Technical Courses IV: Methodological approaches in Neuroscience, Experimental animal models in Neuroscience

Description

This is an intensive lecture course focused on popular experimental models used on Neurobiological research. The course aims to explore the main attributes of various experimental systems that makes them suitable to or preferable to address particular types of questions and the depth and generality of answers thus obtained. 

Course Overview

Interdisciplinary approach to functional neurobiology and its tools including transgenics, RNA interference, particular usefulness and contributions of selected model systems. Total 33 class hours

Each system will be examined/presented along the following axes:

1. Usefulness of the model/ contributions
2. Manipulations to make transfectants/transgenics
3. Models/ examples of Neurochemistry
4. Models/ examples of Cognitive and Neurodegenerative diseases.

Models will include

1. Neuronal cells in culture
2. Caenorhabditis elegans
3. Drosophila melanogaster
4. Mouse/Rat

Detailed syllabus

1. Cultured neuron models

Advantages, uses, transfections

Models and examples for Neurochemistry, cultured systems as discovery tools

2. C elegans:

Advantages for Neurobiological research, transgenics, RNAi

Signaling, aging, disease models

 3. Drosophila

Advantages for Neurobiological research, transgenics, tools

Neurogenetics, sensory and cognitive models

Cognitive and neurodegenerative disease models , pharmacogenetics

4. Mouse

Advantages for Neurobiological research, transgenics

Cognitive models and methods, neuropharmacology

Neurodegenerative models and applications

Rat models, cognitive and neuropharmacology models