PRR Project

Summary

The current mental health crisis highlights importance of understanding the aetiology and progression of psychopathology by complementing knowledge in clinical psychology with findings from translational neuroscience. The prospective employee is expected to pursue high-quality research with substantial scientific autonomy, focused on translating findings from basic and applied neuroscience into evidence-based preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions for mental health disorders. By combining psychological interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy) with neuroscience methods (e.g., neuroimaging, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and near-infrared spectroscopy; brain stimulation methods such as transcranial magnetic (TMS) and electric stimulation (tES)), the prospective employee is expected to advance knowledge on the clinical applications of neuropsychophysiological mechanisms underpinning psychological processes and mechanisms of change. In particular, they will focus on a) understanding the aetiology and patterns of mental health disorders; b) identifying predictive neuropsychophysiological factors that influence maladaptive trajectories; c) understanding mechanisms of therapeutic change resorting to neuropsychophysiological variables; d) using statistical modelling on predictive neuropsychophysiological factors of psychopathology to inform the development of clinical interventions; and e) developing evidence and neurobiologically-based preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic methods for mental health disorders, assessing its cost-effectiveness and its implementation challenges.Additionally, within the field of translational neuroscience, it is expected that the prospective employee makes substantial efforts to: a) capture external funding for research; b) establish and reinforce interdisciplinary international collaborations; c) attract early career researchers (e.g., PhD students) while promoting their training, with the goal of establishing and leading their own research group fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive research environment; d) optimize the dissemination of research outputs (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and public outreach activities) to ensure that results reach scientific and lay audiences; e) invest in knowledge transfer activities in collaboration with healthcare institutions to ensure that research findings are translated into practical applications; and f) develop consultancy services in their field.It is anticipated that the research topics of this position align with the educational objectives of the host institution such that their participation in graduate and postgraduate courses at FPCE is welcomed, including mentorship and supervision to master’s and PhD students. The prospective employee should also engage in institutional bodies, contributing to its management efforts. Conversely, the prospective employee will benefit from opportunities to enhance their professional development (e.g., workshops and training programs).The prospective employee should have experience in using traditional neuroscience methods for the development of innovative psychological interventions. Accordingly, the prospective employee should possess expertise in a) translational neuroscience and clinical psychology; b) translating basic research findings into evidence-based clinical applications; c) advanced neuroimaging techniques (e.g., fMRI, fNIRS) and non-invasive brain stimulation methods (e.g., TMS and tES). Additionally, the prospective employee should have experience in leading research projects and establishing international collaborations, a track record of securing external funding, and mentoring early career researchers. Demonstrated capacity for attracting young researchers, strong communication skills and a commitment to knowledge dissemination, public outreach, and engagement with healthcare institutions and stakeholders are desirable skills.By integrating research that translates neuroscience results into clinical applications and combining traditional clinical psychological science with neuroscience methods, CINEICC aims to pioneer the development of novel interventions in mental health, solidifying its leadership position. Bringing an expert as described above, marks a significant step forward in CINEICC’s strategic vision to reinforce and enlarge our core objectives within the field of applied psychological science. Additionally, this position will contribute to CINEICC’s alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, by boosting the understanding, prevention and treatment of psychopathology (aligned with SDG3 on ensuring good health and well-being), by promoting an inclusive research environment (aligned with SDG4 on inclusive and equitable quality education) and by developing innovation in health (aligned with SDG 9 on industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).