State of the Neuroscience Program 2006-2007
Welcome!
Directorate:
Villu Maricq – Biology Richard Dorsky – Neurobiology & Anatomy Kristen Keefe – Pharm/Tox Josh Cameron – Zhang lab Arik Hone – Mc Intosh Lab
Program Coordinator:
Tracy Marble
Recruitment/Admissions
Sabine Fuhrmann
Admissions Committee: Alessandra Angelucci (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences) Jeanne Frederick (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences) Sabine Fuhrmann (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences) Bradley Greger (Bioengineering) Ray Kesner (Psychology) Shannon Odelberg (Cardiology) Gary Rose (Biology) Fred Federer (Angelucci lab), James Anderson (Marc Lab), Sean Flynn (White Lab) Shushruth (Angelucci lab) Andrew Zayachkivsky (Dudek Lab)
Recruitment/Admissions
Sabine Fuhrmann
Update on recruitment efforts: We reviewed 104 applications (71 international) We interviewed 23 applicants (7 international) We made 17 offers 8 have accepted (2 international) 1 MD/PhD joined the program:
Robert Duncan Eerik Elias Olena Filchakova Eli Iacob Shaili Johri Rebecca Parker Andrea Schwager Elliott Smith James Tucker (University of Oregon) (New Mexico Tech) (intern., Kharkiv National Karazin U., Ukraine) (University of Michigan) (intern., University of Baroda, India) (University of Utah) (Drake University) (University of Washington) (Lewis and Clark College) *MD/PhD
Recruitment/Admissions
Sabine Fuhrmann
Events of the primary Recruitment Day: Morning interviews occurred in the new Moran Building. Poster session during Reception in the evening.
General: We need a replacement for a recruitment chair (identify opportunities to contact US and minority undergraduates in colleges and universities, attend career day events for undergrads, coordination with admissions chair).
Neuroscience Program info has been added to mbio /biol chem. Mailer.
Curriculum
Monica Vetter
Thanks to a dedicated curriculum committee:
Franz Goller, Ed Dudek, Greg Clark, Steve White (stepping down), Alessandra Angelucci, Karen Wilcox, Crystal Sigulinsky, Kerry-Ann Stewart
Curriculum
Monica Vetter Overall, the classes have been quite successful, so no major changes are planned.
Thank you to all of our course directors for a very successful year of classes: Greg Clark, Tom Parks, Rich Dorsky, Alan Light, Ed Dudek, Shannon Odelberg, Mary Lucero
Curriculum - Major changes
Qualifying exam:
We now require 2 preproposals/abstracts rather than 3. Policies and Procedures being updated now. We are planning to implement standardized online course evaluations for all Neuroscience classes using the MBM system. I will meet with the course directors to develop a template this summer.
We have drafted guidelines/requirements for MD/PhD students wishing to earn their PhD in a Neuroscience lab. These guidelines will be added to the Policies and Procedures.
Curriculum - Major changes
Franz Goller will assume the role of Chair of the Curriculum Committee starting January 1, 2008 Thank you Franz!
Student Advising
Richard Dorsky
Roles of Student Advisor:
Rotations Thesis labs Other issues
1st year: See Student Advisor 2nd year and beyond:
Protocol for Student Problems:
PI Thesis committee Student Advisor
Seminar Committee
Bradley Greger
Student members of seminar committee Katherine Zukor Matt Reidy Eric Bend Priyanka Pandit Michelle Stamm Renee Kruse Bend
Seminar Committee
Bradley Greger
18 Sep 07 16 Oct 07 20 Nov 07 18 Dec 07 15 Jan 08 19 Feb 08 18 Mar 08 15 Apr 08
Ege Kavalai
U of TX
Gord Fishell Mriganka Sur Paul Glimcher Constance Cepko
NYU MIT NYU Harvard
Snowbird Symposium
Alice Schmid
First thanks to last year’s organizer, Kang Zhang This year’s theme:
Regeneration and Neuroprotection in the CNS
Suggested speakers are pioneers in Translational Research:
Brain Awareness Week
BAW Committee: Sarah Farnsworth, Eric Veien, Sam Covington, Molly Dubray, John Gaynes, Vernon Twede, Randi Rawson
Neuroscience students visited several schools in SLC from March 13-18 We taught both elementary and high school students about brain anatomy, development, health, safety, etc. Kids were able to participate in a hands-on manner and were excited to learn!
Brain Awareness Week
BAW Committee: Sarah Farnsworth, Eric Veien, Sam Covington, Molly Dubray, John Gaynes, Vernon Twede, Randi Rawson
Juan Diego High School kids learning about neuroscience!
Students – Current status
Mary Lucero
Students Entered Program 10 9 6 9 5 4 8 Left Program 1 3 0 2 1 2 4 Complete Prelim 0/9 0/6 6/6 7/7 4/4 2/2 4/8 Complete Proposal 0/9 0/6 2/6 5/7 4/4 2/2 4/8 Defend Thesis 0/9 0/6 1/6 0/7 3/4
1 next wk scheduled
Graduate
Travel Award
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year 6th Year 7th Year
0/9 0/6 0/6 0/7 3/4 0/2 2/4 2 1 2 1
0/2 4/4
Students – Current status
Mary Lucero
9 student-author publications in 2006-2007 Journals include: Neuron Cell Cycle Science J. Comp. Neurol., Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Vis Res J Int Neuropsychl Soc Int J Biol Sci
Grants/Awards to our students
Mary Lucero
Takahashi: Epilepsy Foundation of America pre-doctoral fellowship Jobson: International New Venture Championship, Runner Up 2005;
Utah Entrepreneurial Challenge, 1st place 2005; University of Utah Opportunity Quest 2nd place 2004 (all above with a Lassonde Center business we developed and named Wasatch Microfluidics)
Gribble: Genetics Training Grant Veien: Genetics Training Grant Cameron: Travel awards: National Eye Institute Travel Grant, ARVO; and Young Investigators Award, XIIth International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration; University TA Scholar, University of Utah 2005-06. Federer: CSHL course Shushruth: CSHL course
Students
Mary Lucero Current status of the Neuroscience Training Grant:
The grant just completed first of five years
Renee Bend John Gaynes Gretchen Carr – on medical leave of absence James Anderson Molly DuBray Danielle Downey – on leave of absence
Training Grant Year 2
7 students selected for support in 07-08
First year students
Rebecca Parker Eerik Elias Eli Iocob Eric Bend (Jorgensen Lab) Randi Rawson (Jorgensen Lab) Renee Bend (Chien Lab) Vernon Tweede (Olivera Lab)
Second year students
Administration
Mary Lucero
Guaranteed support for 12 stipends Allows support for 2 years MBM Dollars to follow students in med school labs to their departments This makes us now on par with Mol Bio and Medicinal Chemistry
Faculty
Mary Lucero
New Faculty in the past 3 years:
Ed Dudek Physiology Kim Statler Pediatrics Evan Riddle Pharmacology/Toxicology Steve Bealer Pharmacology/Toxicology Kuby Balagurunathan Medicinal Chemistry Bradley Greger Bioengineering Jason Watson Psychology Kang Zhang Ophthalmology Alice Schmid Human Genetics Yukio Saijoh Neurobiology & Anatomy
• • • • • • • • • •
Faculty
Mary Lucero
Faculty Service
#Faculty in the program
#Faculty serving on committees #Faculty teaching 28 #Faculty training students in their labs #Faculty having rotations/no teaching Total In reality ~ 35 active faculty
74
17
22 7
74
Questions, Comments, Suggestions