This course is concerned with understanding the biology of the nervous system, focusing primarily on the cellular and molecular bases of neuronal function. Lectures will cover such topics as nerve resting and action potentials, ion channels, neurotransmitters and synapses, regulation of neuronal gene transcription and the neural correlates of behavior in organisms with simple nervous systems. Reading original research papers and discussing them constitutes an important part of the course. Some of the topics that may be covered include: transmitter release mechanisms, the biophysics of ion permeation through channels, neural development and its control, plasticity in the nervous system, and various clinical disorders. Laboratories are designed to introduce the students to modern techniques in neurobiology including intracellular recording, histochemistry, and cell culture. Format: lectures /laboratories, six hours a week. Evaluation will be based on class participation, lab notebooks and posters, two laboratory research proposals, two hour exams and a final exam. Prerequisites: Biology 101 and Biology 205 or Biology 212. Enrollment limit: 30 (expected: 24). Preference given to Biology majors and Neuroscience concentrators.