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Department of Neurology

Houston, Texas

BCM neurologists see patients through the Baylor Clinic and some of the world's leading specialty clinics.
Department of Neurology
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Course Specifics

This course will introduce graduate students in neuroscience and related disciplines to basic mechanisms of major categories of nervous system disease. Rather than reviewing clinical and therapeutic aspects of neurological disorders, this course will examine the molecular pathways that determine how neurons and glia respond to injury. The course will also focus on new genetic models that define the specific intervening steps in this response and provide reproducible biological test systems for molecular analysis. This information provides a basis to formulate research strategies designed to prolong the normal function and life span of neurons.

Modules

The course is divided into four two-week modules to address each of the following areas:

  1. developmental disorders of neuronal migration and synaptogenesis
  2. primary excitability defects of nerve and muscle
  3. mechanisms of premature cell death
  4. neuronal survival, regeneration, and repair


Each module consists of two parts; a lecture series and a conference.

  • In the first, formal basic science lectures will present genetic, molecular, and cellular phenomena relevant to the disease process. This material will be followed by a lecture correlating these processes with the phenotypic expressions of the related clinical disorders, the cell types affected, and the significant research issues and areas of current controversy.
  • In the second, a conference presented by 1-2 students will critique in detail related research papers preselected with the faculty to focus in depth on experimental approaches to analyzing disease mechanisms.

Readings

The course will rely heavily on assigned readings of primary research papers.

Audience

Predoctoral students having completed first year graduate introductory course work in cell biology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, and molecular genetics.

Core Course

This course is required for completion of the requirements of the doctoral program in the Division of Neuroscience.

Credits

3 credit hours.

Term

Term 4; yearly.

Days

Tuesday and Thursday, 1pm - 2pm (Lectures); Thursday, 2pm - 3pm (Conference)

Hours

3 hours per week (2 hours lecture, 1 hour conference)

Enrollment Limitation

None

Prerequisites

None

Location

Alkek, Room N311, for lecture and conference.