Graduate Program in Neuroscience
The World Health Organization estimates that 1 billion people world-wide are affected by neurological illness. In Canada, the annual total cost of treating neurological illness is estimated at $8.8 billion. As a result, neuroscience research has become a major focus of Canadian health funding.
The interdisciplinary nature of the University of Victoria's Graduate Program in Neuroscience enables the mobilization of neuroscience research and knowledge, helping to address this pressing societal health issue.
Research Areas
Learning and memory
Learning and memory
Primary Faculty: Dr. Craig Brown, Dr. Brian Christie, Dr. Patrick Nahirney, Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne, Dr. Clay Holroyd, Dr. Stephen Lindsay, Dr. Michael Masson, Dr. Ron Skelton, Dr. Paul Zehr
Associated Faculty: Dr. Elizabeth Brimacombe, Dr. Mauricio Garcia-Barrera, Dr. Kim Kerns, Dr. Catherine Mateer
Understanding the cellular, molecular and cognitive mechanisms underlying learning and memory is one of the greatest challenges in neurobiology. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately result in new approaches for establishing, maintaining, and even enhancing brain cells, and their connections, as we age.
Synaptic function
Synaptic function
Primary Faculty: Dr. Craig Brown, Dr. Brian Christie, Dr. Kerry Delaney, Dr. Patrick Nahirney, Dr. Raad Nashmi, Dr. Robert Chow
It's estimated that there are approximately 100 trillion synaptic interconnections between the 100 billion neurons in the human brain, reflecting the fundamental importance of the synapse for neural function.
Since the synapse is the element linking neurons together into circuits, it follows that synaptic dysfunction lies at the centre of most neural disorders. This results in enormous societal and economic costs.
Not surprisingly, synapses are a primary therapeutic target for interventions to treat neurological problems from schizophrenia to addiction to chronic pain.
Developmental neuroscience
Developmental neuroscience
Primary Faculty: Dr. Robert Burke, Dr. Robert Chow , Dr. Brian Christie, Dr. Louis Page, Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne, Dr. Kerry Delaney, Dr. Patrick Nahirney
Associated Faculty: Dr. Mauricio Garcia-Barrera, Dr. Kim Kerns, Dr. Stuart MacDonald, Dr. Ulrich Mueller, Dr. Nancy Sherwood
Cellular and cognitive mechanisms involved in normal, day-to-day neurological activity are hugely complex. So too are the mechanisms that determine the formation and maturation of the neural network responsible for this activity.
The cellular and cognitive branches of developmental neuroscience at UVic comprise two very distinct areas, using different experimental approaches, systems and techniques.
As basic research in these areas increases our knowledge of neurodevelopment, a bridging of the core cellular and cognitive branches of neuroscience will provide tremendous insight into the understanding and potential treatment of neurodevelopment disorders.
Sensory systems
Sensory systems
Primary Faculty: Dr. Craig Brown, Dr. Robert Chow, Dr. Kerry Delaney, Dr. Sandra Hundza , Dr. James Tanaka, Dr. John Taylor, Dr. Paul Zehr
Associated Faculty: Dr. Tony Marley
Areas of expertise in sensory systems at UVic include cellular development, synaptic transmission and cognition. In addition to providing fundamental knowledge about the biology of sensory systems, this knowledge is essential for the design of therapies or cures for sensory disorders.
Because sensory systems tend to provide a tractable, easily-controlled experimental system, the knowledge acquired from this type of research is often very useful for our understanding of other neuronal processes.
Disease / injury
Disease / injury
Primary Faculty: Dr. Craig Brown, Dr. Daniel Bub, Dr. Robert Chow, Dr. Brian Christie, Dr. Kerry Delaney, Dr. Clay Holroyd, Dr. Patrick Nahirney, Dr., Sandra Hundza, Dr. Raad Nashmi, Dr. Ron Skelton, Dr. James Tanaka, Dr. Paul Zehr, Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne
Associated Faculty: Dr. Mauricio Garcia-Barrera, Dr. Kim Kerns, Dr. Stuart MacDonald, Dr. Catherine Mateer
A key area of the neuroscience program that brings together the largest number of permanent and associate neuroscience faculty is focused on neuronal-related disease or injury.
Ten permanent and seven associate faculty members from Biology, Psychology, Division of Medical Sciences and the School of Exercise Science, Physical Health and Education have research interests and/or expertise that are directly related to some form of neuronal pathology.
Cognition and Neuropsychology
Cognition and Neuropsychology
Primary Faculty: Dr. Daniel Bub, Dr. Clay Holroyd, Dr. Adam Krawitz, Dr. Stephen Lindsay, Dr. Michael Masson, Dr. Ron Skelton, Dr. Jim Tanaka
Our goal is to understand the nature of the representations and processes that give rise to mental events, and the influence of memory for past mental events on subsequent experience and behaviour. We adopt a variety of empirical approaches to this enterprise, including naturalistic studies of children and adults, experiments conducted in laboratrory contexts, brain imaging, case studies of brain-damaged patients, and computational modeling.
How to get involved in
the Neuroscience Program
Neuroscience Graduate Programs at UVic approved
The UVic Neuroscience Graduate Program (MSc and PhD) was given final approval by the Ministry of Advanced Education on May 19, 2011. The program is interdisciplinary, building on existing strengths in the Psychology, Biology, Division of Medical Sciences, Biochemistry and Microbiology and Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education Departments and will be hosted by the Division of Medical Sciences. http://web.uvic.ca/calendar2011/GRAD/GPROGS/Neur/index.html
The new program will produce students who have a research-based background in either cellular or cognitive neurosciences, reflecting the two major neuroscience research streams at UVic. The program is designed to emphasize connections between the core areas (learning and memory; synaptic function; developmental neuroscience; sensory motor systems; disease and injury) and to encourage students to develop competencies in more than one area.
The first class of students in the Neuroscience Program will commence in September 2011. For more information please contact the program graduate secretary, Karen Myers ( neurosec@uvic.ca), or the Neuroscience Program Director, Dr. Brian Christie ( brain64@uvic.ca).
- Academic background: You're a suitable candidate if you have an undergraduate degree in a variety of disciplines including, but not restricted to, biology, biochemistry, mathematics, pharmacology, physics, physiology, psychology and zoology.
- Admission requirements: You'll need to meet the minimum requirements of the UVic Faculty of Graduate Studies and have a potential supervisor willing to accept you.
- Visit the neuroscience core faculty page to see a list of neuroscience faculty at UVic, and their specific research interests. Send an email directly to the individual faculty member, along with a copy of your CV or resumé, to enquire about pursuing graduate studies under their supervision.
- Direct admission to PhD in neurosciences: All applicants may apply for direct admission to the PhD program in neurosciences, but the preferred prerequisite is an honours or master's degree. A minimum GPA equivalent to 80% or higher in upper division science courses is required if you only have an undergraduate degree but wish to be directly admitted to the PhD program
- International students: In order to be considered for admission, international students (i.e. whose first language is other than English) must submit original proof of the following TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores:
- Minimum score of 630 on the paper-based test
- Minimum score of 267 on the computer-based test
- Minimum overall score of 90 on the internet-based test
Neuroscience
Core Faculty
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Dr. Craig Brown Research interests: Stroke & diabetes; Synaptic plasticity; In vivo imaging |
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Dr. Brian Christie Research interests: Learning and Memory; Synaptic plasticity; Neurogenesis |
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Dr. Patrick Nahirney Research interests: Synapse ultrastructure; 3-D modeling; Fragile X syndrome |
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Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne Research interests: Neurogenesis and the bioelectric control of new neurons in healthy and injured/diseased brain. |
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Dr. Robert Burke Research interests: Developmental neuroscience |
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Dr. Robert Chow Research interests: Retinal development |
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Dr. Kerry Delaney Research interests: Neurotransmission; Synapse function; Rett's syndrome |
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Dr. Raad Nashmi Research interests: Nicotinic receptors; Neurotransmission |
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Dr. Louis Page Research interests: Evolutionary biology; Larval nervous system |
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Dr. John Taylor Research interests: Comparative genomics; Opsins and olfactory receptors |
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Dr. Sandra Hundza Research interests: Exercise science and physical health education; Neural control of human movement |
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Dr. Paul Zehr Research interests: Spinal reflexes and rehabilitation |
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Dr. Daniel Bub Research interests: Cognitive neuropsychology |
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Dr. Clay Holroyd Research interests: Neurobiological mechanisms of cognitive control |
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Dr. Stephen Lindsay Research interests: Memory and cognition; Eyewitness memory |
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Dr. Michael Masson Research interests: Cognition and action; Human memory |
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Dr. Ron Skelton Research interests: Cognitive neuroscience and recovery after brain damage |
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Dr. Adam Krawitz Research interests: computational cognitive neuroscience of working memory, executive control, and decision making |
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Dr. Jim Tanaka Research interests: Visual object and face recognition |
Upcoming Medical Sciences events
- 2012-06-08 - "Mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction in Huntington disease"
- 2012-06-22 - Regulation of NMDA receptors by prion proteins: implications for neurodegeneration and pain
- View all events on the UVic Medical Sciences calendar