Special Topics In Cell Biology Of The Nervous System

FROM: Mitchell Goldfarb Tel: 212-772-5289 Email: [email protected]

Special Topics in Cell Biology of the Nervous System BIOL470.58 & BIOL790.61 Instructor: Prof. Mitchell Goldfarb, Biological Sciences Tuesdays, 3:25-5:30 PM, Room HN 926

Electrical signals in the nervous systems are transmitted along nerve cells (neurons) and from neuron to neuron at synapses. To accomplish this function, neurons must form and maintain two types of cellular projections: dendrites and axons. Through student presentations of primary research literature, this course will explore evolving insights into how macromolecules are targeted for distribution to dendrites and axons, how this trafficking governs the function of mature neurons, and how macromolecular processes at synapses provide the basis for circuit memory. Grade shall be based upon the student’s thoughtful participation in class discussion, an oral presentation, and a term paper. The course is open to graduate students and to Biology undergraduates who have already taken BIOL 300 (Biological Chemistry). A previous course in neurobiology is helpful, but not required.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS Presentations should be prepared in PowerPoint. The format should generally take the following: --- An introduction to the topic covered by the research in the paper. --- Discussion of any novel experimental methods used by the investigators --- Presentation and critical evaluation of the data. Before showing a data figure or table, explain what is the specific question the authors were seeking to address in the experiment. Explain the reasons for controls in the experiments. Explain what can be concluded from the experiment done. --- BE CAREFUL to present any important experiments for which the data are not shown in a figure/table or is given only in the text. --- Although these papers were chosen as important papers in high quality journals, not all the data may be conclusive. Criticize any questionable data or conclusions. --- Summarize the important findings

Students must submit their PowerPoint presentations to me as an email attachment no later than the Friday before the Tuesday presentation (with exception of presentations on Sept 6, for which presentations must be sent by Sept 5). Please email me through your CUNY email account, not an outside account (hotmail, yahoo, etc.), since outside servers often reject large file attachments. This shall allow time for me to check that your presentation is well organized and factually accurate, and to allow us to have a meeting to go over the paper before presentation, if necessary. Failure to submit presentations on time will result in an automatic grade penalty!

RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENTS LISTENING TO PRESENTATIONS All students should read and try their best to understand the papers being presented on a given week. I shall moderate discussion of the paper during the oral presentation, and students are expected to participate in these discussions in an informed manner. Student participation in discussions shall overall count for a full level to the final grade (in other words, a student who gives an A- presentation of his/her assigned papers but does not participate in group discussion can receive no higher than a B- in the course).