Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Lab to Patient and Back

From molecules to brain, cells to behaviour, this interactive course provides you with a comprehensive insight into various aspects of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Vanishing White Matter. It addresses both clinical aspects and methodologies for the study of brain diseases with expert lecturers presenting their applied and fundamental research work.

WHO SHOULD JOIN?
Students and professionals in the field of Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Physics and other medically oriented disciplines with an interest in brain function in health and disease, and especially the underlying molecular mechanisms. If you have doubts about your eligibility for the course, please let us know. Our courses are multi-disciplinary and therefore are open to students and professionals with a wide variety of backgrounds. 

COURSE CONTENT
You are challenged to deepen your own knowledge of a selected neurodegenerative condition by working with peers from different academic backgrounds on an integrated, interdisciplinary approach for presentation at the end of the course – a project that requires active involvement, mechanistic thinking and thorough reasoning, and will develop your critical and constructive faculties. 

The course is organized by the Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), one of the centres of expertise at the Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam. The CNCR operates integrated research programmes, covering everything from genes to behaviour, each combining mouse and human studies. Its teams are leaders in their specific fields, renowned for the use of state-of-the-art techniques 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, you:

• Gained a basic knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases, the “foundation”. 
• Gained an in-depth knowledge of specific research approaches and methods to address various aspects of neurodegenerative diseases, the “toolbox”.
• Formed an overview of current limits and future needs, the “perspective“.
• Integrated this information to propose new ideas and hypotheses for neurodegenerative diagnostics and therapy, the “potential”.

EXCURSIONS
Visits to several of the state-of-the-art laboratories at the Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, including the electron microscopy, confocal and life cell imaging and animal and behavioural facilities.

COURSE READING
Selected scientific papers will be made available and must be studied prior to the lectures.