Neurobiology and Behavior of Marine Organisms

Course Instructors: Jennifer Morgan and Margherita Perillo

Course Description:

Marine organisms have played an instrumental role in defining how the nervous system works and the underlying neural mechanisms that drive animal behavior. This course will showcase how marine models such as lampreys, cephalopods, and echinoderms, have been used for seminal work in neurobiology and how they are being used today for novel, cutting-edge research. Coursework topics include: neuronal excitability, synapses, circuits, neurodevelopment, regeneration, evolution, and behavior. In addition to lectures and discussions of key literature, this course features hands-on laboratory-based exercises using imaging, physiology, and behavioral assays, as well as independent "discovery" projects to explore new research avenues. Projects and techniques learned in this course will synergistically complement neurobiology courses that focus on traditional animal systems.