A

KBRIN

WORKSHOP

Course details:

Overview:

Students (undergrads of Math, Stats, Eng, and Biol. majors) will be exposed to the marvels of Neuroscience and get to experience the future of the field by learning "Hands-On" neurophysiology, genetics, electron microscopy, 3-D rendering, computational/statistical analysis, and neuropharmacology in a workshop laboratory based atmosphere.
The goal is to train future students in various science/engineering disciplines to the integrative nature if science so that they can better prepare themselves with the appropriate training during the remaining years of undergraduate schooling and help to direct their efforts and thus competitiveness towards particular graduate programs.

In addition, since the focus of the "hands on" course is related to the current NSF funded research program of the instructors, we may gain viable students that might wish to join particular aspects of the group research program.

The workshop would consist of Dr. Cooper training the students in dissection and synaptic transmission. Mr. Andy Johnstone and EM staff at UK med school will instruct how to process tissue for TEM. Dr. Kim will instruct in the use of 3D rendering of the TEM data. Dr. Viele and Mr. Mark Lancaster will instruct students how analize and computational assess data obtained from the students in earlier experiments . In the final sessions, groups of students will work together to write up sections of a draft manuscript (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Each group will be assigned sections to work with the instructors.

There will be a workshop manual and all the normal type of information that are provided for science workshops. When students are working in a lab with equipment and chemicals there are saftey concerns so saftey training will be part of this course.

Recruiting Students across the state:
We will utilize the KBRIN and the two state regional chapters of the Society for Neuroscience to distribute information to recruit students. In addition, the directors of undergraduate studies and individual faculty in the fields of Biomedical, Statistics, Biology, and Mathematics at all regional colleges and universities across the state will receive a broacher and a www page link that they can direct students to. Our aspirations are to help recruit women and underrepresented groups into this program. However students will be required to be at least a junior or senior in academic standing within their institution and will have to have at least a 3.0 GPA in the biological and mathematical sciences. Students will also be required to obtain 1 letter of recommendation from an instructor in the biological and mathematical sciences stating the students motivation and intellectual drive.

Nurturing of students once they are accepted into the program:
Every effort will be made during this workshop to assess the students understanding on a daily basis as not to leave anyone behind and to insure that the concepts and understanding of the material is being understood. The goals here or to have students to gain knowledge by "problem- based" learning and to "reason out rather than memorize" concepts and research based problems that are current in the fields of biology and computational neuroscience. There is no reason to go at a pace in the workshop than the students can physical keep up with the material. The saying " less is better" holds true if the material of goals exceed ones abilities. Our hopes are to encourage students to carry on with graduate training, while at the same time exposing them to what it realistically will require of them. We wish the students to gain a valuable experience where they can complete the workshop with a good understanding of what it takes to succeed as a graduate student and a researcher in the field.

Dates:

MAY 10 (8:00 AM) to MAY 25, 2004

Day 1 (Monday, May 10th)

1. Overview of workshop- solve all minor details (housing). Overview of campus/Lexington
2. Laboratory safety- where to go and what to do.
3. Use of laboratory equipment- general (pH meter, etc.) & detailed use of electrophysiology equipment.
4. Animal care: crayfish and fruit flies (general biology- life history) Set flies up for later studies.

Three groups of 2 for learning basic neurophysiology -start dissections of crayfish abdomen & learn to measure Membrane Potentials.

Day 2 (Tuesday, May 11th)

AM: each dissect crayfish abdomen & learn to measure Membrane Potentials and what effects potentials (ions).

PM: evoked NMJ potentials not differences in phasic and tonic NMJs. Examine effects of neuromodulators (5-HT) on synaptic transmission (dose response curves). Introduce different types of staining of neurons (methylene blue and CoCl fills). Learn how to make measures and analysis on the computer of data collected the day before.

Day 3 (Wednesday, May 12th)

AM: Process dye fills. Clear tissues mount for light microscopy viewing. Learn how to measure extracellular spikes (action potentials) and quantify responses on the computer. Examine effects of neuromodulators (5-HT) on sensory function.

PM: Learn new dissection: leg opener muscle. Learn staining procedures (methylene blue and vital dyes). Photography: dissecting and compound scopes.

Day 4 (Thursday, May 13th)

Learn to obtain quantal events and analysis related to synaptic transmission. Obtain recordings. Experimentation with synaptic facilitation and effects of neuromodulators. Cover literature related to topic and group efforts.

Day 5 (Friday, May 14th)

Quantal analysis by three or four different approaches. All day with data analysis and graphing results.

Day 6 (Saturday, May 15th)

Tissue processing for electron microscopy

Day 7 (Sunday, May 16th) ..... Day off to tend to personal matters and reading.

Day 8 (Monday, May 17th)

Lectures on synaptic transmission and structure. Learn to process tissue for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Visit EM facility. Continue with data quantal data analysis and graphing.

Day 9 (Tuesday, May 18th)

Teach students about thin sectioning and post fixation (in EM facility). Continue to process tissue for data analysis- tissue in resin blocks. Obtaining images by TEM. Procedures and image capture.

Day 10 (Wednesday, May 19th)

Processing TEM Images. Stack pre-obtained images and reconstruct a nerve terminal with serial sections. Discus error in measures (stereology issues). Making measures. Overview of M-Cell and DRam programs (Dr. Kim).

Drosophila larva dissection. Stain neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) with antibodies. Compare wild type and mutant lines.

Day 11 (Thursday, May 20th)

Mount fly muslces. Taking images on the confocal microscope of stained neuromuscular junctions. Record synaptic transmission from NMJs of Drosophila (wild type and mutant lines). Behavioral assays in Crayfish and Fruit flies (wild type and mutant lines).

Day 12 (Friday, May 21th)
Field studies in crayfish and fruit flies. Caving in KY. All day work.

Day 13 (Saturday, May 22th)

Statistical computation with Dr. Viele and Mr. Mark Lancaster. The quantal recordings obtained from days 4-5 will be used for this learning process (pre-obtained data will also be available). Six work stations will be implemented.
The goals here are to teach the students some basic programming skills and what it takes in programming (Basic C) to be able to process data. How to detect quantal events, how to measure them, how to describe the data and quantify statistically

Day 14 (Sunday, May 23rd) ..... Tend to personal matters and reading. LAB OPEN to - graph results, writing up, drafting manuscript. Prepare ppt for presentations

Day 15 (Monday, May 24th)

Continue with data processing. Statistical analysis and theory. Graph results. Writing up and presenting your work
Break into work groups for writing up components of a draft manuscript. Prepare ppt for presentations. Present extracellular recording techniques from axons.

Day 16 (Tuesday, May 25th) Go over all results and student presentations. End of course ~ noonish.

DEADLINE for APPLICATIONS to be received- APRIL 1, 2004

Consider if you are willing to work long days inside a windowless lab when it is nice and sunny outside !

If you can handel this burden for 16 days then your ready.

Send and email to Robin Cooper (RLCOOP1@pop.uky.edu) with the following information.

1. Look over the course outline and dates (above) and state that you agree to attend the days listed.

2. State how you plan to stay in Lexington for the duration of the course.

Fill out the attached application and email it to me (either as a MS word or a PDF)

Download MS WORD

Download PDF

Recruiting Students across the state:
We will utilize the KBRIN and the two state regional chapters of the Society for Neuroscience to distribute information to recruit students. In addition, the directors of undergraduate studies and individual faculty in the fields of Biomedical, Statistics, Biology, and Mathematics at all regional colleges and universities across the state will receive a broacher and a www page link that they can direct students to. Our aspirations are to help recruit women and underrepresented groups into this program. However students will be required to be at least a junior or senior in academic standing within their institution and will have to have at least a 3.0 GPA in the biological and mathematical sciences. Students will also be required to obtain 1 letter of recommendation from an instructor in the biological and mathematical sciences stating the students motivation and intellectual drive.

TEL: Lab 859-257-5950, Home (Dr. Cooper) 859-278-3632

FAX 859-257-1717, for Dept. of Biology, Univ. of KY, use 'ATTN: Dr. COOPER'

EMAIL: RLCOOP1@pop.uky.edu (Hot link here)