Our philosophy is to encourage academic excellence in the neurosciences within a framework of structure-function relationships at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels. We strive to prepare students with sufficient background depth to excel in high tech cutting-edge translational (applied) research environments and the more traditional multidisciplinary academic setting. We provide students with innovative approaches to important issues in neuroscience research including development, organization and plasticity. Our research interests range from sensory and motor systems to stem cell replacement strategies for spinal cord injuries. In all approaches we strive to integrate the latest teaching modalities while maintaining the time-honored advantages of hands-on, laboratory-based instruction.

The degree program is available to qualified individuals possessing a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. No specific undergraduate major is required, although a science background is preferred.

The Ph.D. degree is offered to students who plan to pursue a career in research and/or teaching, in an academic institution or within industry.

All degree programs require full time study, and it is expected that while participating in these programs students will devote full time effort toward completion of the degree requirements.

Program Admission Procedure

All students wishing to apply must submit an application to the Office of Graduate Admissions with the following documents:

• A formal application submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions (see website: http://graduate.louisville.edu/app/ for forms and directions).
• Application fee.
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation.
• Official transcripts of all college work.
• Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.
• A brief statement of purpose describing your interests and career goals.
• All international applicants whose native language is not English must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.

Program candidates are admitted in the fall semester (which begins in early August). Review of applications begins January 15 and continues until all positions are filled. Admission into the program is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early.

Biochemistry (BIOC/CHEM 545 or equivalent) - 3 credit hours

Cell Biology (MBIO 667 or equivalent) - 3 credit hours

Two lab rotation (ASNB 618) - 6 credit hours

One methods course (e.g. ASNB 665) - 3 credit hours

Anatomy seminar (ASNB 606) each semester prior to candidacy - 1 credit/semester

Students must complete at least 12 credits of departmental courses (non-research), including at least 6 credits of following core courses:

Gross Anatomy (ASNB 601) - 8.5 credit hours

Microscopic Anatomy (ASNB 603) - 6 credit hours

Neuroanatomy (ASNB 607) - 3 credit hours

Neural Systems (ASNB 608) - 4 credit hours

Dental Gross and Neuroanatomy (ASNB 672) - 3 hours

Head and Neck Anatomy (ASNB 673) - 4 hours

Dental Microscopic Anatomy (ASNB 671) - 5 hours

Students must complete one of following elective courses^1,2:

Introductory Immunology (BIO 602) - 2 credit hours

Biochemistry II (BIOCH/CHE547) - 3 credit hours

Cellular and Molecular Immunology (MBIO 658) - 3 credit hours

Neuroanatomy (ASNB 607) - 3 credit hours

Neural Systems (ASNB 608) - 4 credit hours

Physiology I (PHY 605) - 3 credit hours

Physiology II (PHY 606) - 3 credit hours

¹Course substitutions can be made if approved by the ASNB Graduate Education Committee.
²ASNB 607 and 608 fulfill both core and elective requirements.

Following completion of all required coursework, each student is considered a Masters Candidate and will register as such (MAST).

Laboratory Rotations

Each student will complete at least two rotations in different laboratories prior to the start of their third semester. The objectives are to expose the student to different approaches and areas of research, and to assist the student in choosing a laboratory for dissertation research. For each rotation, the student will register for the three (3)-credit course Laboratory Rotation (ASNB 618) which is graded on a pass/fail basis. Once a student has completed a semester rotation in a given laboratory, they can obtain credit for further research in that laboratory by registering for Original Investigation (ASNB 619).

Advisory Committee

The purpose of the advisory committee is to guide the student in developing a course of study that will prepare him or her for a successful career. To this end, the committee may specify one or more of the courses to be taken by the student.

The committee will have five members, with at least one from outside ASNB. The principal advisor will serve as chair. The student, in conjunction with the advisor, should form a committee prior to the start of the third semester. Once the committee is formed, the student will meet with the committee at least twice per year. Following each meeting, the mentor will submit a written brief summary of the meeting to be placed in the student’s file.

Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the qualifying exam is to assure that the student has sufficient knowledge and skills to begin a research project. The exam will be taken within 2 terms (Fall, Spring or Summer terms) after the completion of required coursework. The exam consists of an oral presentation and defense of a research proposal (described below).

Prior to writing the Research Proposal, the student will develop an outline of the proposed experiments in coordination with their advisor and then present this outline to their committee. It is at this point, prior to writing the Research Proposal that the committee should recommend any changes in the research plan, regarding, for example, too many or too few experiments, experiments that are too difficult, or experiments that may be more appropriate for addressing the research question. Once the committee is satisfied with the proposed experiments, the student will write a Research Proposal in the following general format.*

Hypotheses and Experiments
This section will consist of a list of the proposed hypotheses to be tested, and a brief description of the experiments that will be used to test these hypotheses.

Materials and Methods
This section will consist of a detailed description of the materials and methods that will be used to carry out the proposed experiments.

Expected Outcomes
This section will describe the expected results.

Potential Problems
This section will describe any potential problems that could occur, how they might affect interpretation of their research results, and how the student will address any potential problems.

*All students are encouraged to submit (in coordination with their advisor) an application for a National Institutes of Health Predoctoral National Research Service Award (F31) or a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Award. Therefore, the Research Proposal may be submitted in the format of a relevant application with the exception that the background and significance section should be expanded to include a more extensive literature review than permitted by the NIH or NSF page limitations.

Upon completion of the research proposal, the student will distribute a copy to each committee member, who will have two weeks to read the proposal.

The qualifying exam will be chaired by the student’s advisor. The exam will begin with an oral presentation, open to all faculty, in which the student will present a short (approximately 20 min) overview of the research plan. The presentation will be followed by an oral defense to assess the student’s readiness to conduct the proposed research, and their knowledge of all background information relevant to the proposed research. Non-committee members in the audience will then ask questions. The general audience will then be dismissed and the student will defend his/her proposal before the committee. Passing will be determined by majority vote of the committee. A student who fails the exam will have 2 months to retake the exam. Failure on the second attempt will result in dismissal from the program.

Upon successful completion of the exam, a written report stating the outcome of the exam will be signed by each committee member and will become a permanent part of the student’s record. A passing vote indicates that the student has completed the requirements for an M.S. degree, and is a candidate for the Ph.D. degree.

Annual presentation of research progress

Ph.D. students who have completed their class work (M.S. and Ph.D. candidates) must present their research accomplishments annually. This presentation should be 30-50 minutes in length, and the time and location of the presentation should be formally announced to the department faculty, staff and students at least 1 week prior to the planned presentation.

Teaching requirements

Each Ph.D. student must serve as a teaching assistant (T.A.) in at least one ASNB core course. The specific course will be chosen by the student and his/her advisory committee.

Dissertation Defense

With the exception of their training in teaching, the Ph.D. candidate will focus exclusively on completing their research projects and writing a dissertation describing the results of their experiments. It is expected that the dissertation should contain data sufficient for approximately three publishable manuscripts. Upon completion of the dissertation, the student will distribute a copy to each Dissertation Committee member. The committee will have two weeks to read the dissertation and give approval to schedule a defense date or recommend changes that must be completed prior to scheduling a defense date. Once the dissertation is approved by the committee, the student will schedule a Dissertation Defense which will consist of an oral presentation to the department (approximately 45 minutes in length), of the research completed during the student’s graduate training. Non-committee members in the audience will then ask questions. The general audience will then be dismissed and the student will defend his/her dissertation before the committee. Approval by the majority of Dissertation Committee members will signify completion of the Ph.D. degree.

Academic policies

Satisfactory Progress

All graduate students are expected to make steady and satisfactory progress toward the completion of degrees. Unsatisfactory performance may result in immediate dismissal or in academic probation, at the discretion of the Graduate Education Committee of the Department.
A student may not remain on academic probation for more than one semester, after which his/her performance must equal or exceed the minimum requirements. If a probationary student does not achieve the minimum performance level, the Education Committee will consider their dismissal from the program. In all cases, students receiving financial aid must maintain satisfactory progress in order to be eligible for continued financial support.

Satisfactory progress is assessed by a number of factors. While taking courses, students are required to maintain a minimum average grade of "B", i.e., a cumulative grade point of 3.0 on a 4.0 value scale. Deficiencies in the cumulative average grade generated through course work cannot be overcome using research credits (i.e. ASNB 616, 619 or 620). Unsatisfactory performance (i.e., GPA< 3.0) may result in immediate dismissal or in academic probation.

For degree candidates, satisfactory progress also involves maintaining steady progress in laboratory research, analysis, or the documentation of research results. The Reading or Dissertation Committees will evaluate the student’s progress and unsatisfactory progress will be reported to the Education Committee.

Satisfactory progress also involves maintaining the standards of academic and professional integrity. Plagiarism or other failures to maintain appropriate academic standards will result in immediate dismissal from the program.

Administration

For administrative purposes, an interim Ph.D. Advisor will be assigned to each incoming student until he/she has selected a Dissertation Mentor.

Guideline Changes

The Department reserves the right to change requirements at any time. When requirements change, the student may have the option of satisfying either the requirements in effect when he/she entered the program or the new requirements, depending on circumstances.

Fred J. Roisen
Professor
Chairman, ASNB

Martha E. Bickford
Professor
Director, Graduate Program

Ferrell R. Campbell
Professor
Director, Analytical Microscopy & Histology Lab

Nigel G.F. Cooper
Professor
Vice-Chair for Research
Director, Molecular Neurobiology Core Lab

Raymond Ho
Professor
Course Director, Dental Gross and Neuroanatomy; Head and Neck Anatomy

George D. Mower
Professor
Course Director, Medical Neurosciences

G. Stephen Nettleton
Professor
Vice Chairman for Administration and Academic Affairs, Education Coordinator, Course Director, Medical Gross; Human Embryology

Matthew Qiu
Professor
Director, Neurochemistry Shared Instrumentation Lab

Michael T. Tseng
Professor
Course Director, Dental Hygiene

Rita M. Colella
Associate Professor
Course Director, Medical Microscopic Anatomy

Charles H. Hubscher
Associate Professor
Director, Graduate Admissions

Robin F. Krimm
Associate Professor
Course Director, Dental Microscopic Anatomy

Ashok Kumar
Associate Professor

Nobuyuki Kuwabara
Associate Professor

Guillermo W. Rougier
Associate Professor

Richard Benton
Assistant Professor

H. Wayne Lambert
Assistant Professor

Robert F. Lundy, Jr.
Assistant Professor

J. Patrick Moore
Assistant Professor

Jeff Petruska
Assistant Professor

Madan Ajmani
Instructor

Wei Fan
Instructor

Joint/Associate Appointments

Robert Acland
Professor
Surgery

Manuel Casanova
Professor
Endowed Chair, Psychiatry

Allan Farman
Professor
Diagnosis & General Dentistry

Irene Litvan
Professor
Endowed Chair, Neurology

C. Patrick McGraw
Professor
Neurological Surgery

Christopher Shields
Professor
Chairman, Dept of Neurological Surgery

Gülgün Tezel
Professor
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Gordon Tobin
Professor
Surgery

Scott Whittemore
Professor
Endowed Chair, Neurological Surgery

Fred L. Wightman
Professor
Psychological & Brain Sciences

John Barker
Associate Professor
Surgery

Rif El-Mallakh
Associate Professor
Psychiatry

Susan Harkema
Associate Professor
Neurological Surgery

John Johnson
Associate Professor
Chairman, Orthopedic Surgery

David Magnuson
Associate Professor
Neurological Surgery

Michael Voor
Associate Professor
Orthopedic Surgery

Tongalp Tezel
Associate Professor
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Welby Winstead
Assistant Professor
Surgery, Otolaryngology

Adjunct

Mark Wiegand
Assistant Professor

Emeritus/Emerita

Kunwar P. Bhatnagar
Professor

James B. Longley
Professor

Kenneth Reid
Professor

Richard Rink
Professor

Frank J. Swartz
Professor

Richard H. Swigart
Professor

Kathleen M. Klueber
Associate Professor