon calcium imaging, connectomics, quantitative behavioural tracking, optogenetics, and neural circuit dissection, alongside computational analysis and molecular approaches, including single cell transcriptomics.

WHY JOIN US

You will join a collaborative and international research environment within a vibrant neuroscience community. The lab maintains active collaborations across the UK and Europe, offering excellent opportunities for training, intellectual exchange, and career development.

APPLY

Find out more and apply: https://www.rezavallab.org/

Deadlines: 1st September, 2026