Master Modules
Module 1 Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology
Prof. Dr. med. Katrin Amunts Brain Research
General principles in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, sensory and motoric systems and integrative components of the nervous system will highlight the relevance for clinical neurology. The practical course in neuroanatomy concentrates on gross anatomy and histology of the human brain and spinal cord. more...
Module 2a Foundations of Medical Physics
Prof. Dr. T. Heinzel Physics
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to describe physics concepts with relevance in medicine and apply these concepts in diagnostics and therapy. After the attendance of this course, students are capable to operate essential medical physics equipment and understand their physics and document and analyse the scientific experiments. more...
Module 2b High-Throughput Analysis: Genomics, Proteomics and Data Analysis
Prof. Dr. K. Köhrer Genomics and Transcriptomics
The students will learn to describe the various gene regulation mechanisms on the DNA and RNA level and all necessary analytical tools to analyse genes, genomes, and gene expression, to apply state-of-the-art proteomic approach facilitating protein mass spectrometry (MS) and to describe the function of MS. In the data analysis part the students will be taught to analyse genomic and proteomic data generated by high-throughput procedures. more...
Module 3a Modelling and regeneration of the nervous system: from animal models to iPSCs and brain organoids
Prof. Dr. P. Küry Molecular Neurobiology
After completion of this module students are familiar with the sterile preparation and cultivation of neural stem cells, primary neocortical cell cultures and enrichment/isolation of distinct neural cell types. They are able to apply basic immunocytochemical techniques to identify and distinguish neural cell types using light and fluorescence microscopy. They have solid understanding of the development and differentiation of neural cells and understand the basis of recombinant modulation of endogenous gene expression. Moreover, they are able to work independently and accurately with laboratory equipment, analyse and document experimental results according to good scientific practise standards and present and discuss experimental results in a scientific context. more...
Module 3b Analyses of Brain Function and Dysfunction
Prof. Dr. C. Rose Neurobiology
The basics of light microscopy: optics and lenses, structure of a microscope, optical path, aberrations, types of microscopes. Basics of fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Fluorochromes, illumination, artifacts. Cell-type-specific labeling of neural cells with diagnostic antibodies.
Brain development on the basis of selected brain regions (cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum).
Maturation and function of neurons and glial cells in vertebrate brains and synapse formation.
Molecular and cellular basis of neuronal and glial cell function, properties of glial cells and neuron-glia interaction, basic concepts of extra- and intracellular ion homeostasis, activity-related extra- and intracellular ion signaling (calcium, potassium, sodium, pH). Excitotoxicity and role of ion dysbalance in brain pathology. Glial cells as central elements in brain pathology.
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Module 3c Cognitive Neuroscience: Methods
Prof. Dr. S. B. Eickhoff Neuropsych. Systems Biology
Upon completion of this module the students are able to explain and interpret modern imaging methods for representing the structures and functions of the human brain as well as methods for brain stimulation. more...
Module 4a Experimental and Translational Neuroimaging
Dr. D. Elmenhorst Molecular Neuroimaging
Upon completion of this module the students are capable to describe how neuroscientific questions can be adequately addressed by neuroimaging techniques and to identify the appropriate imaging technique for a specific question. The students will be able to apply commonly used neuroimaging techniques in biomedical research with regard to human and animal studies. more...
Module 4b Systems Neurosciences
Prof. Dr. O. Sergeeva Molecular Neurophysiology
The students are able to describe how behavioural states are organized on systemic, network-, cellular and molecular levels in relation to the daily circle. This includes sleep and waking, energy administration (temperature regulation, food intake and metabolism), and the release of hypothalamic hormones. The pathophysiology of these functions includes sleep disorders (e.g. narcolepsy, sleep apnoea), anorexia, obesity, central aspects of diabetes mellitus and neuroendocrine disorders. more...
Module 4c Cognitive Neuroscience: Functional Systems
Prof. Dr. S. B. Eickhoff Neuropsych. Systems Biology
Upon completion of this module the students are able to describe the localization and functioning of a variety of important human brain systems that implement, for instance, the control of movement, perception, memory or emotions. They are capable to explain and interpret relevant phenomena, experimental paradigms and theoretical models as well as key findings pertaining to these functional systems. The students will be able to plan, develop, evaluate and interpret experiments and correlational studies on these brain systems, employing methods previously introduced in Module 3c. more...
Module 5a Molecular Neuropathology
Prof. Dr. O. Aktas Molecular Neurology
After completion of this module the students are able to describe the immune system and its relevance to physiological and pathological conditions of the nervous system. They are capable to hypothesize on possible mechanisms involved in the development of neurological diseases and possible immunological therapy approaches. more...
Module 5b Stem cell based brain organoids
Prof. Dr. Jay Gopalakrishnan
centrosome and sytoskeleton biology
After completion of this module, students will be to analyse Knowledge on stem cells, pluripotent and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), 3D in vitro models such as human brain organoids, Theoretical knowledge on iPSCs and brain organoid generation, Principles of neural stem cell biology, Theoretical knowledge on brain development and disease modelling using human brain organoids. more...
Module 5c Methods in Neuroscience
Prof. Dr. O. A. Sergeeva Molecular Neurophysiology
After completion of this module the students will be capable to explain the principles of electrophysiological recordings. They will be able to design and to perform electrophysiological experiments, to document and analyse their results and to summarize their findings in form of a scientific report.
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Module 6 Research Ethics and Technics
Prof. Dr. Heiner Fangerau
History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine
Upon completion of the research ethics part the students will be able to describe the basics in philosophy of science, theoretical and historical foundations of neuroscience, models of reasoning in biomedical ethics and research ethics, with a special focus on research on humans. The research technics part is a lab rotation in different laboratories. more...
Module Pilot Project
The Pilot Project serves to illustrate research activities in a working group on a given experimental project. Students perform a 12-week placement in a working group. They are assigned to a specific experimental project on which they can work under one-to-one supervision. The ability of adequately reporting scientific results is supported by an accompanying seminar in scientific writing and presenting. more...
Module Project Proposal
The Project Proposal serves as a preparatory exercise for the Masters thesis. Students perform an 8-week placement in a working group on an experimental project of their choice. After completion a project sketch for the Masters thesis is to be drawn up. Lectures and practicals in statistical analysis of high-dimensional data support the ability of the students to analyse their data. more...
Module Master Thesis
After completing the Master’s thesis, the students should be able to independently carry out, summarize in writing and present orally an experimental project of significant novelty value. more...