CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE

Co-ordinators

Dimitra Mangoura, Professor-Investigator A, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens

Zafiroula–Iro Georgoussi, Research Director, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens

Teaching hours and weekly schedule

This is a 1st semester course of about 2.5 weeks that corresponds to 5 ECTs and 39 total hours of lectures including student presentations.

Description

This course is designed to introduce graduate students to major processes, principles, and mechanisms associated with Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology.  Therefore the material will range from the mechanistic details of neuronal signaling and cellular function to how such properties utilized during normal brain function and neuropathology or substance abuse.  The Course involves a series of overview lectures by leading researchers in the field, a total of fifteen Instructors from Greece and across Europe, and opportunities of presenting primary research or literature review papers by students.

More specifically, this Course will include the following major topics: overview of the neuron as the fundamental unit; cell biology of neurons and glia; ion channels and electrical signaling; synaptic transmission, integration, and chemical systems of the brain; molecular properties of neurotransmitters and their receptors; and sensory systems, from transduction to perception. Students will emerge with a great awareness of how individual nerve cells function, and neurons communicate with other cells, and of the ways that neurotransmission can provide insight into basic scientific questions, all in preparation for students own contributions as neuroscientists and biologists.

Course Overview

This is a comprehensive introductory course in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. Basic principles of organization and function of the nervous system will be discussed and frequent reference will be made to pathophysiology of neurological and other disorders.

•             General principles of Nervous System

•             Synaptic Transmission, Neurotransmitters and their Receptors

•             Molecular Aspects of Neuronal Cells

Skills & Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to know the fundamental principles on:

1. Neural cell biology
2. Synapse formation and neural plasticity
3. Intracellular trafficking and cytoskeleton-related processes
4. Interconnections to form nerve circuits for the passage of electric signals
5. Small molecules coupling to their cognate membrane receptors to regulate intracellular responses and biological outcomes
6. Major intracellular signalling pathways
7. Molecular biology of the sensory systems
8. Energy brain metabolism

Titles of lectures and names of the lecturers