PREDOCTORAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE NEUROSCIENCES

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of the proposed training program is to enhance research effectiveness in the next generation of neuroscientists. Neuroscience is addressing the most fundamental questions on the relationship between brain and behavior. The implications for health, as well as for understanding human nature, are profound. To work effectively in this fast-expanding field, it is necessary that students learn highly specialized research techniques. It is, however, increasingly recognized that there is great value in teaching students to appreciate that significant advances can depend on approaching problems with multiple levels of specialization. A program is proposed for predoctoral students in their first two years of training that will insure broad exposure to the varied fields of neuroscience while simultaneously providing training with a focused research project. Focus is achieved by having the students enter a lab associated with their career interests as soon as they join the program. Breadth is achieved through curriculum requirements and through involvement in a large number of program-wide activities. In the first two years of training, the curriculum requirements include courses in the fundamentals of neuroscience (neurophysiology; neuroanatomy), a course exploring the full range of levels of analysis in neuroscience ("from molecules to behavior"), 1-term rotations to two laboratories other than the home lab, instruction in the responsible conduct of research, and selection of elective courses with a theme in physiology and with a theme in behavior. Program-wide activities include attendance at weekly events (colloquium; research seminars) and annual events (a distinguished lecture series with its associated seminar). The focused and broad exposure to neuroscience achieved in the first two years of the training program is especially intended to prepare students for innovative research in their thesis and postdoctoral work, and for later success in their research and teaching careers involving health-related problems.