M.Sc. research internship in the Language and Genetics department

Job description:

Project description: Left–right hemispheric asymmetry is an important aspect of healthy brain organization for many functions including language, and it can be altered in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Previously, we performed multivariate genome-wide association scanning of cortical regional surface area and thickness asymmetries, as well as subcortical volume asymmetries, using data from 32,256 participants from the UK Biobank. We found 21 significant loci associated with different aspects of brain asymmetry, with functional enrichment involving microtubule-related genes and embryonic brain expression.

In this project, we would like the intern to update our results by applying the same pipeline as previously, but including the newly available data from the UK Biobank (roughly 55,000 individuals). We expect that the greater sample size will help to identify further significant genomic loci and clarify the associations of microtubule-related genes with variation in brain asymmetry, behavioural, 
and psychiatric traits.
 

Requirements:

• Good skills in programming, familiar with one of the programming languages, R, Python, or shell.
• Background or experience in genomics or neuroimaging (MRI data)
• Familiar with big datasets, using one especially UK Biobank will be an advantage

What we offer you:

• Experience gained in data analysis in GWAS and neuroimaging data
• Experience gained in dealing with big datasets, such as UK Biobank
• Experience gained in programming
• Academic reading, presenting, and writing.

Conditions of employment

• 6 months starting from January 2026 (exact date can be negotiable)
• This is a research internship without salary
   

Application procedure:

Please apply via the vacancies page on our website
Direct link to the application form
Applications should include:
(i)         A cover letter outlining your motivation 
(ii)        A CV listing relevant experience
(iii)       Names, E-mail addresses and contact details of two referees

The deadline of the application will be 15th November. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. Decision will be made around end of November or early December. For informal enquiries about the position, please get in touch with Meng-Yun Wang (mengyun.wang [at] mpi.nl (mengyun[dot]wang[at]mpi[dot]nl)); for general questions about the institute and employment details, please contact the secretariat at the Language & Genetics Department (E-mail: secretariat.genetics [at] mpi.nl (secretariat[dot]genetics[at]mpi[dot]nl)).
 

References

Main reference: Sha et al. (2021) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01069-w

About our institute 
The Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics is a world-leading research institute devoted to interdisciplinary studies of the science of language and communication, including departments on genetics, psychology, development, neurobiology and multimodality of these fundamental human abilities.  
We investigate how children and adults acquire their language(s), how speaking and listening happen in real-time, how the brain processes language, how the human genome contributes to building a language-ready brain, how multiple modalities (as in speech, gesture and sign) shape language and its use in diverse languages and how language is related to cognition and culture, and shaped by evolution.  
We are part of the Max Planck Society, an independent non-governmental association of German-funded research institutes dedicated to fundamental research in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. 
The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunities employer. We recognise the positive value of diversity and inclusion, promote equity and challenge discrimination. We aim to provide a working environment with room for differences, where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Therefore, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
Our institute is situated on the campus of the Radboud University and has close collaborative links with the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Centre for Language Studies at Radboud University. We also work closely with other child development researchers as part of the Baby & Child Research Center. Staff and students at the MPI have access to state-of-the-art research and training facilities .

About the group 
The Imaging Genomics Group is led by Prof. Clyde Francks and embedded within the Language & Genetics Department at the MPI.