Interested in doing a PhD with the Canine Brains Project?
We are a part of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. The HEB graduate program provides an inter-disciplinary education in genetics, human evolutionary history, anatomy and physiology, psychology, behavior, and culture. Within the Hecht lab, additional training is available in neuroscience and animal behavior.
In the 2025 PhD application cycle, the Hecht lab is seeking PhD applicants interested in brain-behavior evolution in domestic dogs and other canids. Training opportunities include:
- Access to nearly 200 neuroimaging datasets from well-phenotyped dogs, including working dogs and family pets
- Access to neuroimaging data from the Russian farm-fox experiment
- Access to histological data from both foxes and dogs, with microscopy equipment and tools for cytoarchitectural, myeloarchitectural, immunohistological, and stereological analysis
- Behavioral testing opportunities in both foxes and dogs
- Hands-on training in canine neuroimaging data collection and analysis
- Opportunities for comparative research in other species such as primates and humans
- The opportunity to co-teach courses at Harvard University with Dr. Hecht on dog behavior and cognition, comparative mammalian neuroscience, and brain-behavior evolution
To learn more about the application process and deadline, please visit this page.
Interested applicants are welcome to contact Dr. Hecht with questions at erin_hecht@fas.harvard.edu.