Core Curriculum
Cellular Neuroscience (NSC 512)
This course aims to provide students with an advanced understanding of the ionic, biochemical, molecular, and cellular properties of the nervous system. The course begins by discussing the electrical properties of neurons, the molecular properties of ion channels, and the functional organization of receptors and channels at the synapse. Subsequent lectures cover the molecular and cell biology of neurotransmission, including the major neurotransmitter⁄receptor systems, receptor-mediated signal transduction, and sensory transduction. The final section discusses the molecular and genetic processes that govern development of the nervous system.
Integrative Neuroscience (NSC 531)
This course provides a critical overview of current knowledge of systems neuroscience. Topics include functional connectivity, neurophysiology, behavioral measures of sensory and motor systems, limbic and hypothalamic systems, memory and attention.
Ethics & Prof Integrity in Research (IND 501)
The course features seven modules that provide information about the various topics that the National Institutes for Health consider essential to understanding the responsible conduct of research including human experimentation/conflict of interest, animal experimentation, stem cell research, mentor-student relationship, plagiarism/scientific misconduct, collaborative science, and publication/copyright.
Applied Statistics in the Biomedical Sciences (BST 467)
This class familiarizes students with statistical applications in biomedical science areas. At the completion of this course the student will be familiar with experimental design, statistical inference, hypothesis testing, linear and non-linear regression analysis and model diagnosis, analysis of time-to-event data, analysis with outliers and missing data, and sample size and power calculation.
BST 467 may be replaced with either Intro to Biostatistics (BST 463) or Data Analysis I (BCS 510).
Laboratory Rotations (NSC 590)
A series of 3-4 laboratory rotations (each lasting about 10 weeks) provides 1st-year students with an insider's view, through active participation in a research project, of the research interests, lab environment, and mentoring style of potential thesis advisors. Students have the option of completing their first rotation during July and August the summer before their first semester of graduate school.
Neuroscience Journal Club (NSC 592)
provides first and second year students with experience in critical thinking and experimental design through the analysis of historic and important recent findings in the neuroscience literature. The selection of journal articles is typically coordinated with topics being taught concurrently in the Cellular and Systems Neuroscience courses.
Student Seminar (NSC 503)
provides a friendly forum for students to develop and refine their presentation skills and to practice fielding questions concerning their research. Students deliver an oral presentation on their research each year they are in the program. Faculty and students in the audience evaluate the talks and provide written feedback to the presenter.
Teaching Tutorial (NSC 581)
Students serve as a teaching assistant for one semester (usually in year 2 or 3) for either an undergraduate neurobiology course or an anatomy or neuroscience course in the Medical School for one semester. Additional opportunities to gain teaching experience are available to interested students.