Fundamentals in Neuroscience

Introduction
Faculty
Programme
Evaluation methodology
Supporting material
Registration

Introduction

Learning goals:

To describe the anatomical and functional relations between major brain areas;
To identify the cell types of the nervous system, describe the physical and functional interactions between them and explain their role in the nervous system;
To outline characteristics of disorders of the nervous system and of behavior;
To analyze animal models of nervous system disorders and select the best suited methodological approaches (behavioral, molecular, electrophysiological) for their study;
To construct a research project for the study of a nervous system disorder.

Before starting the course students are expected to have basic knowledge in:
	Brain anatomy and functional organization of the nervous system; Cellular components of the nervous system; Cellular communication - neurotransmitters and receptors.

Faculty

Organizing Committee
António Salgado, Carina Cunha, Sara Silva
Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine
University of Minho

Teaching Staff
Ana Falcão
Ana João Rodrigues
Ana Verónica Domingues
António Salgado
Bárbara Coimbra
Carina Cunha
Cláudia Nóbrega
Diana Rodrigues
Daniela Monteiro-Fernandes
Fernanda Marques
Filipa Pinto-Ribeiro
Hugo Almeida
Joana Palha
João Bessa
João Carlos Sousa
João Cerqueira
João Oliveira
João Machado
Juliana Fernandes
Leandro Aguiar
Luísa Pinto
Marta Costa
Nadine C. Santos
Nuno Silva
Nuno Sousa
Patrícia Maciel
Pedro E. Ferreira
Pedro Morgado
Sara Calafate
Sara Silva
Susana Monteiro
Tiago Gil Oliveira

Programme

The 18th Fundamentals in Neuroscience course will be held from September 22nd to October 10th, 2025.

Click here to download the detailed programme.

Evaluation methodology

To get approval in the course students must be present at least in 2/3 of the classes.

Final grade will include the following items (weight of each item in the final grade between brackets):
- Final exam (50%)
- Research Activity (30%)
- Quizzes (10%)
- Professionalism (10%)

The evaluation is mandatory for students enrolled in the MSc and PhD programs of the School of Medicine and optional for the other participants.

Supporting material

We recommended the following book:
	Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, Siegelbaum SA, Hudspeth AJ. 2012. Principles of Neural Science, 5th ed. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Other books of interest:
	Irwin B. Levitan, Leonard K . Kaczmarek.The Neuron: Cell and Molecular Biology, 3rd ed (ISBN: 9780195145236). Squire LR, Berg D, Bloom FE, Lac S, Ghosh A & Spitzer NC, Fundamental Neuroscience, 4th ed. Academic Press, London. Siegel GJ, Agranoff BW, Albers RW, Fisher SK & Uhler MD 2008. Basic Neurochemistry, 6th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (2nd edition is freely available here). Carpenter MB, Core text of neuroanatomy,, 4th ed. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore. Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Morgan D & Raff M 2008 The Molecular Biology of the Cell, 6th ed. Garland Publishing, London (4th edition is freely available here). Boron WF, Boulpaep EL Medical 2012. Physiology. Second edition. Elsevier. Schoenwolf, Bleyl, Brauer and Francis-West 2009 Larsen’s Human Embryology. 4th ed. Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. Young, Lowe, Stevens and Heath. 2006. Wheater’s Functional Histology - A Text and a Colour Atlas. 5th ed. Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
For each theme session, additional bibliography (one review article) will be supplied one week prior to the beginning of the course.

Registration

To register, please fill out the registration form. Within 24/72h, we will send you the confirmation and details for the payment. Please contact us if you do not receive a response in the next 5 days.

Target group

Master and PhD students
Researchers of biological/biomedical fields

Registration deadline

September 18th 2025

Number of vacancies

30 places

Fee

400,00 EUR

The fee includes

- All the necessary material for the course
- Certificate of attendance

Details for the payment

This information will be sent to the accepted participants.

Payment and invoicing policy

After submit the registration form, you will receive an email with the payment details (this may take up to 72 hours). To complete the registration process, you should proceed with the payment and send the receipt to upg-cursos@med.uminho.pt within 5 days.

Your registration will be effective after confirmation of the payment. If payment is not made in due time we will have to cancel the registration.

The correct indication of customer data during the payment, including a correct fiscal number, are the sole responsibility of the customer. y result from inaccurate information provided by the customer, particularly in the issuance of tax documents which are not susceptible to cancellation after issued. If you do not indicate the tax identification number you will be considered as final consumer (non-taxable person).

Cancelation and refund policy

You may cancel your registration at any time, but you will forfeit the full amount, irrespective of the date of cancellation. We cannot refund or return the fee, unless the course suffer any changes or it is cancelled.

Introduction

Faculty

Programme

Evaluation methodology

Supporting material

Registration

Information

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