PhD Researcher (f/m/x) - Laminar 7T fMRI of Medial Temporal Lobe Hyperactivity in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease

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The Multimodal Neuroimaging Group at DZNE Magdeburg is looking for a highly motivated PhD student who is excited about cutting-edge neuroimaging at 7 Tesla, the neural circuits underlying memory, and how these are altered in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. The project is jointly led by Anne Maass (Magdeburg) and Nikolai Axmacher (Ruhr University Bochum). This PhD position is part of the DFG Research Unit FOR 6027 “Layers of Memory” (subproject P06), a multidisciplinary consortium bringing together expertise in cognitive and clinical neuroscience, ultra-high-field imaging, MR physics, and human memory research across several sites in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. The overarching goal of project “P06” is to understand the laminar and circuit mechanisms underlying hippocampal hyperactivity in aging and early Alzheimer’s disease.

• Acquiring and analyzing ultra-high-resolution 7T structural and functional MRI data
• Investigating layer- and subfield-specific activity within the entorhinal–hippocampal circuit, including the entorhinal cortex and hippocampal subfields such as dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1
• Analyzing fMRI data acquired during mnemonic pattern separation and spatial navigation tasks
• Characterizing structural and functional connectivity within the medial temporal lobe using resting-state fMRI and diffusion MRI
• Relating imaging measures to memory performance and Alzheimer’s disease plasma biomarkers, including Aβ42/40 and p-tau217
• Collaborating closely with researchers in Bochum and across the interdisciplinary FOR 6027 Layers of Memory consortium
• Preparing scientific manuscripts and presenting your work at national and international conferences

• Master’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, biomedical sciences, or a related field
• Strong interest in human memory, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and neuroimaging
• Strong quantitative, statistical, and programming skills, ideally in Python, R and/or MATLAB
• Experience with human imaging data, such as fMRI, is an advantage
• Interest in medial temporal lobe anatomy, hippocampal subfields, cortical layers, and brain connectivity
• Motivation to work with complex multimodal and high-resolution neuroimaging data
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary and multi-site research environment
• Good communication skills and teamworking skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English; knowledge of German is helpful but not required.

Your role in cutting-edge research

Why does the hippocampus become hyperactive during aging and in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease? The medial temporal lobe is among the first brain systems affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Tau pathology emerges early in specific layers of the entorhinal cortex, while abnormal increases in hippocampal activity have been observed during aging and in individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (Corriveau-Lecavalier et al. 2024). Yet the circuit mechanisms underlying this “hyperactivity” remain poorly understood. This PhD project will investigate these mechanisms at the level of individual cortical layers and hippocampal subfields using ultra-high-resolution 7 Tesla MRI. By combining task-based fMRI during mnemonic discrimination and spatial navigation with resting-state connectivity and diffusion imaging, we aim to characterize how activity, connectivity, and microstructure within the entorhinal–hippocampal circuit change across normal aging and early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A central hypothesis is that aging and early Alzheimer’s pathology disturb the balance of information flow through medial temporal lobe circuits. Reduced input from superficial entorhinal layers together with increased recurrent activity within hippocampal circuits, particularly CA3, may shift memory processing away from pattern separation toward pattern completion, contributing to memory impairment. The project will study four deeply characterized groups: young adults, cognitively unimpaired older adults without evidence of Alzheimer’s pathology, biomarker-positive cognitively unimpaired older adults, and biomarker-positive individuals with mild cognitive impairment. This design provides a unique opportunity to distinguish mechanisms of normal aging from those associated with preclinical and early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. The position offers an outstanding research environment with access to state-of-the-art neuroimaging infrastructure, including the 7T Siemens Terra.X Impulse Edition scanner in Magdeburg — one of only very few systems of this kind worldwide — as well as 3T MRI and PET. You will also have access to extensively phenotyped aging and Alzheimer’s disease cohorts with cognitive and molecular biomarker data. The successful candidate will benefit from joint supervision by two PIs in Magdeburg and Bochum and close interaction with researchers across FOR 6027 Layers of Memory. The Research Unit comprises eight projects across eight sites in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. The Research Unit offers dedicated workshops on ultra-high-field and laminar imaging, scientific retreats, and specific networking and training opportunities for early-career researchers. At DZNE Magdeburg, you will become part of an interdisciplinary and international research environment spanning cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, neurology, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease research, with close links to Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and the DFG Collaborative Research Center 1436 “Neural Resources of Cognition.” We offer close supervision, regular lab meetings and journal clubs, opportunities for international collaboration, and an open, collaborative, and supportive research environment.

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