A postdoctoral position is available at the MRC Unit on Anxiety & Stress Disorders, Department of
Psychiatry, at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Stellenbosch University (SU), Cape Town, South Africa. The position involves
work on a collaborative psychiatric genetics and brain imaging project between this Unit, the Division
of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, and the Cape Universities Brain Imaging Centre (CUBIC).
The project entails an imaging-genetics-environment paradigm investigating the impact of (the
interaction between) selected genes in the glutamatergic system (e.g. GRIN2B), BDNF and SAPAP3 –
(which may have an impact on white matter integrity and/or interact with this system), and childhood
trauma, on white matter volume in regions of interest in healthy controls, and patients with obsessivecompulsive
disorder (OCD) or hair-pulling disorder (trichotillomania, or HPD). Ultimately, this project
will render an opportunity for the candidate to collaborate with experts in psychodiagnostic
interviewing, genetics and neuroimaging, and related statistics, on a project aiming to relate imaging
findings not only to genes and their expression, but also to environmental influences which may be
related to such processes, to further our understanding of the brain.
Depending on his/her academic background and experience, the candidate will perform the activities
related to all aspects of the study (i.e. clinical / genetics / brain imaging).
The Faculty of Health Sciences is situated 20 minutes’ drive from central Cape Town and 30 minutes
from Stellenbosch campus. Tygerberg and its surrounding areas offer excellent quality of life and
easy access to the city and the countryside. This area is well-known for its beautiful mountains,
beaches, and winelands.
Applicants should have a PhD-degree and a strong background in psychiatry, molecular biology
and/or brain imaging. Previous experience of patient assessment and/or genotyping and gene
expression in humans and/or brain imaging is essential. 
For more information, please contact Prof Christine Lochner on 021 – 938 9179 / email:
[log in to unmask] or Dr Nathaniel McGregor (email: [log in to unmask]) or Dr Samantha Brooks
([log in to unmask]).
To apply, send a covering letter, a CV containing details of previous courses and associated grades
and the email addresses of 3 referees to the above addresses.