Student Fellows, Brain and Mind Institute

Introduction

Chartered in , (AKU) is a private, autonomous, and self-governing international university, with 13 teaching sites in 6 countries over three continents. An integral part of the Aga Khan Development Network, AKU provides higher education in multiple health science and social science disciplines, carries out research pertinent primarily to low- and middle-income countries and operates 7 hospitals (soon 8) and over outreach clinics, all at international standards. It has almost 2, students and 14, staff. The University is both a model of academic excellence and an agent of social change. As a leading international institution dedicated to excellence and change, AKU operates on the core principles of quality, relevance, impact, and access.

The Brain and Mind Institute (BMI), AKU

The Brain and Mind Institute is housed in Aga Khan University (AKU), which is one of the leading educational and research institutes in the world. The Brain and Mind Institute specializes in mental and brain health research by harnessing existing expertise across AKU campuses and facilitating interdisciplinary research, education and related clinical programming in mental health and neurosciences.

The Brain and Mind Institute is dedicated to performing high impact mental and brain health research aimed at building capacity and improving neuropsychological outcomes with evidenced-based interventions. BMI conducts research that aids in understanding the eco-biopsychosocial basis for mental/brain illness and identifying biomarkers for early detection and personalized treatments of neuropsychological disorders and co-morbid conditions.

Job Summary

We are looking for a total of four students. Two will be under the âCultural Adaptation and Validation of Cognitive Tests, Functional Assessments, and Biomarkers in People with Dementiaâ project, funded by Davos Alzheimerâs Collaborative (DAC) through BMI.

The other two will under the âGlobal Brain Health Institute (GBHI) Harmonizationâ project, funded by University of California San Francisco through BMI.

As part of our capacity building efforts, student fellows will receive training in all aspects of research implementation, including ethics and human subject protection, participant recruitment, neuropsychological test administration, neuroanatomy, interviewing skills, database management, and data analysis, interpretation, and results dissemination. The main contribution of the students to the project will be to collect data from participants under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and Principal Investigators (PIs). They will also be expected to become familiar with the neuropsychology literature through didactics, mentoring, and self-directed learning. Involvement in the project will support academic research and coursework, where applicable.

This position will be on a part-time basis where the successful students will work for one day per week from October to March .

Responsibilities

Consent participants for research in line with global standards for responsible conduct of research and human subject protection guidelines; Administer structured interviews, neuropsychological tests, and questionnaires to research participants; Contribute to data management by cleaning, entering, and organizing data for statistical analyses; Actively participate in scientific and management committee meetings, journal clubs, and other scheduled didactics that support the GBHI Harmonization project; Prepare summary reports of research progress for Project Manager and PIs; and Complete independent research project under the mentorship of Project Manager and PIs (Optional but encouraged).

Requirements

Masterâs degree in social sciences or other relevant sciences (e.g., Biomedical Sciences, Statistics, Psychometrics, Psychology etc.) with a good academic record. Applicants who have completed their coursework towards their Masterâs degree and are completing their thesis will be considered; Specialization in mental health and training in Biostatistics and/or Psychometrics is an asset; Have practical experience in conducting research activities, with peer-reviewed publications, presentations, or other records of scholarly output; Have demonstrable motivation for a career path in Neuropsychology and/or Neuroscience; Must be a critical thinker with good analytical skills, who is conscientious, team-oriented, and self-motivated; and Fluency in English and Kiswahili is key to this position.