General Information

The Neuroscience Graduate Program represents an interdisciplinary program incorporating research interests in Cellular Neurobiology, Learning and Memory, Vision, Synaptic Signaling, Psychopharmacology, Immuno-neurobiology and the Neurobiology of Disease. The combined program is administered by the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston with participation from the Departments of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology; Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and Radiology, as well as the Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and Symptom Research at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The Program is a component of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Students entering this program have a wide array of options for research and for course work as outlined below.

Course Work

During the initial two-year period, trainees are exposed to a broad range of introductory and foundation core courses in biomedical sciences, as well as three courses in advanced neurobiology. In addition, all trainees rotate through three research laboratories during their first year in the program, and based on this rotation, each trainee selects a research advisor from the participating faculty. To ensure student participation in the Neuroscience Program during subsequent years when dissertation research is being carried out, the Neuroscience Graduate Program hosts a Neuroscience Program Trainee Journal and Book Club, a Neuroscience Poster Session held each fall, a Neuroscience Graduate Program Seminar series and a Neuroscience Newsletter. These activities coupled with the overall rich environment for neuroscience training provide trainees with an outstanding opportunity for graduate education in the neurosciences.

Research

With the exception of course selection, all students are subject to the same requirements for earning their Ph.D. degree. Although courses can be taken in any order as long as prerequisites are satisfied, it is recommended that students concentrate on completing GSBS core courses during the first year to allow time to decide which research laboratory and which academic track they may wish to join. It is anticipated that a student will have chosen a permanent laboratory in which to carry out his/her dissertation research by the end of the first year. By the end of the second year, the student will be required to take the Ph.D. Candidacy Examination covering broad knowledge in the area of neuroscience research and in-depth knowledge in the student's research discipline. Following completion of an original research project, the student will write and publicly defend a research dissertation before being awarded the Ph.D. degree.