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/AdmissionsSabine FuhrmannAdmissions 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/AdmissionsSabine FuhrmannUpdate 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 (University of Oregon)

Eerik Elias (New Mexico Tech)

Olena Filchakova (intern., Kharkiv National Karazin U., Ukraine)

Eli Iacob (University of Michigan)

Shaili Johri (intern., University of Baroda, India)

Rebecca Parker (University of Utah)

Andrea Schwager (Drake University)

Elliott Smith (University of Washington)

James Tucker (Lewis and Clark College) *MD/PhD

Recruitment/AdmissionsSabine 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.

CurriculumMonica 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

CurriculumMonica 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 AdvisingRichard Dorsky

Roles of Student Advisor: Rotations Thesis labs Other issues

Protocol for Student Problems: 1st year: See Student Advisor 2nd year and beyond:

PI Thesis committee Student Advisor

Seminar CommitteeBradley Greger

Student members of seminar committee

Katherine Zukor Matt Reidy Eric Bend Priyanka Pandit Michelle Stamm Renee Kruse Bend

Seminar CommitteeBradley Greger

18 Sep 07 Ege Kavalai U of TX16 Oct 0720 Nov 0718 Dec 0715 Jan 08 Gord Fishell NYU19 Feb 08 Mriganka Sur MIT18 Mar 08 Paul Glimcher NYU15 Apr 08 Constance Cepko Harvard

Snowbird SymposiumAlice 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:

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 WeekBAW Committee: Sarah Farnsworth, Eric Veien, Sam Covington, Molly Dubray, John Gaynes, Vernon Twede, Randi Rawson

Brain Awareness WeekBAW 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 statusMary Lucero

Students

EnteredProgram

Left Program

CompletePrelim

CompleteProposal

DefendThesis

Graduate

Travel Award

1st Year

10 1 0/9 0/9 0/9 0/9

2nd Year

9 3 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6

3rd Year

6 0 6/6 2/6 1/6 scheduled

0/6 2

4th Year

9 2 7/7 5/7 0/7 0/7 1

5th Year

5 1 4/4 4/4 3/41 next wk

3/4 2

6th Year

4 2 2/2 2/2 0/2 0/2 1

7th Year

8 4 4/8 4/8 4/4 2/4

Students – Current statusMary 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 studentsMary 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

StudentsMary 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

Second year students Eric Bend (Jorgensen Lab) Randi Rawson (Jorgensen Lab) Renee Bend (Chien Lab) Vernon Tweede (Olivera Lab)

AdministrationMary 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

FacultyMary 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

FacultyMary Lucero

Faculty Service #Faculty in the program 74

#Faculty serving on committees 17 #Faculty teaching 28 #Faculty training students in their labs22 #Faculty having rotations/no teaching 7

Total 74 In reality ~ 35 active faculty

Questions, Comments, Suggestions