Learn Cellular Mechanisms of Brain Function in this Online Course

Cellular Mechanisms of Brain Function is a free online course, conducted by the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne. EPFL is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. The past decade has seen EPFL ascend to the very top of European institutions of science and technology: it is ranked #1 in Europe in the field of engineering by the Times Higher Education (based on publications and citations), Leiden Rankings, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

About the course

This course aims for a mechanistic description of mammalian brain function at the level of individual nerve cells and their synaptic interactions.

• The first goal of the course is to gain a detailed understanding of the structure and function of the fundamental building blocks of the mammalian brain, its synapses and neurons.
• The second goal is to understand neuronal networks, with specific emphasis on the interactions of excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory GABAergic neurons.
• The third goal is to place neuronal network function in the context of sensory processing ultimately leading to behavioral decisions and motor output.

What you'll learn

• Fundamental aspects of neuroscience related to mammalian brain function
• Biophysical mechanisms of electrical signalling in neurons
• Synaptic mechanisms underlying neuronal computations
• Modern methods for studying mammalian brain function in vivo
• Neuronal network function underlying sensory perception, sensorimotor integration and learning

Course Begins

• September 14, 2015

Course Length

• 8 weeks

For further information and to register, click here.