Training Program in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

描述（由申请人提供）：麻省理工学院脑与认知科学（BCS）研究生课程要求更新学习与记忆神经生物学（NLM）的培训计划。NLM项目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，致力于神经系统如何存储和获取信息的科学研究，并应用这些知识来减轻精神疾病的负担。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。脑与认知科学系的师资队伍分布在各个层面——从最基本的突触传递机制到认知所需的人脑过程——这使得麻省理工学院在提供必要培训方面处于特别有利的地位。此外，麻省理工学院的Picower学习与记忆研究所已经建立了一个致力于这一努力的核心研究人员。NLM课程是BCS研究生课程的高级课程，学生在完成前两年的课程学习和实验室实习后即可获得。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)意识到这种研究转化为与NIMH使命相关的临床医学的更广泛潜力。NLM项目要求：(1)学生在NLM培训师的实验室进行论文研究，(2)学生在毕业前学习的课程包括一门疾病的神经生物学，以及NLM课程列表中两个不同类别（细胞/分子，系统，认知或计算）的两门课程，(3)学生参加“塑料午餐”。学生就他们正在进行的关于学习和记忆的神经生物学研究进行的一系列研讨会，以及(4)学生参加皮考尔学习和记忆研究所的年度务静会。申请经费为期五年，每年资助8名博士预科学员。

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.