Molecular Genetic Tools for the Study of Neural Circuits

The primary goal of systems neuroscience is to understand how neural circuits produce behavior. A classical approach to understanding the functional properties of specific brain areas involves lesioning those areas and measuring the resultant behavioral deficits. There are two main problems with this approach: (1) Lesions do not tell you what a brain area does, only what the brain can do without, (2) Even very small lesions can damage numerous cell types and passing fibers. Fortunately, the biological processes that produce such anatomical complexity can be hijacked by modern techniques to create region- and cell-type specific manipulations. Systems neuroscience is now in a golden age where our molecular genetic toolkit enables unprecedented control of neural circuits.

This summer school will highlight the most cutting-edge molecular genetic techniques used today. Experts and inventors will provide background information on each technique and then share exciting new data from their research groups to demonstrate the technique’s power. We will show the application of these tools in a wide range of model organisms from fruit fly to rodents to primates. We will also engage in group discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, and how to combine them effectively to address your specific research question. In addition to technical lectures and research talks from professors, students will give poster presentations and work with faculty mentors in small groups to prepare project proposals which will be presented at the end of the week. There will be ample time for discussion between students and faculty throughout which we hope will be an excellent networking opportunity, and may lead to new collaborations. Lastly, there will be time dedicated for excursions in the breathtaking nature of northern Norway.