NEUROSCI 101-6-20 First Year Seminar - Insiders' Guide to the Language of Neuroscience: How to be seen, heard, and understood when communicating science
Insider’s guide to the language of neuroscience: how to be seen, heard, and understood when communicating science. Are you excited about neuroscience? Maybe you’re thinking about a career in science or medicine. Want to learn about foundational neuro research and how to communicate it? Using historical and modern examples, we’ll learn about important discoveries related to neuroscience and read both professional accounts and public reports. Knowing how to talk about science to other professionals is like learning another language, including not only jargon but patterns of argument, word choice, and social rules that help determine whether you’ll advance and be taken seriously. These rules differ in some ways from how we communicate science with the public, whether it be talking to family, making a Tik Tok, or writing a science column for the local newspaper. Course assessment will include participation in class discussions about how science is conveyed orally, in writing, and other ways, and several written assignments with feedback. There may also be a non-written assignment including oral or video presentation.
NEUROSCI 101-6-21 First Year Seminar - Insiders' Guide to the Language of Neuroscience: How to be seen, heard, and understood when communicating science
Insider’s guide to the language of neuroscience: how to be seen, heard, and understood when communicating science. Are you excited about neuroscience? Maybe you’re thinking about a career in science or medicine. Want to learn about foundational neuro research and how to communicate it? Using historical and modern examples, we’ll learn about important discoveries related to neuroscience and read both professional accounts and public reports. Knowing how to talk about science to other professionals is like learning another language, including not only jargon but patterns of argument, word choice, and social rules that help determine whether you’ll advance and be taken seriously. These rules differ in some ways from how we communicate science with the public, whether it be talking to family, making a Tik Tok, or writing a science column for the local newspaper. Course assessment will include participation in class discussions about how science is conveyed orally, in writing, and other ways, and several written assignments with feedback. There may also be a non-written assignment including oral or video presentation.
NEUROSCI 206-0-20 Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience
This course explores current understanding of the organization and function of neural systems (visual, auditory, motor, etc.) within the mammalian nervous system. Topics will include basic neuroanatomy, sensory processing, motor control, and higher cognitive functions including memory and language. Time will be devoted to presentation of essential knowledge from each area as well as to a discussion of key experiments that have contributed to our understanding. May not receive credit for both this course and the former NEUROSCI 306-0/BIOL_SCI 306-0. Prerequisite: NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
NEUROSCI 206-0-21 Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience
This course explores current understanding of the organization and function of neural systems (visual, auditory, motor, etc.) within the mammalian nervous system. Topics will include basic neuroanatomy, sensory processing, motor control, and higher cognitive functions including memory and language. Time will be devoted to presentation of essential knowledge from each area as well as to a discussion of key experiments that have contributed to our understanding. May not receive credit for both this course and the former NEUROSCI 306-0/BIOL_SCI 306-0. Prerequisite: NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
NEUROSCI 303-0-20 Molecular Mechanisms of Neuropsychopharmacology
Advanced seminar focusing on molecular mechanisms and aberrations of synaptic signal transduction and drugs that target them. Prerequisite: NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
Embryology and cellular/molecular mechanisms of nervous system development. Topics include patterning of the early nervous system, neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, writing of neural circuits, activity and experience-dependent development and sex differences in early and late development. May not receive credit for both this course and the former BIOL_SCI 304-0. Prerequisites: BIOL_SCI 215-0 and or BIOL_SCI 201-0; and NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0. May not receive credit for both BIOL_SCI 215-0 and BIOL_SCI 201-0.
NEUROSCI 311-0-20 Biophysical Analysis of Neurons for ISP
Neuronal ion channels, membrane properties, synaptic transmission, and transduction. This course will be offered during Winter 2020 and next in Winter 2022. Prerequisites: ISP Majors and Neuroscience Majors with permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Animal behavior from the neuroscience perspective. Neurobiological bases of foraging, communication, migration, predator-prey interactions, mating, and parental care. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or NEUROSCI 311-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
NEUROSCI 324-0-20 Neurobiology of Biological Clocks and Sleep
General properties of sleep and circadian rhythms; how sleep and the circadian clock regulate a number of diverse activities at the cell, organ, and organism levels. The importance of biological rhythms and sleep for human health and disease will be covered in this course. May not receive credit for both this course and the former BIOL_SCI 324-0. Prerequisite: NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
NEUROSCI 326-0-20 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Molecular and neural bases of memory. Taught with BIOL_SCI 326-0. May not receive credit for both NEUROSCI 326-0 and the former BIOL_SCI 326-0. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or NEUROSCI 311-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or BIOL_SCI 302-0. This class is available to Neuroscience Majors or Biology Majors only.
In this laboratory course you will perform electrophysiological experiments in which signals from living neurons (action potentials, local field potentials, post synaptic potentials) are recorded using amplifiers and data logging equipment commonly found in advanced research labs around the world. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or NEUROSCI 311-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; BIOL_SCI 302-0; and consent of instructor.
NEUROSCI 355-0-60 Neurogenetics of Behavior Laboratory
Project-based laboratory investigating the genetic basis of behavior in a simple model system; molecular genetic techniques used in neurobiology. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or NEUROSCI 311-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; BIOL_SCI 302-0.
Survey of brain disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, schizophrenia, addiction and traumatic brain injury. Trace progress from the laboratory to the clinic, evaluate the state of knowledge and understand future directions. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; NEUROSCI 311-0 AND NEUROSCI 206-0; or BIOL_SCI 302-0. Recommend review of basic genetics and molecular biology.
NEUROSCI 377-0-20 Neurobiology of Sensation and Perception
Analysis of the key concepts underlying the neurobiological mechanisms of vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and pain. Neural pathways leading to perception and processing of stimuli will also be discussed. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 or NEUROSCI 311-0 or BIOL_SCI 302-0.
NEUROSCI 390-0-22 Neurobiology of Stress, Adversity, and Resilience
This writing-intensive and discussion-based course will draw from primary literature on the neurobiology of healthy and toxic stress, individual differences in stress susceptibility and resilience, to explore biological mechanisms by which adversity can influence health and other outcomes. Oral presentations and a final paper are required. No textbook required. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0; or BIOL_SCI 302-0 .
NEUROSCI 390-0-22 may be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology.
NEUROSCI 390-0-23 Genetic and Circuit Analysis of Motivated Behavior
Critical explorations of brain structures and functions (and dysfunctions) underlying motivated behaviors to maintain homeostasis. May be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0.
NEUROSCI 390-0-23 may be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology.
Description of this course will be available asap. May be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0.
NEUROSCI 390-0-25 may be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology.
This course focuses on the overall organization of the nervous system, relating structure to function with an emphasis on dissection and vertebrate anatomy. All classes will meet in the Neuroscience Teaching Laboratory. This laboratory may be used as a Neuroscience Group B elective or may be used as an Allied Field in Biology. Prerequisites: NEUROSCI 202-0 and NEUROSCI 206-0
Instruction in writing a scientific thesis, discussion of student projects, instruction and peer feedback on thesis drafts, and continued independent research. Open to seniors pursuing departmental honors. Requires permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Requires permission of the Neuroscience Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Supervised laboratory hands on methods research with a faculty member. Requires permission of the Neuroscience Director of Undergraduate Studies. Please follow this link for expectations of registering for this course NEUROSCI 399-0 requirements.
2021-2022 COURSE NEWS!
NEUROSCI 202-0 will be offered during Fall 2021 and Winter 2022. Open to declared Neuroscience Majors only!
NEUROSCI 311-0 will be offered during Winter 2022. Next offering will be Winter 2024! Available to ISP Majors and Neuroscience Majors with consent of Director of Undergraduate Studies in Neurobiology. For consent, please email neuroscience@u.northwestern.edu.
To declare a Neuroscience Major, please request an appointment through neuroscience@u.northwestern.edu. Please be sure to list your availability!
