Concentrated English Courses in Developmental Neurobiology and the Microbiome in Health and Disease

Developmental Neurobiology

This advanced graduate course provides students with a detailed background of neural development that will serve as conceptual framework for an understanding of the nervous system. It particularly focuses on molecular genetic studies that have helped us elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of the nervous system. This course integrates knowledge about molecular patterning of the nervous system using a cross-species approach that also emphasizes evolutionary relationships. The role of genes and mechanisms that play a role in the selection of neuroblasts and neuronal differentiation, in the specification and function of glial cells, in growth cone guidance and synapse formation are covered in detail.

The Microbiome in Health and Disease

This course will facilitate a deeper understanding of a host-associated community of microbes, termed the ‘microbiome’. Through examination of a series of landmark and cutting edge papers, students will learn what constitutes a microbiome both in form and functions that it provides to the host, how factors that influence its structure and acquisition, plus the many molecular ways that it can influence health and progression of a wide range of diseases. Students will also learn about the key methodologies and metrics used to characterize and quantitatively analyze the microbiome in an associated lab.