Neuroscience 601 represents the first half of a year long, graduate-level survey of neuroscience. The goals for Neuroscience 601 and 602 are: 1) To provide our students with a sense of the state of current knowledge in molecular, cellular, developmental, integrative and cognitive neuroscience. Considerable emphasis is put on pulling together information obtained from different types of investigations (anatomical, physiological, behavioral, biochemical, genetic) to gain a balanced view of neuroscience.  2) To provide our students with a sense of how knowledge was obtained, by reading and discussing “classic papers.” 3) To provide our students with a sense of where the current frontier is, by reading and discussing very recent papers. Each week this class meets for 3-5 hours, with a mix of lectures and discussion. The major topics treated in Neuroscience 601 and 602 are: I) Excitable Membranes, II) Molecular Neuropharmacology, and  III) Developmental Neurobiology.  This is a Fall Term course.  (4 credits)

Neuroscience 602  is the second half of the graduate-level survey of neuroscience. The format is identical to that of Neuroscience 601. The major topics treated in this term are: I) Sensory Neuroscience, II) Learning and Memory, and III) Integrative and Cognitive Neuroscience.  This is a Winter Term course.  (4 credits)

Neuroscience 623 is an intensive lab course in cellular and molecular neuroscience. It is offered as a minicourse that meets all day for two weeks, just before the beginning of the Fall Term.  Emphasis is on molecular, anatomical, and physiological approaches for studying neuronal function. Among the molecular topics covered are analysis of cDNA clones, PCR amplification of DNA, quantitation of mRNA by Northern blot and RNAse protection analysis, and expression of genes in foreign tissues. Among the anatomical topics covered are axonal pathway tracing, immunocytochemical localization of specific neuronal proteins, time lapse video microscopy and measuring calcium levels with fluorescent dyes. Among the physiological topics covered are intracellular, extracellular and patch clamp recording, as well as the use of computers in the acquisition and analysis of data.  (3 credits)

Neuroscience 570 and the accompanying lab, Neuroscience 571 provide a systematic survey of the structure of the human nervous system. These courses are offered in the Winter Term, and are linked to some of the material being taught in Neuroscience 602.  (3 credits and 2 credits)

PIBS 503 covers a number of topics related to the responsible conduct of research. Among the topics usually treated are the proper use and care of animals in research, rules for research involving human subjects, accepted standards for recording data and keeping notebooks, distinguishing ethical from unethical practices and a discussion of what type of contribution to a project merits authorship on papers. This course is taught during half of the Fall Term.  (1 credit)

Neuroscience 800,801 students in the Neuroscience program begin independent research projects in their first semester in the program, and are required to participate in independent research each semester. Every student is required to rotate in two different labs, and students are strongly advised to do three rotations before deciding on the lab in which they will do their thesis research.

In Neuroscience 700, second year students meet with a faculty mentor for six weeks of intense discussion of a restricted topic in neuroscience. At the end of this time, each student selects a topic for presentation to the entire Neuroscience Program. The presentation is in the form of a 50-minute lecture. Students receive extensive help from the faculty mentor in preparing their talk, and written and oral feedback from other Program faculty after the talk. This course gives our students outstanding skills for giving scientific presentations.  (2 credits)

***It must be emphasized that these are the minimal core course requirements needed to achieve candidacy. Most students take additional courses and advanced seminars in their area of interest following candidacy.

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