Ajankohtaista

Postdoc position for PhD in developmental psychology (or related discipline) in the Developmental Psychobiology Lab (DPB lab)

1.3.2017

The Developmental Psychobiology Lab is part of the social development research program of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) and of the Baby Research Center (BRC), Radboud University, The Netherlands.

Postdoc position for PhD in developmental psychology (or related discipline) in the Developmental Psychobiology Lab (DPB lab)
https://dpblab.org/research/
3-year project

Learning through bacteria?
Translating beneficial bacterial science to improving child education in Ivory Coast

In childhood, cognitive capacities are essential for learning new skills and participating in formal education. Many different factors facilitate the development of a child’s cognitive capacities: from socioeconomic factors and diet, to the quality of care. In this project, the focus will be on one potentially very relevant factor that has received little attention to date: the bacteria in our intestines. Intestinal bacteria have a central role in our health, but may also modulate brain development and functioning.

The goal of the project is to develop the novel and promising field of microbiota-cognition dynamics by performing two probiotic intervention studies, in infants and in preschoolers, within the Jacobs Foundation TRECC program in Ivory Coast.  We will determine whether this probiotic supplement can be linked to better cognitive functioning in the young children. The ultimate goal is to improve children’s basic conditions for learning by achieving healthy brain development in a relatively easy and affordable manner. At the same time, the intervention should improve children’s health, physical, and psychological well-being.

This project is part of Prof. Carolina de Weerth’s Jacobs Advanced Research Fellowship.

For more information click here or mail: C.deWeerth@psych.ru.nl

Closure date: 25 March 2017