Unit information: Molecular Neuroscience in 2014/15

Unit name	Molecular Neuroscience
Unit code	PHPH30011
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Hanley
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	PHPH20005: Principles of Pharmacology 2A, PHPH20003: The Central Nervous System, PHPH20009: Neurophysiology, PHPH20010: Developmental Physiology of The Specialized cell
Co-requisites	none
School/department	School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This Element will concentrate on molecular and cell biological experimental approaches to neuroscience, and how this has contributed to important advances in the field. The topics covered will focus on the plasticity of excitatory synapses, specifically:

• classification, structure and function of neurotransmitter receptors
• glutamate receptor trafficking, with a focus on receptor-interacting proteins
• dendritic spine structural plasticity
• genetic aspects of synaptic function.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• An in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of selected aspects of neuronal molecular cell biology, with an ability to keep up-to-date with recent developments in the field.
• The ability to gather information from the primary scientific literature and to critically evaluate the material and appraise competing theories.
• An understanding of the experimental tools used to study synaptic plasticity at the molecular cell biology level.

Teaching Information

Seminars

Assessment Information

The unit will be assessed through one 3-hour summative examination in May/June, which consists of two sections. In section A (50%), students will be expected to answer one essay question from a choice of 3, which will assess their knowledge and critical understanding of the field, and their ability to gather information from the primary scientific literature. In section B (50%), students will be expected to answer one multi-part compulsory question requiring data handling/data interpretation and experimental design.

Reading and References

Reviews and key references from the current scientific literature