Course Descriptions

• Biology of Neurological Diseases
  Course Detail

  GS14 1183 (3 credits)
  Fall

  This course will focus on the etiologies underlying major neural diseases. Led by GSBS faculty with related expertise, the course will review representative neural diseases and discuss seminal research papers in the respective fields, with emphasis on the current understanding of these diseases at molecular, cellular, and system levels. By completing this course, students should grasp the knowledge of fundamental biology of major neural diseases, appreciate the common and distinctive mechanisms underlying these diseases, learn the existing hypotheses and experimental paradigms as well as outstanding questions and main challenges in the field, and hone the ability to develop novel strategies for scientific and translational discoveries for this unique group of diseases. Auditing this course is permitted with course directors' consent. 

• Biostatistics for Life Scientists
  Course Detail

  GS14 1612 (2 credits)
  Spring

  This is an entry-to-intermediate level course of biostatistics aimed at scientists in the life sciences. During the first half of the semester, the course will introduce students to the basic concepts and statistical tests that are routinely encountered in analyzing scientific data in designed experiments, as opposed to the analysis of clinical or epidemiological type data. Following an introduction to probability, students will learn what statistical tests are appropriate and how to run them. Emphasis is on intelligent usage rather than mathematical formality. Standard tests such as t, z, chi squared, ANOVA and regression analyses will be learned, as well as how power analyses and calculating sample size is performed. During the second half of the semester, advanced topics in life sciences, including Poisson distributions, clustering methods and multidimensional analyses will be covered. Another goal of this course will be to build familiarity with the basic R toolkit for statistical analysis and graphics.

• Cognitive Neuroscience
  Course Detail

  GS14 1173 (3 credits)
  Spring

  This course is an introductory graduate level overview of cognitive neuroscience. The course will cover basics in history, neuroanatomy, methods of cognitive neuroscience, sensation and perception, control of action, learning and memory, emotion, language, attention, drugs and cognition, impulsivity, cognitive control, social cognition, and neurobiology of disease. The intent is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of how the brain relates to cognitive functions and how this may help in understanding and treatment of human diseases that affect the central nervous system.

• Current Topics in Neurobiology of Disease
  Course Detail

  GS14 1021 (1 credits)
  Fall

  This course is an integrated approach to neurological diseases, which includes background information as well the diagnosis, the treatment, and the biological mechanisms of the diseases under study. The topic for Fall 2024 is “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Brain.” Combining the expertise of faculty members from both the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI) and McGovern Medical School, we highlight research collaborations within UTHealth Houston. The series of lectures provides instruction on disease foundations along with discussions of applied informatics research utilizing artificial intelligence. Alzheimer’s disease, depression, stroke, epilepsy, addiction, and movement disorders are some of the selected topics. Large language models (LLMs), stable diffusion models, and general adversarial networks (GANs) are some of the methodologies discussed. Prior experience with generative AI tools is not required.

  This course is open to graduate students, medical students, residents, and postdoctoral fellows.

• Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
  Course Detail

  GS14 1214 (4 credits)
  Fall

  This course is a graduate level treatment of molecular and cellular neuroscience. It is designed for first-year graduate students and will introduce basic concepts of molecular, electrical and chemical signaling in individual neurons, synapses, and local neuronal circuits.  Topics covered include the functional properties of membranes, receptors, and channels, intracellular signaling cascades, synaptic transmission, short- and long-term forms of synaptic plasticity, and information processing in neuronal dendrites and local circuits.

  >> Curriculum Committee Commended Course for Academic Year 2020-2021 <<

• Neurobiology of Mental Health Disorders
  Course Detail

  GS14 1131 (1 credits)
  Spring

  This course will cover the current understanding of the biological basis of mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. The course will include discussions on challenges that are unique to mental health disorders, and how knowledge of biological underpinnings can be translated to clinical treatments. The presentations will be led by researchers with expertise in the specific disorder and will focus on recent publications on the topic, to facilitate an interactive discussion with students.

  Upon successful completion of this course, students will understand the current knowledge of the biological basis of psychiatric disorders, including underlying molecular, cellular, and systems mechanisms. Students will appreciate how challenges unique to mental health disorders are being approached, what challenges remain, and future directions. Auditing this course is permitted with course instructor's consent. 

• Neurocircuits and Behavior
  Course Detail

  GS14 1223 (3 credits)
  Spring

  This is an advanced course aimed at students interested in the general field of Systems Neuroscience. The course will introduce new technological advances, as well as their application to examine the functional role of specific neural circuits in vivo. This course will employ a combination of  introductory lectures and extensive in-class discussions of primary literature. In addition, students will be introduced to the manuscript peer review process, by selecting manuscripts from a preprint server, and identifying their conceptual and technical strengths and weaknesses. 

  >> Curriculum Committee Commended Course for Academic Year 2022-2023 <<

• Systems Neuroscience
  Course Detail

  GS14 1024 (4 credits)
  Spring

  This course cover the key concepts in systems neuroscience that allow students to understand how individual neurons and circuits process information and modulate behavior. The central idea behind this course is to illuminate the connection between physiology and function. In order to do this, we will concentrate on several key brain systems, and for each of these systems, we will interrogate how the structure and physiology of distinct brain circuits account for their function.

  The aim is to understand fundamental principles, not to survey the entire brain. We chose several different systems that are qualitatively different to illustrate the basic principles of systems neuroscience. The course will provide students with fundamental knowledge about the function, connectivity, and plasticity of neuronal circuits.  We will do this by exploring how selected brain systems form perceptions of the external world, execute movements, make decisions, represent space, and form memories.  In addition, we will examine how stress, fear, and reward are encoded and regulated, how the brain controls internal metabolic needs such as food intake, energy expenditure, temperature regulation and sleep, and how pain sensation is initiated peripherally and perceived centrally. We will emphasize unifying principles, including how the brain processes information, how different cell types contribute to the function of circuits, and how the brain is modified during learning and experience.

  An integral part of the course is a neuroanatomy lab that will relate the functional view presented during the lectures with the anatomical structures in which these functions are implemented. The course will also include article presentations in which each student has the opportunity to present a scientific paper related to the course material, discuss the findings, and ask questions.

• Visual Neuroscience
  Course Detail

  GS14 1213 (3 credits)
  Fall

  This is an advanced elective course aimed at students in the neurosciences. The course will introduce the students to the core concepts of the anatomy, physiology and function of the visual system, with an emphasis on retinal circuitry. The retina is arguably the most valuable model to study the CNS. Its accessibility and organization makes it a convenient research tool with which to link anatomy and functionality, and study processes and diseases similar to those in the brain and spinal cord.  The course will guide students to understand how image-forming and non-image forming functions of the retina are accomplished. Normal and dysregulated molecular events underlying developmental and physiological control of retinal function will also be covered. The course will alternate lectures and student presentations of significant articles in the field. Active involvement of the students in class is expected.