🔄 Please share this career opportunity within your networks!
It’s a unique chance for emerging scientists to join an innovative research initiative at the intersection of neuroscience, psychiatry, and circuit biology.
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Dear Sir or Madam,
The BioMed X Institute in New Haven, Connecticut, USA is establishing a new, fully funded research group in the field of:
Circuit-Based Model Systems of Anhedonia
If you hold a PhD or master’s degree with an outstanding track record or strong interest in this area, we invite you to apply with a project proposal for a position in our new research group. Available positions include:
This call for application is supported by AbbVie.
Webinar Info Session
We will be hosting a free webinar where we will answer your questions about the project, the application process, and the BioMed X innovation boot camp.
📅 17 December 2025
🕗 08:15 PM CET / 02:15 PM EST / 11:15 AM PST
🔗 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nv-PEjMHSAOuxnuHbwtHTQ
Anhedonia – the diminished ability to experience pleasure – is a debilitating symptom in depression and prevalent across a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Despite its significance, the neurobiological underpinnings of anhedonia remain poorly understood. While reduced dopamine activity in the ventral striatum has long been implicated, the complexity of reward circuitry, involving the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area, and amygdala, points to broader network dysfunction. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests that neurotransmitter systems beyond dopamine – including opioids, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate – also modulate the reward system in ways that are not yet fully mapped.
We invite bold and innovative research proposals that aim to uncover the disrupted microcircuits and molecular targets involved in anhedonia. The focus should be on pinpointing mechanisms – cellular, synaptic, and/or systemic – that underlie this condition. Leveraging patient-derived data to corroborate mechanistic insights is highly encouraged.
Major objectives:
Identify and validate pathophysiological changes relevant to anhedonia.
Develop models with high construct validity.
Identify new targets to treat anhedonia.
The ideal project will employ multi-modal approaches, combining in vitro, in vivo, and in silico methods, ideally integrating clinical or translational data.
Key deliverables of the project:
Identification and functional validation of specific microcircuits or neurotransmitter imbalances critical to anhedonia, leading to the development of human and/or animal in vitro or ex vivo models to support therapeutic advancement.
Integration of patient-derived or real-world data to support mechanistic findings.
Discovery of surrogate markers or biomarkers for anhedonia and/or treatment response.
Identification of potential therapeutic targets.
We especially encourage proposals that challenge prevailing assumptions, employ cutting-edge technologies, or integrate machine learning with neurobiological data. Please note that proposals focusing primarily on animal models with behavioral outcomes or those targeting medical devices will not be considered.
What we offer:
A position in a fully funded research group with an annual budget of 1.1 million USD. The funding package covers salaries, materials, services, travel, overhead, as well as access to the core facilities at Yale University.
A project term of 3-5 years.
An exciting research opportunity in a multidisciplinary and international research environment with continuous coaching from top academic institutions and experienced pharma industry researchers.
Participation in the BioMed X Boot Camp, where you’ll learn how to craft a compelling pitch presentation in only 5 days.
There is flexibility in start dates, with successful applicants invited to take up the post starting July 1, 2026.
Application & Selection Process:
Please apply online at: https://career.bmedx.com/registration/2025-NHV-C01.
As part of the application, you will need to submit:
A competitive project proposal (3-5 pages) describing your unique experimental approach and scientific expertise.
Your curriculum vitae, including your publication record.
Deadline for applications: January 18, 2026
After the first selection round, candidates will be invited to a five-day innovation boot camp in New Haven from March 9 to 13, 2026. Guided by mentors, candidates will work on their project proposals and present them in front of a distinguished jury. Successful candidates will be offered a position at the BioMed X Institute in New Haven.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Arash Samiee
Scientific Recruitment Specialist
BioMed X Germany GmbH
Im Neuenheimer Feld 515
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Phone +49 6221 42611 713
Fax +49 622142611 22
Email sam...@bmedx.com
Web https://bmedx.com
