Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 2 hours / session

Prerequisites

9.01, 7.012 / 7.013 / 7.014

Course Format

  • 50 minute lecture
  • 10 minute break
  • 20 minute presentation of research article (Topic 1) by student
  • 10 minute discussion
  • 20 minute presentation of research article (Topic 2) by student
  • 10 minute discussion

Each student will be expected to present 2 topics during the semester. All students should e- mail their top four topic choices by order of preference before lecture 1 to the instructor. These will be taken into consideration before topics are assigned.

All students are expected to read in advance at least the background reviews. You are required to discuss your topic with the instructor at least a week prior to presentation.

Grading

Final exam for undergraduates will include material from all reading lists, except additional reading list. Final exam for graduate students will include material from all reading lists.

Each student will be expected to present 2 topics during the semester.

Each presentation will constitute 25% of final grade (50% total). Graduate students are expected to contribute to discussion with material from additional reading list.

Recommended Textbooks

Cowan, W. Maxwell, Thomas M. Jessell, and S. Lawrence Zipursky, eds. Molecular and Cellular Approaches to Neural Development. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN: 9780195111668.

Sanes, Dan H., Thomas A. Reh, and William A. Harris, eds. Development of The Nervous System. Burlington, MA: Academic Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780123003300.

Susan K. McConnell, James L. Roberts, Nicholas C. Spitzer, and Michael J. Zigmond. Fundamental Neuroscience. 2nd ed. Edited by Larry S. Squire, and Floyd E. Bloom. Burlington, MA: Academic Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780126603033.