Elon University Neuroscience Workshop October 24, 2008

What is Neuroscience?

Anita K. McCauley, Ph.D.Biology Dept., Wake Forest

UniversityElon Alumni, Class of 1997

mccaulak@wfu.edu

Elon University Neuroscience Workshop October 24, 2008

Basketball

Neuroscience

How I became a Neuroscientist…

How I became a Neuroscientist…

How do complex networks develop?

What is Neuroscience?Development of Visual Pathways

FROM RETINA

I

LGN

A

(GABA)

R

TOLAYER IV

PBR(Glutamate)

(Ach/NO)

FROMLAYER VI(Glutamate)

glomerulus

FROM RETINA

I

LGN

(GABA)

R

TOLAYER IV

PBR(Glutamate)

(Ach/NO)

FROMLAYER VI(Glutamate)

glomerulus

How I became a Neuroscientist…

The Glomerulus

Cortical Feedback

Brainstem Input

Retinal Input

Local Input

TO CORTEXFROM CORTEX

An Overview• “Neuroscience”: the scientific discipline

which studies the nervous system• Neuroscience Is…

– Diverse– Interdisciplinary– Growing– Strong in NC– Desired by Students– Pathway to Many Fields

What is Neuroscience?

Neuroscience Is …

Diverse

Example: Neuroprosthetics

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/alzheimers041508.cfm

Brain Diseases Such as Alzheimer's

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/learning-0124.html

Learning and Memory

Mind, Brain, and Consciousness

http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome/features/20071017_Medicine_whitematter/index.html

Neuroscience is DiverseFrom Alcohol to Epilepsy …

nNOS in brainstem sleep centers

Ca+2 channels increase following alcohol withdraw

WDCtl0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Mean +/ - SEM

*

Cav

3.2

:GA

PD

H (

RF

U)

CaV 3.2

p.<05

WDCtl0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Mean +/ - SEM

*

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CaV 3.2

p.<05

mGluRs mediate seizure activity

Spatiotemporal pattern of seizure onset

Neuroscience is Diverse Neuroscience at Wake Forest University

Biomechanics(M. Ashley-Ross)

Developmental Plasticity(S. Fahrbach)

Neural Control of Physiology (E. Johnson)

Communication/Predator-Prey(W. Conner)

Chemical Senses(W. Silver)

Neuroscience is Diverse Neuroscience at Wake Forest University

Perception(J. Schrillo)

Behavioral Pharmacology of Food Intake (W. Pratt)

Memory, Aging, Selective Attention (D. Dagenbach)

Human Psychophysiology(T. Blumenthal)

Philosophy of Mind(R. Kennedy)

Neuroscience is Diverse

Science Vo1. 321, Sept 26 2008

• People tend to overbid in “high-bid, sealed” auctions• Striatum shows significant changes in activity when an auction is lost• Emphasizing loss causes greater overbidding• Striatal circuitry may underlie a fear of losing

Neuroscience is Diverse

http://www.neuroeconomicstudies.org/

Located at Claremont Graduate University

• 6th annual meeting in Sept 2008

Directed by Dr. Paul Zak, BA’s in Math and Economics;

PhD in Economics, Penn;post-doctoral training in neuroimaging, Harvard

Neuroscience Is …

Interdisciplinary

Neuroscience

AnatomyCell

BiologyDevelopmentGenetics

Immun-ology

PhysiologyExercise Science

Pharma-cology

Psychology

Philosophy

Social Sciences and Humanities

Biological SciencesMath and Physical Sciences

Math EngineeringComputer

Science

Biophysics Chemistry

Economics

Law

Neuroscience is Interdisciplinary

Many Sub-Fields Comprise Neuroscience

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/resdoc/Taxonomy_subfields.html

Computational Neuroscience

Developmental Neuroscience

Behavioral Neuroscience

Systems Neuroscience

NeuroscienceNeuroscience

Cognitive Neuroscience

Molecular and Cellular

Neuroscience

Neuroscience Is …

Growing

• Main organization

• Formed in 1969

Over 35,000

members

Society for Neuroscience

Neuroscience is GrowingSFN Chapters

More than 100 Chapters in North America

2 active and 1 inactive chapter in North Carolina

www.swathmore.edu

Neuroscience is GrowingSFN Annual Meeting Attendance

SFN 2007: • 32,180 attendees• > 16,000 presentations

SFN 1971: 1100 attendees

2007 total

Neuroscience is Growing

Undergraduate Programs

• 2007: ~ 180 undergraduate neuroscience programs nationwide

Data from ANDP

• 1994: ~ 50 undergraduate neuroscience programs nationwide

Graduate Programs• 158 graduate programs part of the ANDP (Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs)

~81% new since 1975~40% new since 1991

• Alleghany College (PA)• Amherst College (MA)• Barnard College (NY)• Bates College (ME)• Bowdoin College (ME)• Bryn Mawr (PA)• Bucknell U. (PA)• Carleton College (MN)• Colgate U. (NY)• College of Wooster (OH) • Connecticut College (CT)• Davidson College (NC) • Denison U. (OH)• Dickinson College (PA)• Duke U. (NC)

Neuroscience is GrowingUndergraduate Programs*

• Drew University (NJ)• Franklin and Marshall

College (PA)• Furman U. (SC)• Gettysburg College (PA)• Grinnell College (IA)• Mount Holyoke College

(MA)• Oberlin College (OH)• Ohio Wesleyan U. (OH)• Smith College (MA)• Vassar College (NY)• Wake Forest U. (NC)• Washington and Lee U.

(VA)• Wellesley College (MA)• Wofford College (SC)• ???? Elon U. ????

* Incomplete list of private liberal arts institutions offering Neuroscience

Neuroscience Is …

Strong in NC

NC institutions with Neuroscience Programs

Neuroscience in NCUndergraduate Programs

Regional Undergraduate Institutions with Neuroscience

Type of ProgramState

NC SC VA

Major Davidson; ECU Furman JMU*; George Mason; UVa; William and Mary; Washington and Lee

Minor WFU; UNC-Charlotte; ECU

College of Charleston; USC; Wofford

Concentration Duke; NC State; Davidson

Richmond; VCU

• ~ 16 undergraduate neuroscience programs in this region * Program approved; will be active in 2-3 yrs

• 13 faculty (Biology, Psychology, Philosophy, Computer Science)

• Strength in laboratory and research experience, while requiring classes across multiple departments

Neuroscience in NC

Wake Forest University Neuroscience Minor

Cellular morphology and learning

Autism in a Fruit Fly Model

Physiology of Irritant Responses in

Airways

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

Graduate Student Recruitment

2008 ANDP Spring Meeting, Session II, Ed Stricker

4x> than 1986

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

1986 1991 1998 2002 2008

Total trainees 12 16 20 25 41

Non-US citizens --- 20% 19% 20% 23%

Ph.D.s awarded 2.6 2.8 3.2 3.6 5.4

Graduate Student Trainees

Values are mean per program

Data from ANDP 2008 Spring Meeting; by Ed Stricker

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

http://andp.org/meetings/2008/springagenda.htm; Presentation by Ed StrickerData from the National Science Foundation

404472

584689

1170

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1996 2003 2004 2005 2007

Number of Neuroscience PhDs Awarded

18% increase over 8

yrs

100% increase over 4

yrs

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

2002 2008

Biology 29% 26%

“Neuroscience” 17% 20%

Psychology 13% 17%

Dual Majors 9% 9%

Chemistry 9% 9%

Math, Statistics 3%

Other 23% 16%

2008 ANDP Spring Meeting, Session II, Ed Stricker

Undergraduate Majors of Graduate Students in Neuroscience

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

Undergraduate Majors of WFU Neuroscience Minors

• Biology• Psychology

• English• Economics• Religion• Philosophy

• Health and Exercise Science

• Computer Science• Business• Anthropology

Most common majors

Other majors include…

Why?... ‘ Because it sounded interesting’

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

Students Are Active In the Neuroscience Community

• Undergraduate Participation in Meetings:

− FUN 2007 Social (at SFN): 90 student research posters− SYNAPSE 2008: 43 student research posters

• Formation of a new Honor Society:

− Nu Rho Psi: The National Honor Society in Neuroscience− Began in 2007− Currently: 14 chapters, 119 student members

• Neuroscience Club (Furman University):

− CNS, Collaborative Neuroscience Society− Introduce neuroscience to the community − Inspire students to enter neuroscience.

http://nurhopsi.org/

http://www.cofc.edu/synapse/images/2008-synapse/index.htm

• 19 schools were represented including Davidson, Furman, Ga. Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill and WFU

• Brings together undergraduate students and faculty from the SE

• Students get exposure to local and nationally recognized research

• Students get valuable skills and career training

Neuroscience Is … Desired by Students

SYNAPSE 2008

Neuroscience Is …

A Pathway to Many Fields

OutcomeInstitution

William and Mary Wake Forest Univ. Davidson Allegheny

Medical School 20% 19% 28% 28% (also PT, DVM)

Graduate School 10% 39% 13% 33%

MD/PhD program 4% 5% 6%

Research position 12% 9% 14%

Year off then apply to grad./med. school 27%

Other or Undecided 10% (DVM, DDS, PA, PT) 11% 11% (DVM, PT,

RN, PH) 11%

William and Mary data from Class of 2007 (n=52); WFU data from all NEU minor graduates (n=37 respondents)Davidson data from B. Lom laboratory (n=53); Allegheny data from website

Other routes include divinity school, law school, education, and non-research science careers

• My Elon experience:–Accessible, committed faculty– Community amongst students and

faculty– Engaged learning experiences

Neuroscience at Elon University

A Former Student’s Perspective

Camping trip to collect salamanders for

research

Engaged LearningAccessible faculty

• Laboratory research projects

• Informal and non-classroom learning

Neuroscience at Elon University

Ideal for Engaged LearningStudents

investigate EEGs in NEU

201 lab

Neuroscience Book ClubWake Forest University

Students conduct independent

research

• Community outreach

Neuroscience at Elon University

Ideal for Engaged Learning

NEU students lead Brain Awareness Week activities at an elementary school

HS students play music prior to a seminar on how music affects the brain

Brain Awareness Week, Western NC SFN Chapter

MajorNumber of Students

Percent of Total UG Enrollment

Percent of Total UG (- Bus. And Comm.)

“Primary” Majors

Biology 267 5.4 7.9

Exercise/Sports Science 189 3.8 5.6

Psychology 224 4.5 6.7

Total 680 13.8 20.2

“Secondary” Majors

Chemistry 53 1.1 1.6

Computer Science 32 0.6 1.0

Math 54 1.1 1.6

Philosophy 24 0.5 0.7

Physics 15 0.3 0.4

Total 178 3.6 5.3

Total for All 858 17.4 25.5

Neuroscience at Elon University

Data from Elon University Fact Book, 2007-2008

Elon University Neuroscience Workshop October 24, 2008

Thank you Questions?• Special thanks to

Dwayne Godwin for sharing recent data;

Wayne Silver for sharing details about the WFU

Neuroscience Minor;

Barbara Lom for sharing information about

Davidson NEU students.