Training Program in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

描述（由申请人提供）：马萨诸塞州理工学院的脑和认知科学（BCS）研究生课程要求更新学习和记忆神经生物学（NLM）的培训课程。NLM计划的中心目标是为研究生（博士前）水平的神经科学家做好准备，致力于对神经系统如何存储和访问信息以及应用这些知识来减轻精神疾病负担的科学调查。学习和记忆的神经生物学已经成为麻省理工学院神经科学研究的一个主要主题。脑与认知科学系的结构，它有教师在各个层次的工作-从突触传递的最基本的机制，在人类大脑中的认知所需的过程-把麻省理工学院在一个特别强大的位置，提供必要的培训。此外，麻省理工学院的皮考尔学习与记忆研究所已经建立了一个致力于这一奋进的研究核心。 NLM计划是BCS研究生课程的高级课程，可供学生在前两年的课程和实验室轮换后使用。NLM计划的目标是培养学生（a）进行学习和记忆的神经生物学研究，以及（B）意识到此类研究的更广泛潜力，将其转化为与NIMH的使命相关的临床医学。NLM计划的要求是（1）学生在NLM培训师的实验室进行论文研究，（2）毕业前学生所修的课程包括疾病的神经生物学，以及两个不同类别的两门课程（细胞/分子，系统，认知或计算）从NLM课程列表，（3）学生参加“塑料午餐，由学生们就他们正在进行的学习和记忆的神经生物学研究举办的一系列研讨会，以及（4）学生们参加皮考尔学习和记忆研究所的年度务虚会。申请资金为期五年，每年资助8名博士前学员。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) Graduate Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology requests renewal of the training program in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (NLM). The central objective of the NLM program is to prepare neuroscientists at the graduate (predoctoral) level for professional careers devoted to the scientific investigation of how information is stored and accessed by the nervous system and the application of this knowledge to relieve the burden of mental illness. Neurobiology of learning and memory has emerged as a major theme of research in the neurosciences at MIT. The structure of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, which has faculty working at all levels-from the most elementary mechanisms of synaptic transmission to the processes in the human brain required for cognition-puts MIT in a particularly strong position to provide the necessary training. Furthermore, a nucleus of researchers committed to this endeavor has already been established at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT. The NLM program is an advanced track of the BCS graduate program, available to students after their first two years of coursework and laboratory rotations. The goals of the NLM program are to train students (a) to conduct research on the neurobiology of learning and memory, and (b) to be aware of the broader potential of such research to be translated into clinical medicine relevant to the mission of the NIMH. NLM program requirements are (1) that the student conducts thesis research in the laboratory of an NLM trainer, (2) that the courses taken by the student prior to graduation include one on the neurobiology of disease, and two courses from two different categories (cell/molecular, systems, cognitive, or computational) from the NLM course list, (3) that the student participate in "Plastic Lunch," a series of seminars given by students on their ongoing research on the neurobiology of learning and memory, and (4) that the students participate in the annual retreat of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. Funds are requested for five years to support 8 predoctoral trainees per year.