Patrícia
Maciel: Health and Life Sciences Research Institute, School of Health
Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
Joana Almeida Palha: Health and Life Sciences Research
Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
Objectives:
The aim of this training course is to provide an overview of the role of genes in the development and function of the nervous system, with a focus on novel multidisciplinary investigational approaches and the use of a variety of animal models, and to discuss the implications of the experimental findings for the study of mental illness in humans.
The last years have brought a large amount of new information concerning the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and function of the nervous system. A large proportion of the data has been obtained with recourse to molecular genetic
approaches, in combination with electrophysiological and behavioral analysis. Animal models have been a very useful resource in this field, with various species contributing with their different advantageous features for the experimental dissection of the molecular basis of neural function.
Recent small-scale (biological question-driven) and large-scale (technology driven) mutagenesis efforts in different animal species have contributed greatly to the clarification of the function of many novel genes, identified through genome sequencing efforts or shown to be associated with specific diseases and/or phenotypes. This is true for many areas of biological and biomedical research, and particularly so for the Neurosciences, where many biological questions are now being addressed using genetically modified animal models such as transgenic mice, highly regulated "knock-out" mice and ENU-induced mutants with neurological or behavioral phenotypes.The themes to be covered in the training course include the role of genes in memory and learning, in the addiction to psychoactive substances and in social behavior, as well as the molecular basis of the circadian rhythm(s), and a discussion of the role of epigenetic modifications in neuronal function and behavior. The genetics and genomics of neuropsychiatric disorders such as mental retardation, autism, dementia and schizophrenia will be discussed, in an attempt to correlate the data obtained in animal models with the current state of knowledge in human disorders.
Outline of the course:
The course is structured in five days of lectures and article discussion sessions. Each of invited speakers was asked to introduce the technical approaches they use in their research, to give a broad overview of their field of research and to illustrate the concepts with some recent results of their own. The students will then critically read and present research articles selected by the speakers (and more than one of the course lecturers will be present to stimulate the discussion). At the end of the day an additional (shorter) lecture will cover related human mental disorders and the approaches used for their study. This human disease-animal model integrative perspective is an essential concept underlying the course plan.
Venue:
19-23 July 2004
Participation:
The course is
limited to 45 delegates.
Programme:
Monday, 19 Tuesday, 20 Wednesday, 21 Thursday, 22 Friday, 23 9 to 12 Memory/learning Addiction Social Behavior Fear/Anxiety Circadian rhythm Break 14 to 16.30 Discussion articles Discussion articles Discussion articles Discussion articles Discussion articles Break 17 to 19 Mental retardation Dementia Autism Schizophrenia Epigenetics
Registration:
Registration is now closed.