B.S. in Neuroscience - Cellular and Molecular

Thoughts on Neuroscience

Switching brains/switching bodies. If two people switch brains, have they had brain transplants or body transplants?  That is just another way of asking where is the essential us, in our brain or in our body? more>>

Information storage  How much information is stored in the brain?  When it comes to computer hard drives or iPods or flash drives or CDs or DVDs or memory cards or digital cameras the answer is easy and straight forward. But what about the brain? more>>

Levels  Start with the irreducibles - mass and length and charge - and a way of measuring time. Using these few entities you can derive all the laws of physics (gravity, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, optics) more>>

Brains studying brains  In the early 20th century two philosophers Russell and Whitehead decided to come up with a formal way of studying language.  In a sense, they tried to use language to describe language (in their book Principia Mathematica).  What they found was there were paradoxes that were not easily resolved. more>>

Interesting questions   Francis Crick used to say that the only interesting question about the brain is the question of consciousness.  And the way to study consciousness, he felt, was to study people with “blindsight.”  These are people who have had injury to visual areas of the brain and say that they can no longer see.  Yet, they can avoid objects.  more>>

Models   One of the goals of studying the brain is to make models of the brain. Brains carry out computations slowly but are massively parallel (many things are happening at the same time). more>>

Direct or emergent?  One of the dramatic features of the nervous system is that all of the wiring is correct.  That is, a mental command to move a finger doesn’t cause the leg to move.  The nerves from the eye go to the specific regions of the brain that are involved in visual function.   How do they get that way?  more>>

The major in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (CMN) leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science from the College of Science and Technology.  It is designed to provide rigorous preparation in scientific foundations at the molecular and cellular and behavioral levels to those students interested in pursuing advanced studies and professional development in neuroscience, medicine or a related field in life sciences. In addition to neuroscience, graduates of CMN will be well prepared for graduate or professional studies in cell or molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, biomedical sciences, medicine, pharmacology, dentistry, and many allied health fields. Neuroscience CMN graduates who do not pursue graduate studies will be prepared to accept technical positions in industry (pharmaceutical, biotech) or government and university laboratories. CMN graduates will be ready to conduct research on a range of neuroscience and related topics at the level of cells or molecules including nervous system function, development, disease or injury.

This program will prepare students for a career in Neuroscience via coursework and research training. It provides a comprehensive introduction to science and mathematics required for effective pursuit of research in cell, molecular and systems neuroscience; CMN majors will be required to take at least two of the discipline-specific courses required of students majoring in each of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. In addition, CMN requires a pair of courses (Bio 3352 and Bio 3358) that provide a wide, yet detailed survey of neuroscience topics spanning the field from biophysics of excitable membranes to systems level analysis of visual function. CMN majors can develop in depth knowledge in a variety of neuroscience and related topics via completion of required elective courses in the major, which range from “Research Techniques in Molecular Biology” to “Neural Basis of Behavior.”

CMN offers training in research and laboratory skills. CMN graduates are required to complete 6 semester hours of research related to cell, molecular & systems neuroscience under the direction of a neuroscience faculty mentor, subject to the approval of the CMN committee.  As part of the research experience, students will develop skills in  evaluating and presenting research literature as well as in presenting the student’s own research.. The program is rigorous, with a grade requirement of B- or better in Biology 3352 and subsequent neuroscience courses.

CMN is designed to complement the neuroscience program offered in College of Liberal Arts.  It differs from the CLA program in that it requires considerably more science and mathematics course work. Compared to existing degree programs, the CMN is closest in content to the biology major. It differs from the B.S. in Biology in that CMN does not require ecology, CMN requires a year of experimental neuroscience research.  CMN required electives are neuroscience or related courses and include a number of courses outside of the biology department.

For more information, contact Dr. Edward Gruberg or Dr. Joel Sheffield

Click here for a link to the formal course requirements as a pdf file.