Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics Program Curriculum
PhD ProgramÂ
Students are required to take a minimum of 24 credits of coursework, 2 laboratory rotations, and 50 credits of thesis research. Students are also expected to attend the journal club and all department-sponsored seminars. Coursework is completed by the end of the second year of the program. A qualifying exam is given in Winter/Spring of the second year. This examines comprehension of the area of focus. At the end of the second year, students must complete a candidacy exam. The purpose of this exam is to evaluate research skills and ability to develop a viable research project. The program normally takes 4 to 5 years.
MS ProgramÂ
Students are required to take a minimum of 14 credits of coursework, 1 laboratory rotation, and 32 credits of thesis research. Students are also expected to attend the journal club and all department-sponsored seminars. Coursework is usually completed by December of the second year of the program. The program normally takes 2 to 2.5 years.
Credits
All full-time students must be registered for a minimum of 10 credits per semester.
First-Year Curriculum
In the first semester of all basic science programs, all students take the six courses listed below as AMC 516A-F. These courses teach the basic concepts relevant to all aspects of cell and molecular biology. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentations followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of each topic.
Subsequent face-to-face sessions will include directed reading of review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material, introduction to experimental approaches used in biomedical research, and/or hands-on demonstrations of online tools available to scientists.
This curriculum will prepare the student for more specialized courses beginning in the spring semester of the first year and extending into advanced courses in subsequent years.
AMC 517 Metabolic Biochemistry is offered in the second year for DNET students and provides an integrated exposure to major chemical reactions taking place within each cell of a living organism. The course provides fundamental insights into normal physiologic processes and how dysregulation of these processes will lead to pathophysiologic conditions. In the first year, students also participate in colloquiums specific to their department.
During the spring semester of the first year, students take specialized courses in Neuroscience and Neuroanatomy.
MS and PhD Programs
* Denotes courses and exams required for PhD degree
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Protein Structure and Function | AMC 516A | 1 |
| Molecular Genetics | AMC516B | 1 |
| Structure and Function of Biological Membranes | AMC516C | 1 |
| Signaling and Pharmacology | AMC516D | 1 |
| Cell Proliferation, Differentiation and Death | AMC516E | 1 |
| Cell Cytoskelecton, Adhesion and Motility | AMC516F | 1 |
| Metabolic Biochemistry | AMC 517 | 2 |
| Discussions in Scientific Integrity | AMC 612 | 1 |
| Neuroscience Journal Club | NEU 502 | 0 |
| Neuroscience Colloquiums | NEU 503 | 0 |
| Research Rotations | NEU 504 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Neuroanatomy* | NEU 505 | 3 |
| Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | NEU 606 | 3 |
| Research Rotations* | NEU 504 | 1 |
| Research | NEU 501 | TBD |
| Neuroscience Journal Club | NEU 502 | 1 |
| Neuroscience Colloquiums | NEU 503 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatistics* | AMC 600 | 3 |
| Introduction to Grant Writing* | AMC 603 | 1 |
| Research | NEU 501 | TBD |
| Neuroscience Journal Club | NEU 502 | 0 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Research | NEU 501 | TBD |
| Neuroscience Journal Club | NEU 502 | 1 |
| Neuroscience Colloquiums | NEU 503 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Disorders of the Nervous System | NEU 600 | 2 |
| Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection in Stroke | NEU 617 | 2 |
| Tutorial in Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience | NEU 620 | 1-3 |
Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics Courses
Course ID: NEU 501
After completion of the required rotations, Research credits are earned during the performance of thesis research in the laboratory. Credit hours are determined in proportion to time spent in the lab
Course ID: NEU 502
This course is designed to teach students how to read and criticize current literature, and to help students learn how to communicate scientifically. Student presentations and participation are an integral part of this course. Students (as well as faculty and post-doctoral fellows occasionally) will make presentations to critically evaluate a journal article of broad scientific interest. The paper discussions will enhance the presentation, problem solving and critical thinking of the student. While the course runs during both the Fall and Spring semesters, each student presents their research only once and all students register for the course only in the Spring semester.
Course ID: NEU 503
This course is designed to teach students how to present their work effectively. The course is comprised of our general seminar program of invited speakers as well as seminars presented by our students. It provides the opportunity to hear the latest research progress in a number of pertinent areas, to see how experienced researchers present their data, and to give students experience in presenting their own data. Students also meet as a group to review and discuss all student presentations. While the course runs during both the Fall and Spring semesters, each student presents their research only once and all students register for the course only in the Spring semester
Course ID: NEU 504
Laboratory rotations of 4-12 weeks are to be completed during the first year of study. PhD students are required to complete two rotations (3rd optional) in different laboratories as a prerequisite to selecting a mentor. Masters of Science students must complete one (2nd optional) rotation prior to selecting a mentor.
Course ID: NEU 505
This course provides both a comprehensive overview of the anatomy of the brain from a systems perspective as well as an introduction to the major neurological and psychiatric disorders with known brain pathology. Learning assessment involves three essay exams.
Course ID: NEU 600
The goal of this course is to explain basic biology of neurological and psychiatric disorders and summarize the most recent scientific progresses made on the understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders pathogenesis. Each session will address a different disorder of the nervous system and will include an overview by a clinical or scientist expert followed by learners presentations/discussions from selected literature on the topic.
Course ID: NEU 606
The material presented will provide an overview of the nervous system including the specialized structures of neurons and glia in relation to their functions. The two major areas of rapid cellular communication in the nervous system, conduction of electrical impulses along axons and chemical neurotransmission at synapses, will be covered in depth. Representative neurotransmitter systems will be discussed in detail, including their function, developmental neurobiology and the cellular basis of learning and memory in simple neuronal systems will be presented. Course Objectives are to provide students with a basic grounding in the major topics in neuroscience. Learning Assessment includes participation, 3 short-answer essay exams and a written research paper.
Course ID: NEU 617
This course focuses on the molecular basis for neurodegeneration and neuroprotection in Stroke and Ischemia. Course Objectives are to develop an in-depth understanding of the cellular, molecular and tissue mechanisms contributing to stroke pathology. Some of the topics addressed include cerebrovascular blood flow, mechanisms of damage, and clinical aspects of stroke. The course is taught in a combined lecture/seminar format with lectures by faculty and student-led discussion of research papers. Learning Assessment includes participation, paper presentations and 2 short-answer essay exams.
Course ID: NEU 620
This course provides the opportunity for any faculty member and student or group of students to undertake supervised advanced study in a specialized area of neuroscience outside the area of the student's thesis research. Tutorials can be arranged by agreement with faculty in cases where the standing elective courses do not meet the student's particular training requirements. Credit hours, course content, objectives and methods of assessment are determined as appropriate.
Albany Medical College Basic Sciences Courses
Course ID: AMC 516A
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to protein structure and function. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentation followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of protein structure and function. Subsequent face-to-face sessions will include directed reading of review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material. Students will also be provided with hands-on demonstrations of online tools available to scientists interested in protein-centered questions.
Formative assessment will be via student-faculty discussions and interactions during the face-to-face sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in face-to-face sessions, and a final take-home exam that will include topics covered in the face-to-face sessions.
Course ID: AMC 516B
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to the structure, function, and regulation of DNA and RNA. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentations followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles. This will be followed by four small group discussions (SDGs) with instructor-led discussion/activity and hands-on demonstration of online research and data analysis tools that will utilize and reinforce the background material. Students are assigned learning tools (pre-recorded lectures, directed reading of review articles and/or primary literature that they should complete prior to each face-to-face SDGs.
Course ID: AMC 516C
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to the structure and function of biological membranes. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover basic principles of membrane biology. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in membrane biology as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions/interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 516D
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cellular signaling and the principles of drug-receptor interactions used to target these processes. Pre-recorded lectures and selected readings followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of intracellular signaling pathways and pharmacology. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts and experimental approaches in cellular signaling as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications. Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions/interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions. Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD.
Course ID: AMC 516E
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cell proliferation and death. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover basic principles. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in cell proliferation, differentiation, and death, as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions and interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 516F
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cell locomotion. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of cell signaling, adhesion receptors, and cellular cytoskeleton components and how these are coordinated to regulate cellular motility. Subsequent SGD discussions of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in cell signaling, adhesion, and migration, in two complementary formats 1) Discussion of a classic paper that shifted paradigms in cell biology, with focus on understanding the state of the field at the time, technical approaches, and conclusions that can and cannot be drawn from the results. Students will be provided Homework questions to facilitate the discussions. In addition, a second SGD session will expand on this topical area by providing additional didactic material in the form of review articles and then asking students to present a group PowerPoint demonstrating the relevance to the topic to the four graduate themes at Albany Medical College. Note: students will be randomly assigned to groups with the hope that most are presenting on topics somewhat outside their chosen discipline. These sessions will begin training in the process of reading primary literature, peer-reviewed publications and organizing and presenting complex material.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions and interactions during the SGD sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and presentations and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 517
A major challenge to biomedical scientists is gaining a better understanding of the structures, functions, and interactions of molecular systems used in nature. Previously acquired knowledge about basic protein and membrane structure as well as function and control of enzymatic processes, will be applied to understand the regulation of complex metabolic processes. This will provide fundamental insights into normal physiological processes and how dysregulation of these processes will lead to pathophysiological conditions, e.g., Metabolic Syndrome. AMC 517 will provide an integrated exposure to major chemical reactions that take place within each cell of a living organism and that provide energy for vital processes and for synthesizing new organic material. This course will focus primarily on bioenergetics and the major biochemical pathways related to three central metabolic themes applicable to all advanced courses within the various training programs: glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid/lipid metabolism. Students will integrate information obtained by studying the mechanism of pathways into the concept of pathway communication. Utilizing the socio-medical condition of Metabolic Syndrome, students will gain a deeper understanding of the function and limitations of compartmentalization of molecules, and the significance of pathway regulation far beyond a subcellular compartment, or the cell itself. Small-group-based problem solving will allow stronger integration and reinforcement of the material taught in each section, leading to greater long-term retention of the material discussed in this course.
Course ID: AMC 612
This course utilizes a case-study based discussion format to provide a vehicle for students to learn and reflect upon the responsible conduct of research. Topics covered include an overview of ethical theory, conducting research, reporting research, peer review, handling research materials and information, mentoring and laboratory supervision, misconduct in research, conflict of interest, human subjects and clinical research, animals in research and genetic research. This course also familiarizes students with both internal and national policies regulating research conduct. (This program fulfills the NIH requisite for predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows on National Research Service Award Training Grants.) Instructors:Â This course is team-led by a basic scientist and ethicist. It utilizes the text, "Teaching the Responsible Conduct of Research Through a Case Study Approach", prepared by the American Association of Medical Colleges. Learning Assessment is based on attendance, preparedness, discussion and a presentation.
Course ID: AMC 600
This course is designed to teach the student basic statistics so that they can perform appropriate statistical analysis of their research and so they can determine if appropriate analysis was performed when reading the literature in their field of study. The first part of the course is lecture/exercise-based sessions run by the faculty that exposes students to basic principles and tests commonly used in biostatistics, including sessions on what inferential statistics is and determining the statistical analysis as part of your experimental design. In the second part of the course students bring in experiments and/or data from their laboratory and describe the experimental design and the statistical test that was used (or will be used) to analyze the data and how this allowed (or will allow) them to formulate a conclusion from the data. Course Objectives: 1) Students will be able to design experiments that will include choosing the appropriate test based on the type of data they will collect, and the comparisons /relationships they want to determine. 2) Students will be able to determine which methods should be used in the analysis of data. 3) Students will be able to determine how many experimental units are needed to test hypotheses (power analysis). 4) Students will be able to recognize what conclusions can and cannot be drawn from the statistical analysis of experimental data. Learning Assessment is based on class participation, homework assignments and two in class exams. (Fall semester only)
Course ID: AMC 603
This course is designed to provide the student with an introduction to writing research grants and to the grant review process. The course will focus on what should be included in the different sections of a NIH research proposal (Research Plan Section).  To emphasize the purpose of this information in supporting the grant proposal, students will be provided with sections of well written proposals, as well as proposals that did not do well in study sections. Discussions of these examples will highlight how proposals can be improved. As part of each module, students will write (1) a Specific Aims page, (2) a Significance and Innovation section, and (3) an Approach section that is focused on one of the specific aims. Students will then read and critique one another’s written assignments and discuss their reviews using a study section format. Students will then revise their section in response to the reviewers’ critiques. The course will culminate in a mock study section performed by College faculty with experience serving on NIH grant review panels, in order to demonstrate how the grant peer review process works at the NIH. Learning Assessment is based on class participation and homework assignments.