NeuroSync Lab — Royal Holloway, University of London
The NeuroSync Lab studies how the heart and brain coordinate during sleep to consolidate memory and facilitate adaptive behaviours. Research Assistants, PhD students, and postdocs are all welcome to apply. Get in touch: pcchen.sleep@gmail.com
What we work on
The lab combines multimodal neuroimaging (EEG, intracranial EEG, MEG, fMRI) with autonomic measures (heart rate variability) to understand how cardiac and neural signals coordinate during sleep to support memory. Recent and ongoing threads include:
- Heart-brain (autonomic-central) coupling during awake and sleep states
- Hippocampal ripples and whole-brain dynamics for memory consolidation
- Closed-loop targeted stimulation as a tool for testing and enhancing memory
Open positions
Undergraduate Projects
Short projects analysing existing EEG / HRV / behavioural datasets, or assisting with ongoing data collection. Good entry point if you want to try sleep research before committing to a longer project.
● Open — rolling basis
Research Assistant (RA)
Paid research support roles — data collection (EEG/HRV/behavioural), participant scheduling, and analysis support. Good fit if you’ve finished your degree and want research experience before a PhD.
● Enquiries welcome — no fixed post open yet
PhD Studentships
Projects spanning sleep-dependent memory consolidation, autonomic-central coupling, and closed-loop stimulation methods. Several funding schemes (e.g. departmental studentships, UKRI, charities) we can apply for together, and I’m glad to help build a strong joint application.
● Check current cycle — get in touch
Postdoctoral Researchers
Independent or co-developed projects; happy to discuss and support fellowship applications (e.g. Marie Curie / UKRI schemes) for the right fit.
● Enquiries welcome year-round
What I look for
No single background is required. The lab draws on neuroscience, psychology, computational modelling, and signal processing. What matters more: genuine curiosity about sleep and memory, comfort with (or willingness to learn) quantitative methods, and follow-through on independent work. If you’re not sure you’re a fit, ask — I’d rather answer that by email than have someone rule themselves out.
How to apply
Email pcchen.sleep@gmail.com with a CV and a short note on what specifically interests you about the lab’s work.