Course Catalog » Course Listing for Neurosciences

200  Introduction to Neuroscience. Essential Concepts & Methods  (2.5 units)   Fall

Instructor(s): V. Sohal       Prerequisite(s): There are no prerequisites, but permission of instructor in charge is required.

Restrictions: This course is intended for entering first year Ph.D. students in the Neuroscience program. Others may be admitted as space permits.       Activities: Direct - Lecture, Direct - Lab-Skills, Direct - Conference, Student - Lecture

This course will include lectures on basic methods used for neuroscience research, laboratories that demonstrate these methods and conferences that discuss their applicability and caveats. The course is designed to prepare our entering students for laboratory rotations and the core course. The material presented should also help them understand seminars and journal clubs.

201A  Basic Concepts in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience  (5 units)   Fall

Instructor(s): K. Bender, R. Edwards, L. Jan, R. Nicoll, M. Scanziani, V. Sohal, M. Von Zastrow       Prerequisite(s): None.

Restrictions: This course is required for first year Neuroscience students. It is open to additional students as space allows and with the approval of the instructor.       Activities: Direct - Lecture, Direct - Seminar, Student - Lecture, Student - Seminar

An interdisciplinary introduction to fundamental aspects of nervous system function including neurocytology, neuroanatomy, electrical excitability, synaptic transmission, signal transduction, genetics, and neurodevelopment.

201B  Basic Concepts for Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience  (4 units)   Winter

Instructor(s): J. Chan, A. Kao       Prerequisite(s): None

Restrictions: None       Activities: Direct - Seminar, Direct - Discussion, Student - Seminar, Student - Discussion

Introduction to fundamental aspects of nervous system development, including patterning, neuronal specification and function, glial cells of the nervous system, and application-based molecular/cellular neuroscience methods.

201C  Introduction to Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience  (4 units)   Spring

Instructor(s): D. Manoli       Prerequisite(s): NEUROSCI 201A and NEUROSCI 201B, or consent of course director.

Restrictions: None.       Activities: Direct - Lecture, Direct - Discussion, Student - Lecture

An overview of basic cell biology and neural development. Topics will include membrane trafficking, neuronal cytoskeleton, axon guidance, synapse formation, cell cycle, neuronal cell fate determination, neuronal stem cells, and patterning of the vertebrate brain.

215  Laboratory Rotation  (8 - 12 units)   Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Instructor(s): Staff       Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

Restrictions: none       Activities: Direct - Lab-Science

A laboratory rotation course to familiarize new departmental graduate students with various approaches to neurobiological research.

219  Special Topics in Basic and Translational Neuroscience  (3 units)   Fall, Winter, Spring

Instructor(s): Staff       Prerequisite(s): None. Completion of first year curriculum in Neuroscience or another experimental biology graduate program is helpful, but not essential.

Restrictions: Neuroscience graduate students, other graduate and professional students with interest in neuroscience. Permission from instructor is required.       Activities: Direct - Lecture, Direct - Independent Study, Direct - Conference, Student - Lecture

Each course offering will focus on the literature of a current important area of Neuroscience research. Students will be expected to read assigned papers critically before class and to present and discuss papers in class. Students will also be expected to write and present a brief research proposal based upon their reading. Topics in molecular, cellular, developmental, systems & computational neuroscience, and neurological & behavioral disorders will be covered in separate course offerings.

220  Neuroscience Journal Club  (1 units)   Fall, Winter, Spring

Instructor(s): Staff       Prerequisite(s): None

Restrictions: None       Activities: Direct - Seminar, Student - Seminar

Pertinent papers from the recent neuroscience literature are read and discussed. Each student must participate regularly and present one paper per quarter.

221  Current Topics in Neuroscience  (1 units)   Fall, Winter, Spring

Instructor(s): Z. Knight       Prerequisite(s): None.

Restrictions: Neuroscience graduate student, or permission from instructor.       Activities: Direct - Seminar, Student - Seminar

Students will become familiarized with cutting-edge experimental findings in cellular, molecular, and systems neuroscience by attending the formal Neuroscience Seminar series, meeting and discussing related papers, and meeting with the speaker, Students will be expected to critically analyze new results and put them in context of published literature. Course meets for 10 weeks spread out over 3 quarters. Offered every year.

248  Analysis of Neural and Behavioral Data  (3 units)   Winter

Course will not be offered in: Winter 2022

Instructor(s): L. Frank       Prerequisite(s): NEUROSCI 201A, NEUROSCI 201B, or consent of course director. Previous Matlab experience strongly suggested.

Restrictions: None.       Activities: Direct - Lecture, Direct - Independent Study, Direct - Conference, Student - Lecture

Lectures, critical discussions, and problem solving using Matlab, a mathematical and data visualization program. Topics may include: probability, descriptive statistics, binomial and poisson processes, analysis of spike trains, and analysis of dynamic neural and behavioral data. Problem sets include statistical analysis and simulation of neural and behavioral data. Previous Matlab experience strongly suggested. Offered every two years beginning Spring 2004

250  Research  (1 - 8 units)   Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Instructor(s): Staff       Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

Restrictions: None       Activities: Direct - Lab-Science, Direct - Project, Direct - Independent Study, Direct - Conference

Dissertation research.