CSHL Courses are intensive, running all day and often including evenings and weekends; students are expected to attend all sessions and reside on campus for the duration of the course.
Cancer neuroscience is a growing field that incorporates the study of malignancies, the nerves that infiltrate them and neuronal influences on disease initiation, its progression and the overall state of the host. The molecular, biological, immunological and neuronal understanding of these complex interactions requires multi-disciplinary approaches and methodologies that have historically been relegated to non-cancer fields. The Methods in Cancer Neuroscience is a short, intensive sixteen day hands-on course that will provide training in techniques necessary to define the complex influence of nerves in cancer. These techniques will span the areas of modelling cancer through orthotopic or systemic inoculation, viral injections and fiber optic placement for optogenetic, cranial window implantation and two photon video-microscopy, virus injections for neuronal tract tracing, behavioral assays, primary neuron and glia isolation and co-culture with cancer cells/ immune cell, and stable cell line generation, in vivo electrophysiology and data analysis, immunolabeling of co-cultures, functional assays (i.e., neurite outgrowth, clonogenic assays, and others), mouse brain organotypic cultures, advanced analysis of calcium reporters, scRNA-seq and data analysis, among other techniques. Lectures and techniques will be taught by the leaders in the field. Trainees will also benefit from interacting with and establishing fruitful collaborations with instructors.
Techniques to be Taught
Cranial window implantation and 2P video microscopy
Viral injections & fiber optic placement
Viral injection for tracing
In vivo electrophysiology and data analysis
Optogenetics
Functional assays
In vitro calcium reporter test
Image analysis: fixed and dynamic data
From the brain to the 10X: tissue preparation and QC
Single cell spatial omics in cancer-neuroscience
Co-cultures neurons and immune system
Generation of stable cell lines
Tissue clearing
Schwan cell isolation and culture
Inoculation of cancer cells
BLI analysis and tissue processing of CNS tumors
Brain organotypic cultures
Behavioral tests
DRGs isolation and co-culture with cancer cells
Immunolabelling of co-cultures
Multi-electrode array (MEA)
2025 Lecturers and Module Leaders
Corina Amor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Joshua Breunig, Cedars-Sinai
Ben Deneen, Baylor University
Karen Dixon, University Basel, Switzerland
Erin Gibson, Stanford University
David Gutmann, Washington University in St. Louis
Shawn Hervey-Jumper, University of California, San Francisco
Liset Menéndez de la Prida, Cajal Institute (CSIC), Spain
Michelle Monje, Stanford University
John Preall, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Jeff Salisbury, Mayo Clinic
Nicole Scheff, University of Pittsburgh
Erica Sloan, Monash University, Australia
Sebastien Talbot, Queen's University, Canada
Kathryn Taylor, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Manuel Valero, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Spain
Manuel Valiente, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Spain
Varun Venkataramani, Heidelberg University Hospital (DKFZ), Germany
Frank Winkler, Heidelberg University Hospital (DKFZ), Germany
Richard Wong, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Yi Ye, New York University
Ofer Yizhar, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Hui Zong, University of Virginia
The Methods in Cancer Neuroscience course is an intensive program designed to provide comprehensive training in the techniques necessary to study the interactions between the nervous system and cancer. Given the limited seats available, the ideal candidate should meet several criteria to ensure they can fully benefit from the program.
•Current Position: The candidate should be a graduate student enrolled in a PhD or MD/PhD program or postdoctoral researcher. Indicate year when the position was initiated.
•Personal Statement (500 words max) and Project Description (500 words max): The Personal Statement should be a well-articulated statement outlining the candidate's research interests, career goals, and how the course will benefit their interdisciplinary work in cancer neuroscience. The Project Description should briefly describe the candidate's current or proposed research project, clearly stating its relevance to cancer neuroscience and how it integrates aspects of both fields.
•Curriculum Vitae (CV) (3 pages max): highlight academic achievements, research experience, and relevant skills in cancer biology and/or neuroscience. Although details are needed, the CV should not exceed 3 pages.
•Letters of Recommendation (3 letters max): Principal investigators (required) and mentors (recommended; up to 2) who can attest to the candidate's potential for interdisciplinary research in cancer neuroscience.
This course may be supported by the National Cancer Institute (funding request submitted). Additional funds are provided by:
Financial aid is available to help offset tuition costs as follows:
- Financial aid for domestic applicants may be provided by the National Cancer Institute (application pending)[up to 50% subsidy depending on need]
- Financial aid for international applicants is provided by the (Howard Hughes Medical Institute). [up to 30% subsidy depending on need]
Please indicate your eligibility for funding in your financial aid request submitted when you apply to the course. Financial aid requests do not affect selection decisions made by the instructors.
Cost (includes food and housing): $5,145 USD
No fees are due until you have completed the full application process and are accepted into the course.
Before applying, ensure you have:
- Personal Statement & Project Description (Upload as one document)
- Letter(s) of recommendation;
- Curriculum vitae/resume;
- 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: