Project Description
The purpose of this project is to learn how to carry out research using an in vitro slice model of ischemic stroke. The mentors lab uses a variety of neurophysiological, cellular, molecular, and histochemical approaches to investigate experience-dependent plasticity.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The student will learn about many aspects of our research. This includes learning how to prepare brain slices, process tissue, carry out fluorescence and confocal microscopy, and even use our Neurolucida system for creating 3-dimensional neuronal reconstructions. Exposure to graduate level research projects like this will allow the student to develop an understanding for research procedures, such as the planning and carrying out of research, data collection and interpretation, and ultimately writing up results in the form of a poster or even a manuscript for publication. Additional skills to be learned include reading and writing in a scientific format, working as part of a research team to achieve goals, and time management (there is no substitute for spending time in the lab, so time management is an important skill students learn). Acquisition of these concepts will make the student stronger academically and will provide the experience necessary for continued growth and competitiveness for advanced studies in any scientific discipline.