For centuries, philosophers have pondered the meaning of life, the universe and everything. Of course, the answer is '42'- at least according to Douglas Adams.Instead of an existential tangent on our place in the universe, I would like to know why you all are here. Reading this blog. Participating in our Neuroethology class- a course that is not commonly part of the medical school curriculum.
So, why are you here? What do you hope to gain by the end of this course?
I am taking the course to gain exposure into different model systems and a different way of thinking about neuroscience. I think it is good to get outside of one's scientific niche and explore other areas of the scientific literature.
ReplyDeleteI don't have specific expectations in terms of what I want to gain from the course, but I appreciate the effort and enthusiasm of the faculty so far!
I am taking this course to acquire an understanding of how different research approaches and techniques are able to correlate behavior to a specific neural circuit, and second to understand the different circuit flavors that exist, how they transmit messages, and what the effective applications and limits of these circuits are.
ReplyDeleteI think the conceptual framework that this will provide will be a valuable and insightful approach to thinking about the neurosciences and neurology in general. Researchers have only characterized a small fraction of the biologic processes that underpin these fields, and this framework will undoubtably aid in interpreting future studies.
Firstly: This course is like a Ranger Rick magazine for big kids. How could I possibly resist such a thing?
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think neuroethology pushes us to expand our concepts of how neural circuits do and could work--providing us with a wider base of knowledge that we can then apply to our more 'traditional' models and studies. Personally, though I'm a student at a medical campus, learning how animals (both human and non-human) work is something I'm really passionate about. I'd like to move into more neuroethological studies as my career progresses--I'm hoping this class will better acquaint me with the field!
-courtney
I am taking this course because I study circuits in the mammalian olfactory bulb and appreciate learning other facets of systems neurobiology. I am hoping to use what I learn in this course to place my work in broader "whole animal" context.
ReplyDelete-Joe