Curriculum

The BBS Program common curriculum includes courses that are essential for trainees to gain a full appreciation of a wide range of behavioral research approaches and obtain a sound biomedical grounding (described below).

In addition, trainees engage in supervised research with a program preceptor and complete other, elective courses and program activities tailored to their particular needs.

Seminar Program in the Behavioral Sciences:

Once-monthly seminars are presented by program, faculty, fellows, and students, as well as highly accomplished behavioral researchers from other institutions. This provides a forum for trainees to learn of current research activities and meet leaders in the field. Invited speakers present their research and meet with BBS Program trainees and faculty. BBS Program trainees and faculty also present their research in this venue. In addition to this BBS Program-specific seminar series there are other seminar series that benefit BBS trainees, including those in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Public Heath.

Literature-Based Journal Club Program for Behavioral Sciences Research:

This course serves as the touchstone for the BBS Program. It is a twice monthly, advanced course in which BBS Program preceptors and trainees, as well as others with behavioral research interests, participate. This literature-based course discusses and analyzes current, cutting edge research in the behavioral sciences, as well as related biomedically oriented scientific literature. It also examines, on an ongoing basis, issues relevant to scientific integrity and ethics. This course facilitates the expansion of understanding of behavioral research approaches, and as a result of a writing component, aids the students in conceptualizing and writing about research findings.

Integrated Analysis of Brain Structure and Function:

This course uses fMRI-based imaging and simulation to provide a sound understanding of the structure and function of the human brain. Also, through a didactic approach, an appreciation of the relationship between neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neurochemistry, and normal and pathological behavior is achieved. Small-group, supplementary sessions provide additional background to BBS trainees in relevant areas of physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. This ensures that each trainee, regardless of prior background and in which Ph.D. program they are enrolled, will have a solid grounding in biomedical principles that relate human brain function to behavior, in both health and disease.

Experimental Analysis of Behavior:

This course provides the theoretical and experimental basis for research on behavior in both humans and animals. It uses a didactic approach, combined with discussion of the primary literature, to provide an understanding of theories of learning and organization of behavior. It also covers methodological, empirical, and conceptual issues of application of basic behavioral research to problems of social significance.

Biostatistics & Bioinformatics:

These courses provide the fundamental knowledge to apply statistical methods to provide for effective organization, analysis and interpretation of data. This will provide trainees with the tools they need for their analysis of their own behavioral research data and will provide the knowledge base for future efforts. In addition, trainees will be provided with an understanding of the application of computational methods, statistics, and mathematics to large, complex datasets, and a working knowledge of public databases. George Kelley, a BBS preceptor, provides additional statistical consultation to BBS trainees and faculty.

Epidemiology:

This course provides information on the principles and methods of epidemiology in order to train students in the methodologies for human observational studies and to develop skills for identifying public health problems. A major focus is on the application of quantitative epidemiological methods to answer questions about disease morbidity, mortality, and etiology at the population level. These principles are fundamental to the design of prevention, intervention, and health outcomes research.

Research Practicum:

This provides each trainee with a behavioral research experience outside his or her primary area of interest. With the advise of their faculty preceptor and dissertation committee, trainees identify the lab of another BBS preceptor in which they will complete an eight-week research rotation (half-time). The goal of this rotation is to provide exposure to research approaches and strategies distinct from their home lab. For example a student studying molecular mechanisms relating to learning and memory using animal models may work in another preceptor’s lab that carries out related clinical/translational or population-based research