Neuroscience Methods: Cells and Circuits · Psychology
In this course, I gained a strong foundation in the experimental techniques used to study neural circuits at the cellular and systems levels. I developed both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, including an understanding of methods like calcium imaging, electrophysiology, biosensor design, and optogenetics. Beyond technical skills, I also gained a deeper appreciation for how experimental design, data analysis, and critical thinking are essential for neuroscience research. The course shifted my perspective from passively learning about the brain to thinking actively about how we study it and generate new knowledge.
Learned neuroscience techniques that translated very well to lab settings. A wide range of skills & different aspects of nueroscience.
This course teaches essential skills like conducting a literature review, understanding assessing empirical studies, writing a research paper, and presenting one's research in a concise and scientifically sound way. In the lab portion, it allows students to perform techniques used in animal behavior research, cognitive neuroscience, and neurogenetics.
In depth investigation into neuroscience research research methods.
The course was fantastic and provided me with a strong foundation in how neuroscience research is designed and conducted. I learned to evaluate scientific questions through method and design. I gained a deeper understanding of the multiple levels of analysis in neuroscience.
In the Research Methods in Neuroscience: Circuits and Cells course I learned how to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills development. I had weekly hands-on laboratory experiences, and a chance to see what day to day neuroscience research entails. The first three weeks of the semester will cover introductory topics in neuroscience, the scientific method, and experimental design. I also participated in three 3-week long modules covering human cognition, animal behavior, and neurological disease. The last two weeks of the course was spent preparing for a successful undergraduate research experience. Throughout the semester read scientific review articles to deepen their understanding of the lecture material and to contextualize that week’s lab experience.
This is a very good course for a student with no prior research experience in the field of neuroscience or biology.
Professor is super supportive, but the labs took a very long time to complete. It would help if TA office hours were scheduled before lab due dates.
This was one of my favorite classes at Columbia, hands down . It was as enjoyable as it was educational. Even for students without a background in neuroscience, the course was structured in a way that made complex material deeply comprehensible. The workload was perfectly balanced, not too heavy or too light, not simple but never overwhelming. It truly supported maximum understanding with minimal stress.