The Neuroscience and Physiology program is directed by Rodolfo Llinás, MD, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and a member of the MSTP training faculty. Doctoral candidates can study membrane physiology, cellular physiology, synaptic transmission, cellular neurophysiology, developmental neurobiology, molecular neurobiology, brain cell microenvironment, computer-based anatomy, and neuronal modeling. A diverse curriculum is offered to students through courses taught by faculty in several basic medical science departments, including physiology and neuroscience, biochemistry, cell biology, and pharmacology as well as the Center for Neural Science located at the Washington Square campus.

The program has been reorganized significantly over the past year. There is a new program office located in the Smilow Research Building, in which Stewart Bloomfield, PhD (who serves on the MSTP Faculty Operating Committee), serves as a coordinator and Eric Lang, MD, PhD (a graduate of our MSTP), is graduate advisor. This office coordinates all graduate courses and neuroscience seminars offered at the medical school as joint efforts with the Center for Neural Science (CNS) at Washington Square campus in an effort to integrate the courses offered by both programs. At present, the core neuroscience courses are team-taught by both faculties and are attended by students within both graduate programs. Further integration of the Neuroscience training programs will continue over the next year in the areas of student recruitment and lab rotations. The ultimate goal is to create a seamless integration of the neuroscience graduate programs at NYU.