Doctoral Researcher in Organoid Intelligence
Build a living reservoir-computing platform using human brain organoids and high-density MEA to probe learning and memory.
Best for:Ideal for bioengineers or neuroscientists with hands-on MEA experience, stem cell/organoid culture skills, and a strong interest in interdisciplinary research at the biology-engineering-computation interface.
Overview
This PhD position at the University of Luxembourg’s Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) focuses on organoid intelligence, an emerging field that leverages three-dimensional human brain organoids as adaptive computing substrates. The successful candidate will develop a reservoir computing system where organoids serve as physical reservoirs, processing spatiotemporal input patterns via high-density multielectrode arrays (MEAs). The role combines wet-lab neurobiology, electrophysiology, and computational analysis to investigate how activity-dependent plasticity reshapes functional connectivity during learning. The project aims to advance organoid intelligence as a computing paradigm while providing insights into the cellular and network mechanisms underlying human learning and memory.
What you'll do
- Establish and maintain human brain organoid cultures, including iPSC culture, neural differentiation, and organoid generation.
- Design and implement reservoir computing experiments using high-density multielectrode arrays (MEAs) for stimulation and recording.
- Develop closed-loop training protocols to probe activity-dependent plasticity and its role in learning and memory.
- Analyze extracellular network activity data to extract spatiotemporal patterns and assess computational performance.
- Collaborate with computational team members to model organoid dynamics and optimize readout layers for task mapping.
- Document experimental procedures, results, and protocols in compliance with research integrity standards.
- Present findings at lab meetings, conferences, and in peer-reviewed publications.
- Contribute to interdisciplinary team efforts bridging wet-lab biology, electrophysiology, and computational analysis.
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree (or equivalent) in neuroscience, bioengineering, biology, biophysics, or a closely related field
Degree offered: PhD
Language: B2-level proficiency in the language of the thesis (accepted certificates vary; see university guidelines)
Instruction: English (primary), with flexibility for thesis language depending on applicant background
- Hands-on experience with multielectrode array (MEA) technology, including electrophysiological stimulation, recording, and analysis of extracellular network activity
- Solid background in neurobiology, with knowledge of learning mechanisms such as synaptic plasticity and long-term potentiation
- Experience in human stem cell biology and organoid culture (e.g., iPSC culture, neural differentiation, brain organoid generation)
- Open to all nationalities
- Applicants must meet university admission criteria for doctoral candidates
Funding & terms
How to apply
Submit an application online via the university’s HR system. Include a CV, cover letter outlining your motivation and alignment with the project, transcripts of all university-level courses, and contact details for 1-2 referees who can provide an assessment. Applications sent by email will not be considered. Early submission is encouraged as applications are processed upon receipt.
- CV
- Cover letter
- Transcripts of all university-level courses
- Contact information for 1-2 referees
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