Activities Overview
The major goal of this training program is to provide the cross-disciplinary exposure and interactive research environments required for scientists to access the fields of Neuroinflammation and Glial Cell Biology. Although we anticipate that most predoctoral students will be working towards degrees in the related Neuroscience Programs or the Immunology Track of Microbiology & Immunology, predoctoral training positions are open to students in any graduate degree program at the University. Specific requirements for predoctoral students that can be fulfilled prior to or during the training period include enrollment in the course entitled Neuroinflammation
(ANA/MBI 513), which is given in the spring semester of even years, and enrollment in a cross-disciplinary course. For example, a student in the Neurosciences would be expected to take an Immunology course. The Neuroinflammation and Glial Cell Biology Group also participates in organizing campus-wide Schmitt Symposia on topics of interest. Previous symposia include:
- CNS Development, Damage and Repair
- Immune and Inflammatory Responses in the CNS
Postdoctoral trainees would be expected to participate in all program activities and the Neuroinflammation Course.
Neuroinflammation (ANA/MBI 513)
This course examines the role of inflammation in the central nervous system, and will highlight common mechanisms of response to a variety of neural insults, including autoimmunity, trauma, neurotoxicity, and neurodegeneration. At the end of this course students will have an appreciation for the roles glia, the acquired immune system, and the innate immune system play in response to neural insults in the unique immunoprivileged
environment of the CNS.
Students interested in taking this course should contact one of the course directors:
Neuroinflammation is a 4 credit course offered every other year in the spring semester (even years). This course is open to all graduate students at the University of Rochester and should be of interest to a variety of students in Neuroscience, Toxicology, Pharmacology & Physiology, and Microbiology & Immunology. Although there are no prerequisites, NSC 512 Cellular Neuroscience and MBI 473/573 Immunology are recommended.
There will be two sessions per week, on Tuesday and Thursday, from ten to noon. The first will consist of two 50 minute didactic lectures. The second will be a journal club with students presenting papers chosen by the instructors. Sessions will be held in the Neurobiology & Anatomy conference room (5-7432).