Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Neurobiology

The goal of the Department of Neurobiology's Ph.D. program is to train the next generation of leading scientists who will work in academia or industry to discover how the nervous system functions. Our scientists investigate a myriad of complex processes, including learning, memory, movement, behavior, sensation, and perception, and how to restore normal function of the nervous system in the face of trauma and disease. Major strengths include an interdisciplinary faculty, broad collaboration with other departments and programs, a flexible curriculum and some of the nation's best technical facilities for neuroscience. A first-year core curriculum gives a solid background in cellular, molecular, systems, cognitive, and developmental neurobiology; each of these areas is well represented on the faculty. Extracurricular events offer opportunities for informal training: an annual two-day retreat; several weekly seminar series; student lunches with visiting speakers; clubs -- drawing participants from several area universities and addressing specific research interests; and the SFN annual meeting. Technical facilities include the Centers for Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Imaging & Analysis, Neuroengineering, Translational Neuroscience, and the Neuroproteomics Laboratory. Our Neurobiology Graduate Training Program offers a program of graduate study leading to a Ph.D. degree in Neurobiology. The goal is to train scientists who will lead the field through positions in research-oriented institutions. We strive to train Ph.D. students for careers that will further knowledge about how the brain works and/or develop treatments and cures for neurological, neuropsychiatric, and developmental disorders. Our students go on to work in research universities, biotechnology companies, and teaching colleges. Mission of the Program The Neurobiology program is oriented towards questions of the structure and function of brain cells and the brain. Companion programs with somewhat different emphases included: the Cognitive Neuroscience Training Program and the Systems and Integrative Neuroscience Program. Students should apply to the program with potential faculty mentors whose research best fits the student's long-term research interests and professional goals. Additional information about the various options can be obtained from the website of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.