The purpose of this course will be to provide you with a survey of concepts, principles, and theories of neuroscience, to introduce you to the breadth of the field as well as to the ways in which neuroscience can be ‘connected’ with many other fields of study. It is thus designed to help you understand this inherently interdisciplinary field. During the course of the semester we will discuss some of the sub-disciplines within neuroscience (e.g. molecular, cellular, cognitive, and behavioral points of view), research in neuroscience happening on-campus, how neuroscience relates to other disciplines (such as biology, physics, psychology, and the arts). We will also discuss the major as a whole, including course requirements, opportunities available outside of the classroom, and the different trajectories that you might pursue within the major.

Developmental Neurobiology will explore the processes involved in the development of the mature nervous system that is responsible for regulating the physiology and cognition of an entire organism. We will explore how just a few cells in a zygote differentiate, migrate and connect to form a highly organized regulatory system. We will specifically study how neurons develop in an embryo including determination, targeting, cell death and the formation of connections (synapses).

The junior seminar in Neuroscience provides an opportunity for students and faculty to examine the latest research in Neuroscience. Each student will work with the instructor to choose a primary research article and accompanying review article to formally present to her classmates. All of the presentations will fit the themes of the year, but students are encouraged to find papers that interest them and fit with their particular concentration. Each week one student will provide a ~25 minute presentation of her research article with the appropriate background material. The other students in the class, having read the research and review article prior to class, will come to class prepared to discuss and critique the research being presented. One student will be assigned as the primary reviewer to help encourage discussion. This seminar format provides students the opportunity to perform three important components of science education: the reading, the oral presentation and the critique of primary research literature. Prerequisite: BIO 235 and PSYC 234.

This course is designed specifically for Neuroscience majors of senior standing to complete their individual senior comprehensive project. Students will have an opportunity to design, run, and analyze a research project under direct supervision of a faculty member. Students will read and analyze literature pertinent to their project and present their work in written and oral formats. Prerequisite: NEUR 385.