Course Identification

"Introduction to Neuroscience: Cellular and Synaptic Physiology", or equivalent Introductory course in Neuroscience.

This course is intended to familiarize the students with a wide range of methods and technologies used in state-of-the-art neuroscience research. The lecture-based part of the course will cover a range of methods, including neurophysiology, imaging, microscopy and optogenetic techniques.

The lab course will take place in the summer, and include extensive hands-on experiments in several labs, followed by data analysis and submission of written reports. The main emphasis will be given on techniques of neurophysiology. Techniques covered in the lab course will include:

1. Extracellular recordings in vivo.
2. Intracellular recordings in vivo.
3. Patch clamp recording in cultured neurons.
4. Imaging of calcium dynamics in individual cells.
5. Optogenetics
6. In vivo calcium imaging in freely moving mice

The final assignment will include a short written summary of the experiments performed during the laboratory course, and a written 2-page "research proposal", in which students propose the development of a novel method for neuroscience studies, based on the material presented during the lecture course and on independent reading of the course material.

Upon successful completion of this course students should be be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge in a wide range of neuroscience methods.
2. Read and understand research papers that utilize modern molecular approaches, neurophysiology and imaging techniques.
3. Conduct experiments, collect and analyze neural data.
4. Demonstrate comprehension of the rules that govern the activity of central neurons.

• The Axon Guide (3rd edition) - available online from various sources.
• Imaging in Neuroscience - a Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Press)