PhD (f/m/d) (75%, TV-L E13) on “Glucose as an adjuvant of fear exposure psychotherapy in anxiety disorders”
We are currently recruiting fo a PhD (f/m/d) (75%, TV-L E13) on “Glucose as an...
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We are currently recruiting fo a PhD (f/m/d) (75%, TV-L E13) on “Glucose as an adjuvant of fear exposure psychotherapy in anxiety disorders”
Anxiety disorders are the most common group of mental disorders and contribute significantly to the high burden of disease. Fortunately, with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and especially exposure therapy, there is an effective treatment with few side effects, but not all patients benefit from it. Models of classical conditioning are a valuable tool for studying the characteristic mechanisms of anxiety disorders and can help identify new ways to treat anxiety. Decades of intensive research in animals and humans have uncovered both associative and neurobiological mechanisms underlying fear extinction. This has opened the door to exciting translational research that has enabled the identification of a number of agents like D-cycloserine, oxytocin, cortisol or insulin, that may improve therapeutic outcome. Since glucose has been shown to play an important role in supporting cognitive function and, in particular, improving declarative and working memory, it is of great relevance to investigate the effects of glucose administration on fear learning processes.
In a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG 502145457), two laboratory studies using psychophysiological measurements on the effects of glucose will be conducted. While the first study will focus on the effects on the generalization of anxiety in a healthy sample, the second study will investigate the effects of glucose on the extinction of anxiety in a subclinical sample.
The PhD will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Tanja Michael and Dr. Diana Ferreira de Sá at Saarland University, Saarbrücken (Germany). The candidate is expected to participate in research at all stages of the project as well as in publication and communication.
Expected qualifications
- Excellent master’s degree in psychology with focus on clinical psychology or a related field
- In-depth knowledge in statistical analysis and excellent communication skills in English
- Experience in psychological research methods, physiological measurements, and programming (e.g., Matlab, E-Prime, SPSS, R) is particularly desired
- Good communication and team skills
Remuneration
The remuneration is based on the collective bargaining agreement for the public service TV-L according to remuneration group E13 (75%). The position is limited to 3 years.
Starting Date and Deadline
The position is available from May 1st, 2023. Deadline for application is March 31st, 2023. Later applications will be considered until the position is filled.
The application will include the following documents:
- Detailed CV
- Grade transcripts of the Master course of studies
- Application letter, detailing the applicant’s motivation and prospective contribution to the project
- A recommendation letter by a former university teacher or work supervisor
Send your full application in one pdf by e-mail to:
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Information on the lab of Prof. Michael can be found under https://www.uni-saarland.de/lehrstuhl/michael.html
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Alexander Hauck, M.Sc.
Department of clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Saarland University
Faculty of empirical human sciences and economics
P.O. box: 15 11 50 | D-66041 Saarbrücken
Visiting address: Campus A1 3 | Room 1.21
D-66123 Saarbrücken
T: +49 681 302-71006
F: +49 681 302-4437
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www.uni-saarland.de
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