364 Medical Surge II; (714) 824-6050
Richard T. Robertson, Department Chair
Faculty
Tallie Baram: Developmental neurobiology of seizures; CNS mechanisms of stress response
Robert H. Blanks: Vestibular physiology and anatomy
Anne Calof: Developmental neurobiology; molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis and programmed cell death
James H. Fallon: Neuronal growth factors and neurotransmitter interactions
Christine M. Gall, Department Vice Chair: Regulation of neuronal gene expression; neurotrophicfactors
Roland A. Giolli: Experimental neuroanatomy; visual system
Edward G. Jones: Sensory-motor anatomy and physiology
Glenn H. Kageyama: Development of oxidative metabolism in the brain
Herbert P. Killackey: Developmental neuroanatomy; somatosensory system
Leonard M. Kitzes: Auditory system physiology and development
W. Ian Lipkin: Molecular biology of neurotropic viruses; Borna disease virus
Diane K. O'Dowd: Regulation of neuronal excitability; development of functional synaptic connections
Charles E. Ribak: Neurocytology; neurotransmitters; neuronal circuitry
Richard T. Robertson: Developmental neurobiology; forebrain development
Martin A. Smith: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation
Ivan Soltesz: Molecular and cellular neurobiology
John E. Swett (Emeritus): Peripheral nervous system, spinal cord, pain mechanisms
John H. Weiss: Mechanisms of neural degeneration
The Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology in the College of Medicine offers a doctoral program leading to the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences, with specialized research training in the neurosciences. Research programs in the neurosciences include molecular neurobiology, mechanisms of neural development, ion channel physiology, experimental neuroanatomy, cellular neurobiology, and structure and function of sensory and motor systems. The Department maintains research facilities to provide the student with experience in a variety of techniques including: electron microscopy; immunocytochemistry; molecular neurobiology; neuroanatomical tracing; single-unit neurophysiology; tissue culture methodology; laser confocal microscopy; and computer analysis of data. Students are encouraged to become proficient in multiple areas of study using interdisciplinary techniques.
Students in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology have two major goals. The first goal is to attain the necessary technical skills, theoretical background, and experimental knowledge necessary to conduct innovative and fundamentally important research. The second goal is to gain the knowledge and ability to teach graduate, undergraduate, and professional courses in the neurosciences. These two goals are achieved through a basic and extended academic program that is tailored to the individual needs of the student.
The new combined neurosciences graduate core curriculum is designed to provide all students with a fundamental knowledge of modern neurobiology, with an emphasis on molecular, morphological, and physiological approaches. In the first year, students are required to take selected courses in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, cell and molecular neurobiology, and developmental neurobiology. In the second year, students select from a variety of courses including neural systems, neurochemistry, and pharmacology. Over the usual five-year training period the student is required to complete a practical course in statistics, selected seminar courses, at least two laboratory rotations, and a total of 50 credit hours of research. The student typically devotes the majority of the first year to taking core courses and about half of the second year to taking electives. Following the first year, the student is expected to act as a teaching assistant in the neuroanatomy core course.
The emphasis of the graduate program in Anatomy and Neurobiology is on research, and a student's participation in laboratory research begins in the first week of graduate study. Students rotate through at least two laboratories during the first year. By the end of the first year the student and the Graduate Committee select a faculty sponsor who will supervise the dissertation research. A two-part Qualifying Examination is given to the student by a Candidacy Committee no later than the end of the fall quarter of the third year. The first part consists of a written examination in three of the following areas: molecular and cellular neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, neural systems-sensory, neural systems-motor, and neural systems-other. The second part consists of an oral examination and a dissertation proposal.
The dissertation research topic is chosen by the student and faculty advisor under guidance of the Dissertation Committee, and an oral research proposal is made. The majority of the third and fourth years is devoted to completing the research and preparing a written dissertation suitable for publication.
An oral defense of the dissertation research before the student's advisor and Dissertation Committee constitutes the final examination. The Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences is awarded following completion of all the requirements, a process that normally will take four to five years to complete.
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. 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.
202A Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (3) W. Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Function of the nervous system at molecular and cellular levels including the anatomy and physiology of neurons, muscles, and receptors. Corequisite: Anatomy 203A. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Same as Physiology 202A.
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) W, S. 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. Formerly Anatomy 203.
205 Aspects of Higher Brain Function (2) S of odd years. Lecture, one hour; discussion, three hours. Seminar course covering structure and functions of the cerebral cortex with an emphasis on sensory and motor systems. 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 Series on Sensory Systems. Seminar, three hours. The anatomy of brain sensory systems.
207A Anatomy/Function of Subcortical Visual and Oculomotor Systems (3) F. Consideration of the anatomy and function of certain portions of the subcortical pathways and nuclei which make up the visual and the oculomotor systems of vertebrates. Neuronal connections between parts of the visual and preoculomotor systems of the brainstem. Recent advances that pertain to vision and the control of eye and neck movements. Prerequisites: chiefly for Anatomy graduate students, consent of instructor.
207B Structure and Function of the Auditory System (3) F of even years. Principles of transduction, stimulus coding, and information transfer in the mammalian auditory system. Functional organization and single neuron physiology of the auditory system emphasized. Students present seminars on relevant topics. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
208 Neural and Cellular Anatomy. Seminar, three hours. Seminars covering cellular aspects of anatomy.
208A Neurocytology (3) W of even years. Ultrastructure of the nervous system is studied so that an understanding of neuronal function may be gained. Topics include cell body, dendrites, axons, synapses, myelin, glia, blood-brain barrier, meninges, analysis of neuropil, and experimental techniques. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
208B Neurotransmitter Pathways: Monoamine Systems (3) F of even years. Detailed review of the organization of central neuroamine pathways. Dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin systems analyzed with respect to cell bodies of origin pathways and terminal areas innervated in the brain. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
208D Advanced Analysis of Comparative and Developmental Neurobiology (3) S of odd years. Vertebrate nervous system approached from both its phylogenetic and ontogenetic history. Emphasis on contemporary experimental approaches to selected systems. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
208E Functional Anatomy of the Peripheral Nervous System (3) F of even years. Seminar program designed to review critically the modern literature pertaining to the detailed structure and functional organization of peripheral nervous systems of mammals with emphasis on specialization of nerve endings. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
209A-B-C Neural Science Techniques (4-4-4) F, W, S. A year-long laboratory and lecture course on aspects of neural science methodology divided into fall (209A), winter (209B), and spring (209C) sections which may be taken separately with the consent of the instructor. 209A: Basic neuroanatomical techniques; pathway tracing techniques; fluorescence microscopy and immunocytochemistry. 209B: Basic electrophysiological techniques; laboratory computer techniques; electron microscopy. 209C: Developmental neurobiology. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
209D Seminar in Developmental Neurobiology (3) S. Readings and critical discussion of recent issues in developmental neurobiology. Restriction: open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates.
209E Seminar in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (4) S. Readings and critical discussion of recent issues in cellular and molecular neurobiology. Open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates only.
210A-B-C Systems Neuroscience (4-4-4) F, W, S. Lecture and discussion, six hours. A year-long lecture and seminar course with a systems approach to understanding the nervous system, divided into fall (210A), winter (210B), and spring (210C) sections which may be taken separately with the consent of the instructor. Prerequisite: second-year graduate standing and consent of instructor. 210A: Chemically defined systems. 210B: Structure and function of sensory systems. 210C: Motor, limbic, and cognitive systems.
211 Advanced Topics in Disorders of the Central Nervous System (4) S. Lecture, two hours. Consideration of the clinical characteristics, etiology, and therapeutic interventions in selected disorders of the central nervous system. Principal emphasis on the basic research strategies used to investigate these diseases. Restriction: graduate students only. Same as Psychobiology 256.
221A-B Systems Neurobiology (6-2) F, W. Study of the mammalian nervous system at the systems level. Anatomy and physiology of sensory, motor, and integrative functions. Prerequisite: Anatomy and Neurobiology or Psychobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice for a total of 16 units. Same as Psychobiology 221A-B.
222 Neurophysiology (4) F. Lecture, three hours. Biophysical mechanisms of membrane potentials, voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, action potential propagation, synaptic transmission, and intracellular second messenger systems. Prerequisite: Anatomy and Neurobiology or Psychobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Psychobiology 222.
222L Neurophysiology Laboratory (2) W. Use of contemporary techniques for studying membrane channels and receptors. Methods include extracellular and intracellular recording, patch clamp, quantal analysis of synaptic transmission, heterologous expression of genes encoding channels and receptors, and fluorescence calcium monitoring. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: Anatomy and Neurobiology or Psychobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Psychobiology 222L.
223 Synaptic, Cellular, and Molecular Neurobiology (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Chemical basis of molecular and cellular events in neurobiology, including neurotransmitter biosynthesis and release, structure and function of ion channels, second messenger pathways, gene regulation, and synaptic plasticity. Prerequisite: Anatomy and Neurobiology or Psychobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Psychobiology 223.
224 Developmental Neurobiology (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Developmental mechanisms involved in formation of the nervous system in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Analysis of cellular mechanisms involved in differentiation, morphogenesis, synaptic connectivity, and electrical activity. Sexual differentiation. Prerequisite: Anatomy and Neurobiology or Psychobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Psychobiology 224.
