DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY AND NEUROBIOLOGY

364 Medical Surge II; (949) 824-6050
E-mail: anatomy@uci.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/anatomy/index.html
Leonard Kitzes, Interim Department Chair

Faculty

Aileen J. Anderson: Mechanisms of neurodegeneration and inflammation after central nervous system injury

Tallie Z. Baram: Developmental neurobiology of excitation and excitotoxicity; CNS mechanisms of stress response

Robert H. Blanks (Emeritus): Vestibular physiology and anatomy

Ralph A. Bradshaw: Growth factor action; signal transduction; protein processing

Anne L. Calof: Developmental neurobiology; molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis and programmed cell death

James H. Fallon: Human and molecular brain imaging, growth factors and adult stem cells in injured brain

Christine M. Gall: Regulation of neuronal gene expression; neurotropic factors

Roland A. Giolli, Department Vice Chair: Experimental neuroanatomy; visual system

Hans S. Keirstead: Axon and myelin regeneration following spinal cord injury

Herbert P. Killackey: Developmental neuroanatomy; somatosensory system

Leonard M. Kitzes: Auditory system physiology and development

Frances M. Leslie: Effects of drugs of abuse on central nervous system development

Diane K. O'Dowd: Regulation of neuronal excitability; development of functional synaptic connections

Charles E. Ribak: Changes in the neural circuitry in the epileptic brain

Richard T. Robertson: Developmental neurobiology; forebrain development

Steven S. Schreiber: Mechanisms of neural reorganization in CNS after injury and therapeutic applications

Martin A. Smith: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation

Ivan Soltesz: Plasticity of hippocampal microcircuits

Oswald Steward: Mechanisms of recovery from CSN injury

John E. Swett (Emeritus): Peripheral nervous system, spinal cord, pain mechanisms

Ji Sze: Molecular neurobiology; gene expression in C. Elegans

John H. Weiss: Mechanisms of neural degeneration

Fan-Gang Zeng: Auditory prostheses

Research programs in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology focus on the neurosciences. Faculty interests range across the broad field of neuroscience research, including cellular and molecular neurobiology, mechanisms of development, experimental neuroanatomy, structure and function of sensory and motor systems, and response to injury and regeneration. The Department maintains facilities for electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and computer-based imaging and informatics. Students performing graduate work in the Department are encouraged to become proficient in multiple areas of neuroscience using interdisciplinary techniques.

The Department offers graduate training in neuroscience under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences in the Neurobiology track of the combined program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry (MBGB). The program offers the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences. In concert with several other departments, a combined neuroscience core curriculum has been developed which includes course offerings in systems neurobiology, neurophysiology, and cellular, molecular, and developmental neurobiology. These courses may be taken as complete or partial fulfillment of the elective requirements of the Ph.D. program.

The Department also participates in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. Students who select a focus in Neuroscience and a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their second year. Students are required to attend departmental seminars and participate in the Department's Journal Club. The dissertation research topic is chosen by the student in consultation with the research advisor. The majority of the third and fourth years are devoted to research. By the end of the third year, students take their advancement-to-candidacy examination by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. The normal time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Courses in Anatomy and Neurobiology

200 Research in Anatomy (2 to 12) F, W, S, Summer. Individual research supervised by a particular faculty member. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

201 Human Gross Anatomy (8) F, W, S. Lecture, three hours; laboratory, nine hours. Study and dissection of the human body, including muscular, skeletal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Emphasis on both normal and abnormal structure and function. Prerequisites: graduate standing, consent of instructor.

202B Human Neuroscience (4) S. Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour; laboratory, one hour. Study of the human nervous system at the systems level including the physiology and anatomy of sensory, motor, and integrative functions. Prerequisite: Anatomy 202A and consent of Department.

203A-B Human Microscopic Anatomy (3-3) F, W. Lecture, two hours; laboratory, three hours. Lecture and laboratory course on human microscopic anatomy. Emphasis is on functional implications of structure of cells and tissues. Prerequisites: graduate standing, consent of instructor.

206 Tutorial in Anatomy. Tutorial, three hours. Series of tutorials on advanced topics in anatomy. Each may be repeated for credit.

206A Surgical Anatomy (3) F. Exploration of topics in gross anatomy. Dissection/library work required. Prerequisites: Anatomy 201A-B.

206B Neuroanatomy (3) W. Exploration of special topics in neuroanatomy. Primarily library work, but study of prepared slides also included. Prerequisite: Anatomy 202.

206C Microanatomy (3) S. Special topics in microanatomy. Primarily library work, but study of prepared histological slides and photographs included. Prerequisites: Anatomy 203A-B.

207 Auditory System: Information Processing and Neurobiology (2). Seminar focused on the neurobiology of the auditory system. Topics include signal processing, anatomy, physiology, plasticity, development, cochlear prosthetics, psychoacoustics, pathology, and speech. Publications related to hearing are presented and discussed.

210A-B Systems Neuroscience (5-5) F, W. Study of the mammalian nervous system at the systems level. Anatomy and physiology of sensory, motor, and integrative functions. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Neurobiology and Behavior 208A-B.

225 Seminar in Excitotoxicity and Neuronal Injury (4) S. A review of recent theories concerning mechanisms of neuronal death in brain diseases. Focuses on recent breakthroughs and controversies in the field, with a special emphasis on the role of the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. Same as Neurobiology and Behavior 256.

227A-B-C Current Topics in Neuroscience (1 to 4) F, W, S. Focuses on critical reading, presentation, and discussion of current literature in neuroscience research. Prerequisites: graduate standing and consent of instructor.

292A-B-C Scientific Communication (2-2-2) F, W, S. Seminar, two hours. Small group meetings for graduate students to practice scientific writing, debate, and presentation skills. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

400E Spinal Cord Injury Research Techniques (4) Summer. Intensive four-week training course in experimental approaches to spinal cord injury. Laboratory techniques cover pathophysiology, experimental models used, and accepted outcome measures (both functional and anatomical). Lectures and seminars by invited speakers and distinguished scholars-in-residence. Prerequisites: Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student and consent of instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Same as Neurobiology and Behavior 400E.