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Courses
Neurobiology Courses

This is a list and brief description of courses offered by faculty in the Department of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, and related faculty in the Biological Sciences Division. Most of the course descriptions are taken from the University of Chicago Course Catalog.

NPHP 33600 Cell Signaling (=CPHY 33600) Autumn Palfrey
Cells in the body communicate with each other by a variety of extracellular signals (e.g., hormones and neurotransmitters) that are disseminated locally or in the bloodstream to distant targets. What happens when these signals are received by the target cells? The subject matter of this course considers 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, the latter including detailed discussions of receptors, G-proteins, cyclic nucleotides, calcium and calcium-binding proteins, phosphoinositides, protein kinases, and phosphatases. C. Prereq: BIOS 20200 and 20181, or BIOS 20191.
       
NPHP 31800 Cellular Neurobiology (=NURB 31800) Autumn Lloyd
The cell biology of neurons is considered, with emphasis on intracellular and intercellular communication and regulation. Simple neuronal systems, especially those of invertebrates, are analyzed from a functional viewpoint. 
       
DVBI 35800 Developmental neurobiology and brain plasticity Winter Grove, Zou
Topics include neural induction, early patterning of the central nervous system, axonguidance 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.
       
NEUROB 32400 Synaptic physiology   McGehee, Fox
 
NURB 30500 Medical neurobiology   Mason and staff
       
NPHP 33200 Ionic Channels and Excitable Membranes (=CPHY 33200) Winter Nelson, Hanck

A review of the voltage-gated and ligand-gated channels, including the functional role(s) of the channels in cell behavior and biophysical aspects of ion transport through channels. Correlation is made between known channel protein structure and channel functional characteristics, including gating, block and drug-related changes in channel current kinetics.
       
NPHP 30300 Cell and Organ Physiology Autumn Palfrey and Staff
Membrane and cell physiology; muscle, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal physiology.
       
NPHP 30400 Organ Physiology and Endocrinology Winter Chang and Staff
Renal, respiratory, endocrine and reproductive physiology and the regulation of metabolism.
       
NURB 31500 Vertebrate Neural Systems (=NURB 31500) Autumn Ragsdale and Staff
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. In addition, students select two courses in pharmacology.
       
NPHP 32200 Molecular Neurobiology (=NURB 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.
       
NPHP 32800 Neuropsychopharmacology II   Vezina
Effects of drugs on behavior; emphasis on the functional contribution of brain neurotransmitter systems.
Other courses offered by the Dept of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology
       
NURB 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.
       
NURB 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.
       
Research credit (varied units) for research undertaken by graduate students under the guidance of a faculty member of the Department of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology.


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page last updated: November 21, 2005
 
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