BCSC 203: Laboratory in Neurobiology

Cross-listed: NSCI 203
Prerequisites: STAT 212, BCSC 240, or equivalent background with permission of instructor
Offered: Spring
Required or recommended for: Neuroscience Majors (required)
BCS Majors--if space allows, this course can satisfy the laboratory requirement for the BCS concentration.

The course introduces the various methods used in neurobiological research and demonstrates principles and concepts presented in NSCI 201/BCSC 240 (Basic Neurobiology). The first part of the course entails structured laboratory experiments to provide experience with neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and molecular biological approaches to studying neural organization and function. During this portion of the course, students will learn to prepare laboratory reports in the style of a scientific research paper. The course concludes with one of two 5-week long research projects that culminate in the production of a final research paper. In one project,students explore laterality in the basal ganglia and its influence on motor behavior. In the other project, students explore the molecular genetics of touch sensation in nematodes.

While the laboratory is officially scheduled to meet on a certain day at a specified time, some procedures require students to be present on other days; and some experiments may necessitate staying beyond scheduled lab time.