Courses
Courses that are currently established as part of the committee curriculum
are listed below.
31500. Vertebrate Neural Systems
Ragsdale, Mason, and Issa
This lab-centered course teaches students the fundamental principles of
mammalian neuroanatomy. Students learn the major structures and the basic
circuitry of the CNS and PNS. Somatic, visual, auditory, vestibular and
olfactory sensory systems are presented in particular depth. A highlight
of this course is that students become practiced at recognizing the nuclear
organization and cellular architecture of many regions of brain.the neuroaxis
in rodent, cat and primate. The connections between neural structures
and basic neural circuitry are discussed. In the second half of the course,
each functional system, including somatosensory, visual, auditory, vestibular,
and motor systems is presented in more depth.
31800. Cellular Neurobiology (=CPNS 30000, NPHP 31800)
Lloyd
Concerned with the structure and function of the nervous system at the
cellular level. The cellular and subcellular components of neurons and
their basic membrane and electrophysiological properties will be described.
Cellular and molecular aspects of interactions between neurons will be
studied. Leads to functional analyses of the mechanisms involved in the
generation and modulation of behavior in selected model systems.
31900. Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Signaling (=CPHY 31900)
Tang
Cells in the body communicate with each other by a variety of extracellular
signals (e.g., hormones, neurotransmitters) and processes such as vision
and olfaction, as well as diseases such as cancer, all involve aspects
of such signaling processes. The subject matter of this course considers
molecular mechanism of the wide variety of intracellular mechanisms that,
when activated, change cell behavior. Both general and specific aspects
of intracellular signaling are covered in the course, with an emphasis
on the structural basis of cell signaling. Offered alternate years.
32000. Synaptic Physiology
McGehee, Cook, and Fox
This course will examine the fundamental aspects of interneuronal communication.
Students will learn the physiology of the synapse beginning with the molecular
mechanics of neurotransmitter release followed by postsynaptic receptor
structure and function. Various forms of synaptic plasticity will be discussed
in relation to their relevance to animal behavior.
32200. Molecular Neurobiology (=NPHP 32200)
Green and Popko
Current research in the molecular biology of the nervous system, i.e.,
the structure and function of macromolecules that control, propagate,
and elicit neural signaling. Topics covered include (1) structural elements
of neurons and glia; (2) structure and function of the synapse; (3) aspects
of the molecular basis of neural signaling; and (4) gene expression in
neural systems. Lectures draw on current journal literature to present
a state-of-the-art background of the topic, the current questions being
explored, as well as problems and aspects.
32500. Developmental neurobiology and brain plasticity.
Grove, Zou and Issa
Topics include neural induction, early patterning of the central nervous
system, axon guidance and neuronal migration, the development of brain
activity, and the mechanisms of plasticity that fine-tune brain function.
Approaches will range from molecular to cellular to systems neurobiology.
Focus will be on the vertebrate CNS but attention will be given to important
lessons from invertebrate systems.
32800. Neuropsychopharmacology II
Vezina
Effects of drugs on behavior; emphasis on the functional contribution
of brain neurotransmitter systems.
39900. Readings in Neurobiology
Staff
Reading courses on various topics in neurobiology.
40100. Research in Neurobiology
Staff
Research credit (varied units) for research undertaken by graduate students
under the guidance of a faculty member of the Committee on Neurobiology.
Other Courses of Interest
MGCB 31600. Cell Biology
Turkewitz, Glick, Miller
A lecture/discussion course on fundamentals of protein synthesis and translocation,
protein and membrane sorting and transport, organelle biogenesis, and
the cytoskeleton.
MGCB 31700. Advanced Cell Biology
Lamppa, Mueller
Chromatin structure and its role in transcription, communication between
nucleus and cytoplasm, translation, protein folding and assembly, molecular
chaperones, elements of signal transduction, homeostasis, growth control
and the cell cycle, cytoarchitecture, cell adhesion and migration.
CPNS 33000. Computational Neuroscience I: Single Neuron Computation
Ulinski
This course briefly reviews the historical development of computational
neuroscience and discusses the functional properties of individual neurons.
The electrotonic structure of neurons, functional properties of synapses,
and voltage-gated ion channels are discussed.
CPNS 33100. Computational Neuroscience II: Vision
Ulinski and Staff
This course considers computational approaches to vision. It discusses
the basic anatomy and physiology of the retina and central visual pathways,
and then examines computational approaches to vision based on linear and
non-linear systems theory, and algorithms derived from computer vision.
CPNS 33200. Computational Neuroscience III: Language
Regier and Staff
This course discusses computational approaches to human language. It examines
the learning, production, and comprehension of language, through neural
network modeling of human linguistic behavior, and through brain imaging.
NPHP 33200. Excitable Membranes and Ion Channels
Nelson, Hanck
A review of the voltage-gated and ligandgated channels, including the
functional role(s) of the channels in cell behavior and biophysical aspects
of ion transport
through channels.
NPHP 33400. Genetics in Neuropharmacology
Zhuang
This course focuses on diverse genetic approaches in pharmacology research.
Topics are organized by genetic approaches including knockout, transgenic,
knock-in, tissue-specific knockout, inducible strategies, forward genetics,
pharmacogenomics and gene therapy. The selection of papers aims to cover
different neurotransmitter systems and signaling pathways.
NPHP 34000. Neurodegenerative Diseases
Thinakaran
The course will introduce students to the molecular and cellular mechanisms
involved in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. This course will provide
an overview of the fundamental concepts of neurodegeneration and focus
on the recent advances in select disorders. The current literature on
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and motor
neuron diseases will be discussed in greater detail. The primary focus
of the course is to explore the mechanisms (such as protein misfolding)
underlying neuronal dysfunction and death.
This list was last revised on 8/29/2003.
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