GSBSThe University of TexasGraduate School of Biomedical Sciences

NEUROSCIENCE

neurograd.org

The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at Houston is a joint venture of UTHealth and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) that offers Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Neuroscience. Training in Neuroscience at the GSBS began in 1978 to provide high quality opportunities in a variety of scientific disciplines associated with understanding the function and diseases of the nervous system. Areas of research concentration within the Program include cellular, molecular, systems, computational, and visual neuroscience. There are 50+ GSBS faculty members and 30+ graduate students representing sixteen departments of UTHealth and MD Anderson currently in The Neuroscience

Graduate Program.

All Neuroscience Ph.D. students receive full financial support throughout

their training, which includes tuition, fees, stipend and benefits. Annual

competitive awards are also available for outstanding research projects

and posters, and to support student travel to scientific meetings. For more

information please visit neurograd.org.

Students must complete the following requirements to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy with a specialization in Neuroscience:

Research Rotations: First-year students obtain hands-on research experience by participating in Research Tutorial Rotations in three different laboratories. Coursework: All students in Neuroscience are required to take the GSBS Fundamentals of Biomedical Science course and four Program Core Courses (Molecular Neurobiology, Cellular Neurophysiology, Intermediate Cognitive Neuroscience and Systems Neuroscience). Also required are the Ethical Dimensions of Biomedical Science, Neuroanatomy, and advanced courses which differ depending on the program track pursued. Core Courses must be taken for credit and a grade of “B” or better must be earned.Advancement to Candidacy

Exam: All students must advance to candidacy by the end of his/her second year.

Defense of Dissertation: A student must defend their dissertation project in an exam that consists of two parts:A public presentation of the dissertation work (followed by public discussion) and an oral defense (in a closed session with the student’s Supervisory Committee).

doctoral requirementsPR

OGR

AM O

VERV

IEW

Because the field of neuroscience is so large, we have contructed four tracks to better reflect the breadth of the field. Based on their interests, our students receive specialized training to prepare for different aspects of neuroscience research.

Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience TrackThe Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience track trains students to understand neuronal function by integrating biochemical, physiological, cellular, and molecular biological approaches. Areas of focus include: synapse formation and plasticity, protein trafficking, signal transduction, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, and neuronal development/injury.

Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience TrackThe Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience track trains students to bridge the diverse range of approaches and techniques required to investigate the brain mechanisms for complex behavioral phenomena such as learning, memory, attention, language, cognition, emotion, sensation perception, and movement.

Theoretical & Computational Neuroscience TrackThe Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience track focuses on the broad range of computational and analytical skills essential to understand the organization and function of complex neural systems.

Visual Neuroscience TrackThe Visual Neuroscience track provides an interdisciplinary training environment in vision research. Areas of focus include molecular and developmental neurobiology, cell biology, cellular biophysics, structural biology, genetics, anatomy and plasticity of neural circuitry, circadian biology, experimental pathology, single electrode and electrode array recording, intrinsic optical imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), cognitive and behavioral studies, and computational modeling.

Students must complete the following requirements to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy with a specialization in Neuroscience:

Research Rotations: First-year students obtain hands-on research experience by participating in Research Tutorial Rotations in three different laboratories. Coursework: All students in Neuroscience are required to take the GSBS Fundamentals of Biomedical Science course and four Program Core Courses (Molecular Neurobiology, Cellular Neurophysiology, Intermediate Cognitive Neuroscience and Systems Neuroscience). Also required are the Ethical Dimensions of Biomedical Science, Neuroanatomy, and advanced courses which differ depending on the program track pursued. Core Courses must be taken for credit and a grade of “B” or better must be earned.Advancement to Candidacy

Exam: All students must advance to candidacy by the end of his/her second year.

Defense of Dissertation: A student must defend their dissertation project in an exam that consists of two parts:A public presentation of the dissertation work (followed by public discussion) and an oral defense (in a closed session with the student’s Supervisory Committee).

doctoral requirements

Diasynou Fioravante, Ph.D.2006 NGP graduate (Byrne Lab) and assistant professor at UC Davis

“Through solid class offerings, opportunities for research distinctions and travel awards, the Neuroscience program at UT-Houston provided me with

a strong foundation for a successful academic career.”

coursework

• Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences

• Ethics

• Lab Rotation #1 FALL

• Molecular Neuroscience

• Cellular Neurophysiology

• Lab Rotations #2 & #3 SPRI

NG

first year

• Scientific Writing

• Elective Courses

SPRI

NG• Systems

Neuroscience

• Cognitive Neuroscience

FALLsecond year

• Dissertation research

third year+

PROG

RAM

TRACK

S

Jaroslaw Aronowski, Ph.D. • Neurology • Neuropharmacology and laboratory models of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage

Tatiana Barichello, Ph.D. • Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • neuroinfection, host immune response, memory impairment, behavioral changes

Andrew Bean, Ph.D. • Neurobiology and Anatomy • Molecular mechanisms of endocytosis

Michael Beierlein, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Synaptic and local circuit dynamics in the thalamocortical system

John Byrne, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Neural and molecular bases of learning and memory

Raymond Cho, M.D., M.Sc. • Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • cognitive control, brain oscillations, EEG/MEG, MRI, computational modeling, neurostimulation (tDCS, tACS, TMS), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

Nachum Dafny, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Mechanisms of pain, pain suppression, stress, and drugs of abuse

Robert Dantzer, Ph.D. • Symptom Biology (MDACC) • Behavioral and psychopathological consequences of cancer therapy on the brain

Pramod Dash, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Mechanisms of memory formation and memory dysfunction

Joao De Quevedo, M.D., Ph.D. • Psychiatry & Behavioarl Sciences • Neurological basis of psychiatric disorders, innovative treatments with emphasis in mood disorders and schizophrenia

Fabricio Do Monte, D.V.M, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Neural mechanisms of innate fear and reward and their interactions

Patrick Dougherty, Ph.D. • Anesthesiology & Pain Management • Neurobiology, neurophysiology, and pharmacology of the spinal dorsal horn

Valentin Dragoi, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Cortical Mechanisms of Visual Behavior

Daniel Felleman, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Organization, function, and plasticity of primate cerebral cortex

Myriam Fornage, Ph.D. • Research Center for Human Genetics • Genetic basis of cardiovascular disease

Michael Galko, Ph.D. • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (MDACC) • Drosophila genetics, molecular genetics of tissue repair, cell migration, signaling transduction, pain sensitization

Vidya Gopalakrishnan, Ph.D. • Pediatrics (MDACC) • Therapeutic targets for medulloblastoma

Ruth Heidelberger, M.D., Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release

Cobi Heijnen, Ph.D. • Symptom Research (MDACC) • Mechanisms and therapeutic approaches of cancer treatment-induced neurotoxicities

Roger Janz, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Synaptic vesicle proteins as regulators of neurotransmitter release

Vasanthi Jayaraman, Ph.D. • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology • Regulation of the structure of membrane proteins

Nicholas Justice, Ph.D. • Institute of Molecular Medicine • Mechanisms of CRF perturbation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Annemieke Kavelaars, Ph.D. • Symptom Research CAO (MDACC) • Pathophysiology of cancer therapy-induced physiological/behavioarl toxicity

Scott Lane, Ph.D. • Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • Substance use disorders, antisocial personality disorder

Yin Liu, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Computational biology and bioinformatics

Images left to right: 1st image: Channelrhodopsin-expressing cholinergic axons from the basal forebrain labeled by GFP (green) target the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN, labeled red) but not the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (VB). M. Beierlein. 2nd image: Marine mollusc Aplysia, a useful model system for analyzing the neural and molecular mechanisms of memory. J.H. Byrne 3rd image: Illustration from: Protein Trafficking in Neurons, ed. A.J. Bean, London, UK: Elsevier Academic Press. 2006. 3rd image: S. Massey and S. Mills Journal of Comparative Neurology

Kimiya Memarzadeh, Ph.D student“The Neuroscience at the GSBS has such a wide breadth of research – from molecules to behavior. Our faculty members are so student-oriented and accessible; they really care about the success of the students.”

Monica Gireud, Ph.D student“There’s so much that is unknown.

There are very few cures and often little understanding of why diseases affect the

brain. It’s fascinating. It’s exciting.”

FACU

LTY

RESE

ARC

H

Image above: Localization of SAP102 and Syntaxin 3B (Syn3B) in the outer plexiform layer (OPL). A single B-type horizontal cell

(HC) was dye injected with Neurobiotin (red). A horizontal section showing SAP102 immunoreactivity (blue) was localized to tips of

B-type HCs. Syn3B-positive (green) photoreceptor terminals exist in precise register with SAP102 immureactive B-type HC processes.

A. Vila and C. M. Whitaker

M.D./Ph.D. students affiliated with GSBS Neuroscience1. Students are required to form an Advisory Committee and meet every

six months.2. Some coursework may be suggested by your mentor and/or advisory committee.3. The candidacy exam must be completed by the end of the second year of graduate study. Students are required to take Ethics and two follow- up online modules prior to petitioning for the candidacy exam.

Cihan Kadipasaoglu, M.D./Ph.D 2015 NGP Graduate (Tandon Lab) Postdoctoral Fellow UTHealth“Although I began as an outsider to both the MD/PhD and PhD programs, I never once felt as such. Rather, it seemed to me that the students from both programs had formed a united “research family”, into which I was immediately and unquestioningly welcomed.”

Ying Liu, M.D., Ph.D. • Neurosurgery & Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine • CNS disease modeling/Genetic engineering of pluripotent stem cells

David Marshak, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Structure and function of primate retinal neurons

Stephen Massey, Ph.D. • Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences • Neuronal circuitry of the retina

Stephen Mills, Ph.D. • Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences • Retinal ciruit physiology and function

Joseph H. McCarty, Ph.D. • Neurosurgery (MDACC) • Adhesion and signaling pathways in brain development and cancer

Louise D. McCullough, M.D., Ph.D. • Neurology • Sex differences in cell death, stroke, and aging

Ines Moreno-Gonzalez, Ph.D. • Neurology • Risk factors of Alzheimer’s: smoking, meat consumption, comorbidity (type 2 diabetes, ALS, brain injury, and stroke)

Shin Nagayama, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Neuronal network dynamics in the olfactory system

Ponnada Narayana, Ph.D. • Diagnostic & Interventional Imaging • Development & application of advanced MRI techniques

John O’Brien, Ph.D. • Ophthalmology & Visual Science • Molecular mechanisms controlling network adaptation in the retina

Christophe Ribelayga, Ph.D. • Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences • Retinal image processing and light/dark adaptation

Sean Savitz, M.D. • Neurology • Novel therapies for ischemic stroke

Laura Smith Callahan, Ph.D. • Neurosurgery & Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine • Developing tissue engineering approaches toward clinical treatments for spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and cartilage defects

Agnes Schonbrunn, Ph.D. • Integrative Biology & Pharmacology • Somatostatin receptor signaling and regulation

Anne Sereno, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Higher cognitive functions of attention, short-term memory, and eye movement programming

Harel Shouval, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Theoretical/computational approaches to understanding synaptic plasticity and its role in learning, memory, and development

Jair Soares, M.D. • Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • Clinical research in the field of mood disorders

Qingchun Tong, Ph.D. • Center for Obesity and Diabetes • Neurocircuitry in the brain controlls feeding, energy expenditure and glucose homeostasis

Andrey S. Tsvetkov, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Molecular mechanisms of neuronal autophagy

Kartik Venkatachalam, Ph.D. • Integrative Biology & Pharmacology • Signal transduction in the nervous system

Consuelo Walss-Bass, Ph.D. • Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • Genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, gene-environment interactions, correlation of genetic variants with cellular function, antipsychotic-induced metabolic syndrome

Edgar T. Walters, Ph.D. • Integrative Biology & Pharmacology • Nociceptor memory and chronic pain

M. Neal Waxham, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Molecules responsible for the formulation and storage of memories

Jack Waymire, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Plasticity of neurotransmitter biosynthesis

Anthony Wright, Ph.D. • Neurobiology & Anatomy • Learning and Cognition

Jiaqian Wu, Ph.D. • Neurosurgery • Gene transcription and regulatory mechanisms governing neural differentiation

Ying Xia, M.D. Ph.D. • Neurosurgery • Hypoxic dysfunction in cortical neurons

Jiusheng Yan, Ph.D. • Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine (MDACC) • Structure function and regulation of mammalian ion channels

Sheng Zhang, Ph.D. • Institute of Molecular Medicine • Mechanisms underlying neuronal degenerative disorders

Neurobiology Seminar Series. Neurobiologists from around the country are invited to present their latest findings. In addition to the afternoon lecture, our students have the opportunity to network with each speaker over lunch.

Lab Update Series. Labs in the Neuroscience Program presents their most recent findings. This gives everyone to catch up on ongoing projects, offer constructive criticism, and suggest collaborative experiments with other labs.

Annual Retreats. Students take a short break from lab to attend special lectures given by program alumni, student presentations, and poster competitions.

Picnic/Socials. Faculty and students have the chance to get together to enjoy good food and good weather.

Annual Research Poster Sessions. Students have the chance to win cash prizes and travel awards to fund trips to the annual Society for Neuroscience (SfN) meeting and other conferences.

Student-Organized Journal Club. Students present and lead discussions about an interesting paper, topic, or technique. At the end of the year, the two best presenters are awarded prizes.

Outreach/Volunteer Opportunities. Students have the chance to give back to the Houston community. In the past, our students have sorted food for the Houston Food Bank, judged science and engineering fairs, and explained neuroscience concepts to local elementary students at the Neuroscience Research Center’s annual Brain Night at The Health Museum.

Not Another Seminar Series. How did you become the scientist you are today? Each month, a different faculty member joins students to talk about his/her life. This isn’t just about research. It’s about motivations, career paths, and the bigger picture.

Teaching Assistant Opportunities. Students who want to get hands-on experience in the classroom may sign up to teach various undergraduate or graduate courses throughout the year.

Neuroscience All-Request Fridays (NARFs). Students, faculty, and other invited guests host workshops geared towards career development, presentation skills, networking, and other technical skills not covered in classes. Requested by students, for students.

Images, clockwise from top left: Max Odem presenting his poster at the Neuroscience Research Center (NRC) annual poster session; Faculty, postdocs, and students at the NRC annual poster session; Muge Sertel talking about her research at the NRC annual poster session; Chris Walker explaining his project to a judge at the NRC annual poster session; Curtis Neveu showing children and their parents what neurons look like under a microscope during Brain Night, hosted by the NRC at the Health Museum; Keri Callegari and other volunteers at the comparative brains exhibit during Brain Night; NGP students at the GSBS White Coat Ceremony.

ACT

IVIT

IES

Curtis Neveu Ph.D. student

“I like that many faculty and students are eager to help each other succeed.”

The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston (GSBS) is a unique partnership between the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth, institutions that are leading the fight against cancer and other major diseases that impact human health and quality of life. Graduate studies under a GSBS faculty mentor will provide students with training in the most significant areas of the biomedical sciences, including research to improve understanding of disease mechanisms at molecular, genetic, cellular and systems levels, and approaches to develop novel targeted therapies for human disease. GSBS is located in the Texas Medical Center, one of the world’s largest biomedical education and research facilities. Visit gsbs.uth.edu for more information.

about the graduate school

This applies to all applicants (US Citizens, Permanent Residents and International Applicants)

The final deadline for all application materials to be submitted for the Ph.D. program is January 4, 2017.

The deadline to apply for the M.S. program in Biomedical Sciences is April 1, 2017.

how to apply

Cameron Jeter, Ph.D2011 NGP graduate (Sereno Lab) and Assistant Professor at UTHealth

“The Neuroscience program equipped me with skills I didn’t fully appreciate until becoming a faculty member. Program faculty continue to foster my scientific and professional growth as mentors, collaborators, and advocates.”

Journalism/Writing

Non-Profit

Teaching

Medicine

Other

GovernmentIndustr

y

Academia

NG

P al

umni

career paths

GSBS Neuroscience alumni five years post-graduation

AD

MISSIO

NS

Contact Information

Harel Shouval, Ph.D.Harel.Shouval@uth.tmc.edu

Amanda Williamson, Program CoordinatorAmanda.J.Williamson@uth.tmc.edu

GSBS Neuroscience Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy

UTHealth Medical School6431 Fannin, MSB 7.046

Houston, Texas 77030ms.neurograd@uth.tmc.edu

neurograd.org

Houston, the fourth largest city in the nation, is located on a coastal plain fifty miles from the Gulf of Mexico and has a southern climate. Houston is a modern dynamic city, rich in cultural diversity that reflects its multiethnic mix.

Houston has emerged as a cultural center for the Southwestern United States. The seventeen-block Theater District is home to eight performing arts organizations, including the Houston Ballet Company, the Houston Symphony, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Alley Theater. The Museum of Fine Arts, the Contemporary Arts Museum, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science all offer outstanding exhibitions. Numerou s smaller museums and art galleries can also be found in the Museum District, just one mile north of the Texas Medical Center. These notably include the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel.

Sports enthusiasts can take advantage of professional sports action year round. Houston is home to a number of professional sports teams: the Texans play at NRG stadium (NFL, football), the Dynamo and Dash play at BBVA Compass Stadium (MLS and NWSL, soccer), the Rockets play at Toyota Center (NBA, basketball), and the Astros play at Minute Maid Park (MLB, baseball). In addition, Houston’s clost proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston Bay (fifty miles) and local lakes provides access to a full range of water sports.

Among major metropolitan areas of the country, Houston has one of the lowest costs of living. In addition, the diversity and breadth of the city’s economy provides a wide array of job opportunities for spouses and family members. Low housing costs and friendly people combine to make this desirable city in which to relocate.

City of Houston