Experiments in Animal Models of Human Neurodegenerative Disease

This course will bring students into a basic research setting to directly contribute to our understanding of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of neurodegenerative disease. Classic experimental approaches in the lab (fruit fly genetics, molecular techniques, dissection, immunocytochemistry, microscopy) will be paired with short lectures, literature-based discussions, and data presentations. Students should, through firsthand experience, gain an appreciation for 1) the life cycle of basic research, 2) the utility, challenges, and caveats of various approaches to understanding disease, and 3) the elegance and relevance of gene and cell function across organisms. Recommended prerequisite: Biology 201L or 203L.