Ion Channels in Synaptic and Neural Circuit Physiology (Virtual)
June 7 - 18, 2021
Application & Materials Deadline: April 16, 2021
Instructors:
Christine Grienberger, Brandeis University
Jan Gründemann, University of Basel, Switzerland (moving to DZNE, Germany)
Angelika Lampert, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Annalisa Scimemi, SUNY Albany
Nicolas Wanaverbecq, Aix-Marseille University, France
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COVID-19: The 2021 Ion Channels course will again be offered virtually, over two weeks this summer (June 7-11 and June 14-18). The course curriculum will include opportunities for virtual hands-on training. All applicants must have 1) access to a microscope and electrophysiology rig in your own lab; and 2) a statement from your labhead that you will have prioritized access to this equipment for the duration of the course (1pm-5pm Eastern time Monday-Friday).
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See the
roll of honor - who's taken the course in the past.
Ion channels are the fundamental building blocks of excitability in the nervous system. The primary goal of this course is to demonstrate, through lectures and laboratory work, the different biophysical properties of ion channels that enable neurons to perform unique physiological functions in a variety of neural systems.
Areas of particular interest include:
- Voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels at central and peripheral synapses
- Synaptic integration and plasticity
- Neural circuit function in vitro and in vivo
- Optogenetic strategies for circuit manipulation
A typical virtual day will consist of morning lectures by guest lecturers, followed by hands-on laboratory practical sessions in the afternoon (all times Eastern Daily Time). there will be opportunities for small group interactions with faculty and other trainees throughout the course.
The laboratory component of the course introduces students to state-of-the-art electrophysiological approaches for the study of ion channels in their native environments.
The course provides students with hands-on experience in:
- Using patch-clamp electrophysiology to examine single channel activity in cultured cells
- Ion channel biophysics in acutely dissociated neurons and synaptic integration
- Plasticity and circuit dynamics in in vitro slice and in vivo preparations
Different recording configurations will be used (e.g. cell-attached, whole-cell dendritic and somatic patch, voltage- and current-clamp configurations) and the advantages and limitations of each method will be discussed in relation to specific scientific questions. The course will also provide practical experience in cellular and circuit manipulation techniques (i.e. pharmacological, electrophysiological and optogenetic) both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, the course now includes in vivo recordings with Neuropixels probes.
Admissions priority will be given to students and postdocs that can show a demonstrated interest and specific plans to apply these techniques to a defined scientific problem.
Speakers in the 2020 Virtual Course included:
Veronica Alvarez, National Institutes of Health, MD
Jelena Baranovic, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Bruce Bean, Harvard Medical School, MA
Christine Beeton, Baylor College of Medicine, TX
Tiago Branco, Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, UK
Jeremiah Cohen, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, MD
Isabelle Deschenes, Case Western, OH
Ian Duguid, University of Edinburgh, UK
Sonia Gasparini, Louisana State University Health Sciences Center, LA
Timothy Harris, Janelia Research Campus, VA
Paul Kammermeier, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY
Sonja Kleinlogel, University of Bern, Switzerland
Andreas Luthi, Friedrich-Miescher Institute, Switzerland
Linda Overstreet-Wadiche, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL
Jesper Sjostrom, McGill University, Canada
Matthew Xu-Friedman, State University of New York Buffalo, NY
Support & Stipends
Stipends are available to offset tuition costs as follows:
Please indicate your eligibility for funding in your stipend request submitted when you apply to the course. Stipend requests do not affect selection decisions made by the instructors.
Virtual Attendance Cost : $1,500
No fees are due until you have been accepted into the course. Financial aid offers will be communicated with the acceptance notifications. Students accepted into the course should plan to be fully engaged and attend ~6 hours of virtual talks and discussion per day
Applicants must have 1) access to a microscope and electrophysiology rig in your own lab; and 2) a statement from your labhead (in their letter of recommendation) that you will have prioritized access to this equipment for the duration of the course (1pm-5pm Eastern time Monday-Friday). Trainees accepted into the course will receive an advance copy of the course manual and a small “goody bag” filled with a few fun items to use during the course!
Before applying, ensure you have:
- Personal statement/essay;
- Letter(s) of recommendation (see above re. access to equipment);
- Curriculum vitae/resume (optional);
- Financial aid request (optional).
More details.
If you are not ready to fully apply but wish to express interest in applying, receive a reminder two weeks prior to the deadline, and tell us about your financial aid requirements, click below: