Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity at UConn: Neuroinflammation, Stress, and Reading Development

The BrainLENS Laboratory (UConn), co-directed by Professors Fumiko Hoeft, Silvia Clement-Lam, and Zhichao Xia, are seeking prospective postdoctoral fellows interested in joining a newly funded NIH R01 project investigating neuroinflammation, stress, and reading development in children with reading disorders. The project integrates multimodal neuroimaging, central and peripheral inflammatory measures, and assessments of stress and reading to clarify how central and peripheral inflammation, neural variability, and stress are associated with reading and emotional well-being in school-aged children .

The selected candidate would work closely with Drs. Hoeft. Clement-Lam and Xia and the broader research team, and would be expected to contribute to study design and implementation, multimodal data analysis, manuscript preparation, and the development of an independent research program related to the project.

We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas: neuroimaging such as functional, diffusion, and molecular/metabolic imaging; stress physiology; salivary biomarkers; neuropsychological assessment; and ecological momentary assessment (EMA).

Candidates are not expected to have expertise across all of these methods. Applicants with strong experience in either multimodal neuroimaging or stress physiology, and an interest in extending their methodological expertise, are encouraged to apply. Experience with quantitative analysis and programming in languages such as Python, R, or MATLAB is required.

This opportunity is intended for candidates who would seek postdoctoral support through the NIH NIDCD-funded Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication-CT (CNC-CT) T32 training program at the University of Connecticut, with Dr. Fumiko Hoeft serving as the primary mentor.

The CNC-CT program provides specialized postdoctoral training in neuroimaging, cognitive neuroscience, and basic and clinical research related to communication disorders. Current opportunities include a two-year postdoctoral fellowship beginning in Fall 2027. Applicants to the T32 must meet NIH eligibility requirements, including U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.

Prospective applicants should first send the following materials to the BrainLENS Lab at UConn  () for consideration:

Candidates whose research interests and expertise align with the project will be invited to discuss the opportunity with Dr. Hoeft and the research team. Candidates selected to move forward will then apply separately to the CNC-CT T32 postdoctoral fellowship program. Final appointment is dependent on successful T32 fellowship selection.