Module 1 – Basic Neurobiology

A set of lectures introduces the basic elements of neurobiology to students of different academic backgrounds. In particular, the module focuses on cellular neurobiology and functional neuroanatomy. This includes the anatomical organization of the PNS and the CNS as well as the different cell types involved and their physiological properties. The process of synaptic transmission is an important piece of the puzzle, starting with the metabolism of the neurotransmitters and ending with alterations in the efficiency of synaptic transmission (i.e. plasticity) and the consequences for physiological and pathophysiological processes. Finally, relatively small scaled network structures such as the retina, amygdala, cerebellum and the olfactory system serve to illustrate how all these ingredients work together during computational processes of the brain.

Complementing the lectures, a journal club deepens the understanding of the material and trains students in working with primary literature and in critically appraising scientific work of others. Furthermore, students learn relevant methods of neuroscientific research in theory and practice. For one, lectures give an overview of the general principle, potential and limitations of selected methodologies. Secondly, students enjoy hands on training in a 4 to 6 week-long lab rotation. Students are free to choose among the laboratories and methods offered at participating research groups in Berlin.