Goodwin Lab ~ Study and Research

Research Projects

Our focus on exploring the neural control mechanisms responsible for precision manipulations incorporates a number of techniques and approaches. The projects which may be pursued as part of a PhD, Masters, BMedSc or Honours degree are therefore quite varied.

The research student may undertake a project involving both single cell recording at various levels of the nervous system and human psychophysics or animal behavioural studies focussing on a specific component of sensorimotor performance. Alternatively, these two research techniques could be incorporated in a project which aims to expand either our neural network or mathematical simulation models.

Research projects undertaken in collaboration with other disciplines will also be considered, for instance between this laboratory and the Departments of Engineering or Computer Science or Clinical Schools. All of these options would involve the development of skills in experimental protocol design and development, and data analysis using standard and specialised computer programs.

The skills and techniques learned would be transferrable to experimentation in other sensory or motor systems.

Candidates would be required to have a background in neuroscience and/or mathematics, computer science or engineering depending on the project to be undertaken. See below for information on funding.

Neural responses are amplified, viewed, and selected for digital recording.

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Postdoctoral Research

With the varied approach we take in pursuing the issues of neural coding in the sensorimotor system, there is considerable opportunity for development and refinement in a number of areas. The options for postdoctoral research are thus relatively broad and we are also open to the introduction of new techniques and approaches. Interested people should contact Professor Tony Goodwin to discuss this in more detail.

The research projects carried out in this unit are funded by NH&MRC and ARC grants.