Training Opportunities
The Brain Stimulation Lab (BSL) at Stanford offers a variety of training opportunities for predoctoral students seeking assessment and supervision hours for internships.
Post-Doctoral Scholar
The Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab, directed by Dr. Nolan Williams at Stanford School of Medicine, is looking for postdoctoral researcher candidates for an open postdoctoral position leading clinical trials and driving forward novel therapeutic strategies. The Brain Stimulation Lab (BSL) utilizes novel brain stimulation techniques to probe and modulate the neural networks underlying neuropsychiatric diseases/disorders in an effort to develop new models and novel therapeutics. Our lab is culturally diverse and interdisciplinary, consisting of basic neuroscientists, clinical researchers, data scientists, psychologists, residents, psychiatrists, and neurologists.
Working in our lab will provide you experience in the most cutting-edge research with diverse clinical populations (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Addiction/Substance Use Disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder), as well as healthy participants. Some of the tools our lab utilizes to answer our research questions include structural and functional MRI, EEG, TMS, and simultaneous EEG/TMS. We are now pushing forward trials involving invasive EEG recordings and deep brain stimulation in psychiatric populations, including depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Publications can be viewed here.
About the position.
We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher with proven experience in clinical trials in psychiatry to take a leading role in trials conducted at the lab, drive forward novel therapeutic strategies, and/or develop novel analytical strategies and methodologies. The candidate will work closely with, and receive guidance from, a faculty member assigned to the trial and will lead a team of clinical research coordinators. The BSL includes dedicated teams for patient recruitment, neuroimaging data collection, data analysis, treatment, and regulatory affairs, which will support the candidate in carrying out their duties. The position is a unique opportunity to further develop a career in clinical/translational neuroscience and psychiatric research.
Requirements:
1. PhD in Neuroscience or related field; or M.D with training in psychiatry.
2. Proven experience or familiarity with clinical trials in psychiatry; or advanced methodological/analytic background and training
3. Leadership qualities (fosters teamwork, strong communication skills, interest in mentorship of junior lab members).
4. Strong references.
To apply please complete the following application form.
You can expect to be contacted with further details and next steps within 1-2 weeks.
Contact: Dr. Cammie Rolle (Clinical Assistant Professor, BSL) | crolle@stanford.edu
Although the BSL currently has practicum training agreements with the PGSP Stanford PsyD Consortium, predoctoral students throughout the Bay Area are welcome. Previous experience in administering clinical assessments, especially within research trials, is preferred.
Practicum students will have the opportunity to work with research participants receiving care for treatment-resistant depression, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other presenting issues. Training on assessments includes administering clinician-administered structured interviews (e.g., MINI, SCID, HAMD, MADRS, YBOCS, etc.) and neurocognitive testing (e.g., NIH Toolbox) as well as scoring and presentation of results to a larger team. Students also have the opportunity to sit in on clinical case presentations, weekly lab meetings, and a journal club dedicated to improving trainee understanding of current advances in neuromodulation and imaging research. All students will be supervised individually and within group settings by the BSL’s Psychology Director, Dr. Flint Espil.
Students interested in research opportunities may also have the opportunity to explore research questions and hypotheses within ongoing studies. Previous trainees have used these opportunities to create poster presentations, conference talks, and even authorship on published, peer-reviewed manuscripts. Although these opportunities cannot be guaranteed, we encourage students interested in gaining research experience as well as clinical hours to apply.
From our trainees:
My training experience with BSL has provided the opportunity to collaborate on cutting-edge intervention studies with a brilliant and supportive team. It’s critical for the integrity of the research that assessments are completed with precision and care, so I received comprehensive training and supervision in preparation for all assessments that I administered. In addition to the training on assessments, I’ve been able to participate in everything from case conferences, to lab meetings, and data analysis, resulting in a holistic training experience and demonstrating the value that BSL places on supporting the development of future clinician-scientists. It’s been a privilege to train and collaborate with BSL.
Randi Brown, Palo Alto University
The BSL was a great opportunity to hone assessment skills as well as learn about exciting novel treatments that can be complementary to psychotherapy! Supervision was collaborative, developmentally scaffolded, and responsive to trainees’ needs and interests. The flexibility to schedule my assessments around other commitments also made this training experience logistically feasible.
Kiley Dunlap, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consoritum
My training experience with BSL has provided the opportunity to collaborate on cutting-edge intervention studies with a brilliant and supportive team. It’s critical for the integrity of the research that assessments are completed with precision and care, so I received compI really enjoyed my experience as a practicum student in the BSL! I learned a lot from conducting mood assessments and interacting with the participants. I was able to gain insight on different topics and perspectives from the supervisor and members of the team. The lab also provided me several opportunities to learn through discussing journal articles and listening to speakers.rehensive training and supervision in preparation for all assessments that I administered. In addition to the training on assessments, I’ve been able to participate in everything from case conferences, to lab meetings, and data analysis, resulting in a holistic training experience and demonstrating the value that BSL places on supporting the development of future clinician-scientists. It’s been a privilege to train and collaborate with BSL.
Yi-Hua Lin, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consoritum
