BSc Neuroscience
Neuroscience is an exciting and rapidly developing field, both in terms of understanding the functioning of the brain and developing treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Students choosing a Neuroscience Intercalated BSc study a core module on laboratory methods, four Neuroscience modules and a project module.
The Neuroscience modules cover the basic neurobiology and development of the nervous system followed by three more applied modules which look at disorders of spinal and supraspinal systems. Both clinical and non-clinical faculty teach on the course and there is an emphasis on integrating basic science with a clinical focus.
A very large choice of Neuroscience projects are offered and normally involve joining the ongoing research of one of the School’s neuroscience research teams.
Projects are often subsequently published in refereed journals.
Structure and timing
Summary for 2011/12 with unit values and approx dates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Core unit in laboratory methods | 1 unit | Autumn term |
2 | Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 1 unit | Autumn term |
3 | Disconnected Pathways - Disorders of Spinal Systems | 1 unit | Autumn term |
4 | Brain and Mind - Disorders of Supraspinal Systems | 1 unit | Autumn term |
5 | Experimental neuropathology | 1 unit | Spring term |
6 | Project | 3 units | Spring term |
Summary of course units
Required Units
NS1. Core unit in laboratory methods
Course Organiser: Dr. Xuenong Bo, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma
This core unit aims to provide an overview of basic laboratory and research methods. It covers basic topics such as safety, experimental design, statistics, use of literature, lab methods, analysing and presenting data.
It involves staff from several departments and is examined by in course assessment of a library project (literature review), an oral presentation, and an open-book exam on statistics and data analysis.
NS2. Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Course Organiser: Dr. Babis Magoulas, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma
The course covers basic topics that are foundational to any advanced course in neuroscience, and hence is particularly appropriate as an introductory core to be taken in combination with other neuroscience related BSc units.
It covers the basic properties of neurones, including the methodologies used to investigate them.
It examines the development of the nervous system, including the cell types involved, the interactions of these cells with the extracellular environment, axonal specificity, axon guidance, and the genes and molecules involved in these processes.
The course also looks at the synapse and synaptic transmission, at the structure and function of neurotransmitter receptors, and at the role of neurotrophic and other factors both in development and in regulating gene expression in the adult.
NS3. Disconnected Pathways - Disorders of Spinal Systems
Course Organiser: Dr Peter Shortland, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma
A unit covering the basic neurobiology (anatomy, cellular biology and pathways) of neuronal degeneration and regeneration as illustrated by reference to diseases associated with the spinal cord and peripheral nerves.
The main aim is to provide the students with a broad understanding of how the nervous system adapts to injury and disease. The course deals with the basic organisation of the brain and spinal cord, the pathways involved, and plasticity of the nervous system after different types of insults or disease.
The lectures will focus on 2 main disease states: peripheral nerve or root injury and spinal cord injury in the context of experimental findings and how efforts are being made to prevent or reverse some of the changes or translate them into clinical practise.
Students will be expected to read and make use of textbooks, read and review research articles that are available in the library.
NS4. Brain and Mind - Disorders of Supraspinal Systems
Course Organiser: Dr Adina Michael-Titus, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma
The course will give an integrated view of the major forebrain neurotransmitter systems, and will analyse in depth the mechanisms underlying the effects of drugs used in CNS pathology.
Systems using dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine, excitatory and inhibitory amino acids and neuropeptides will be reviewed, with an emphasis on their involvement in neuropathological processes underlying extrapyramidal disorders, dementia, schizophrenia, mood disorders, epilepsy, ischaemia/stroke and drug abuse.
Current therapies will be critically evaluated, and emerging concepts and the rationale of new therapeutic approaches will be discussed.
NS5./EP3. Experimental Neuropathology (in conjunction with BSc Experimental Pathology)
Course Organiser: Prof JE Martin
The module covers the areas of brain injury due to mechanical trauma as well as neurodegenerative diseases, with emphasis on the research techniques that may be used to study the pathogenesis of neurological disorders.
The module will complement the syllabus in basic neurosciences and is strongly linked at a technical and applied level to the clinical neurosciences.
The general pathology of head injury, neurodegeneration, demyelination and apoptosis will be covered. More specific neurodegenerative diseases including: motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis and prion diseases will also be discussed.
NS6. Experimental Project
The project will normally be a piece of original research, which runs throughout the Spring term and is presented as a written report. If the work is suitable, it may be published in a scientific journal (possibly combined with the results of other BSc projects) and/or be presented, orally or in the form of a poster, at a scientific meeting.
You will be able to choose the subject of your project from a diverse range of topics and supervisors. However, if you have a specific interest outside of the project areas on offer, it is possible, subject to consultation with a potential supervisor, to devise a project related to this.
Projects offered in 2008-2009 included:
- Comparison of regeneration capabilities of injured sensory neurons between wild-type and P2X7 receptor knockout mice
- The effects of repetitive activation on inward currents in small diameter sensory neurones
- Assaying neuro-inflammation by bioluminescence
- Epigenetic changes after spinal cord injury – a novel link to neuroprotection?
- The involvement of zinc in neurotoxicity and neuroregeneration and its role in Alzheimer’s disease
- Molecular analysis of candidate genes in childhood brain tumours
- Does minocycline alter behavioural and degenerative effects associated with spinal root avulsion injury?
- Plasticity of DRG neurons expressing parvalbumin after different types of nerve injury
- Investiation of the role of JAM-C in peripheral nerve injury
Contact the programme organisers
For more information contact the course organisers:
Dr Adina Michael-Titus: a.t.michael-titus@qmul.ac.uk, tel: 020 7882 2290 or
Dr. Peter Shortland: p.j.shortland@qmul.ac.uk: tel: 020 7882 2295, Department of Neuroscience, Blizard Buiding, Whitechapel.