Biol 266 Developmental Neurobiology
Instructor: Alicia Ebert, PhD
Office: Biology Department, 313 Marsh Life Sciences
E-mail: Alicia.ebert@uvm.edu
Phone: (802) 656-0458
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9-11 or by appointment
Lecture Schedule: MWF 10:40 AM, Marsh Life Science Building 107
Textbook: Dan H Sanes et. al. “Development of the Nervous System” Academic Press.
Course Description:
The aim of this course is to explore the fundamental mechanisms underlying neural
development. Topics include patterning of the nervous system, birth and death of neurons,
guidance of axons, target determination and innervation, synaptogenesis, sex differences,
language and behavior. This course will emphasize the cellular and molecular basis of these
events.
Learning Objectives:
 Learn basic principles of developmental neurobiology emphasizing the cellular and
molecular events that regulate formation of the nervous system;
 Gain a significant understanding of the experimental design and tools used by
neuroscientists to study the development of the nervous system;
 Critique and analyze neurobiology experiments in terms of the scientific process;
 Learn to summarize key historical scientific papers in the field of neurobiology and
lead class discussions based on paper topics.
Evaluation:
Exams: There will be three in class exams and one cumulative final exam. The exams will
focus on material presented in class along with the papers discussed and will be short
answer/essay format.
Assignments: Papers focusing on key findings in developmental neuroscience will be
assigned throughout the semester. Students will be required to read the papers, answer the
assigned questions and participate in the class discussion.
Outside Lectures: Students will be expected to attend two outside lectures during the
semester. These can be Departmental Seminars, Grand Rounds in the Medical School, etc. A
one-page write-up of the presentation will be required for a grade.
Research Paper: Graduate students will be required to write a research paper (10 pages
max) in grant proposal format. The objective of the paper is to formulate a grant proposal
on a topic in Developmental Neurobiology. The paper should include background and
significance, specific aims, and experimental design and rationale. The paper is due the
last day of lecture.
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Outside Lectures
Assignments
Research paper
Total
Undergraduates
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
150 pts
50 pts
100 pts
600 pts
Graduates
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
150 pts
50 pts
100 pts
50 pts
650 pts
Couse Policies:
Cheating: Cheating will not be tolerated and a student found cheating on an exam or
plagiarizing a report will receive an automatic zero on the exam or report. Further
disciplinary action is at the discretion of the instructor.
Class conduct: It is expected that all class participants will be respectful and courteous to
all fellow students, the instructor, and other faculty and staff. Examples of courteous
behavior include:
 Turn off all cell phones when in class
 Put away reading material not relevant to the current class
 Arrive on time as to not interrupt the class in progress
 Refrain from bringing food and drinks into the classroom
ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all students with disabilities be
guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodations of their
disabilities. If you have a disability requiring accommodations, please let the instructor
know at the first lecture.
Spring 2015 Lecture Schedule
Date
Jan
12
14
16
19
21
23
26
28
Topic
L1- Derivation of nervous tissues
L2- Neural induction
L3- Proneural genes and lateral inhibition
MLK holiday
Paper 1
L4- Identity of the nervous system and hox genes
L5- Organizing centers and forebrain development
L6- D/V axis, neural tube and neural crest
Ch1
Ch1
Ch1
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
30
2
4
6
9
11
13
16
18
20
23
25
27
2
4
6
9
11
13
16
18
20
23
25
27
30
1
3
6
8
10
13
15
17
20
22
24
27
29
TBD
Paper 2
L7- Neurogenesis
L8- Cortex and Cerebellum
L9- Migration and adult neurogenesis
Paper 3
Exam1
L10- Neuronal determination
President’s Day holiday
L11- Neural crest, retina differentiation
L12-spinal cord differentiation
Paper 4
L13- The growth cone
L14- Dendrites, guidance cues, repulsion
Spring break
Spring break
Spring break
L15- Chemotaxis, midline crossing, optic tract guidance
Paper 5
L16- Target innervation and topographic mapping
L17- Lamination, synaptic targeting and fine tuning
Paper 6
Exam 2
L18- Neuronal death, NGF
L19- Neurotrophins, cytokines, hormones
L20- Caspases, BCL-2, Calcium
Paper 7
L21- Synapse formation
L22- Synaptic differentiation
L23- Innervation, maturation and plasticity
Paper 8
How the Brain works video
L24 – Refinement of synapses
L25- Sensory coding, topographical mapping
L26- Synaptic elimination, gain and morphology
Paper 9
Exam 3
L27- Development and determinants of behaviors
L28- Hearing, vision, sex differences, gender
L29- Genomic imprinting, learning and language
Final Exam
Ch3
Ch3
Ch3
Ch4
Ch4
Ch4
Ch5
Ch5
Ch5
Ch6
Ch6
Ch7
Ch7
Ch7
Ch8
Ch8
Ch8
Ch9
Ch9
Ch9
Ch10
Ch10
Ch10