Martijn van den Heuvel
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PhD Position in Neuroimaging, LLM, Genetics and Cross-species Comparison Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Available
Deadline
Dec 15, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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About this position
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) is offering a PhD position in the Connectome Lab at the Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR) for a project at the interface of neuroimaging, genetics, computational neuroscience, neurodiversity, and brain evolution.
The project investigates how variation in brain anatomy and connectivity shapes human brain diversity, and how these patterns compare across species. Using large-scale human neuroimaging datasets together with comparative data from non-human species, the project aims to identify which aspects of brain organization are conserved, which vary substantially between individuals, and which may have emerged or expanded during human evolution.
The successful candidate will work with structural MRI, diffusion MRI, and resting-state fMRI data, developing and applying computational approaches for cortical reconstruction, tractography, functional connectivity, connectome analysis, and cross-species comparisons. A particular interest in the use of large language models (LLMs) for data mining is noted.
Supervision and collaboration will take place within the computational neuroimaging lab led by Prof. Martijn van den Heuvel, in an interdisciplinary environment including researchers from neuroimaging, genetics, psychology, psychiatry, artificial intelligence, and computational neuroscience.
Key duties include analysing large-scale imaging data, integrating genetics with neuroimaging, performing comparative analyses of human and non-human brain organisation, building reproducible and open workflows, presenting findings at scientific meetings, writing manuscripts, collaborating across networks, and contributing to teaching where appropriate.
This is a research-focused PhD opportunity for candidates interested in brain networks, connectomics, computational analysis, and cross-disciplinary neuroscience. The application deadline is 2026-12-15. Applications are submitted through the AcademicTransfer link provided in the posting.
Funding details
Available
What's required
A highly motivated PhD candidate is sought, with interest in neuroimaging, genetics, neuroscience, neurodiversity, and computational methods. The description implies experience or strong aptitude for working with large datasets, structural MRI, diffusion MRI, resting-state fMRI, connectome analysis, cortical reconstruction, tractography, functional connectivity, and reproducible open workflows. Candidates should be comfortable with interdisciplinary research and collaborative academic work; no explicit degree classification, GPA, or language-test requirement is stated in the text.
How to apply
Apply via the AcademicTransfer application link provided in the posting. Submit your application before 2026-12-15. Include the materials requested on the application page.
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Professors
Prof. at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Netherlands
Research Interests
Neuropsychology
Statistics
Computer Science
Biology
Neuroimaging
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.