neu540 - Neural Basis of Perception (Complete module description)

neu540 - Neural Basis of Perception (Complete module description)

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Module label Neural Basis of Perception
Modulkürzel neu540
Credit points 15.0 KP
Workload 450 h
Institute directory Department of Neurosciences
Verwendbarkeit des Moduls
  • Master's Programme Neuroscience (Master) >
Zuständige Personen
  • Klump, Georg Martin (Module counselling)
  • Mouritsen, Henrik (Module counselling)
  • Winklhofer, Michael (Module counselling)
  • Kretzberg, Jutta (module responsibility)
Prerequisites
attendance in pre-meeting, priority is given to students who attended at least one of the background modules listed as "recommended in combination with"
Skills to be acquired in this module
+ Neurosci. knowlg. Expt. methods Independent research Scient. literature + Social skills
+ Interdiscipl. knowlg. + Maths/Stats/Progr.
Data present./disc. + Scientific English + Ethics
Students perform individual research projects to learn:
  • planning, performing and analyzing experiments and / or simulations
  • working with scientific background literature on the specific context of the project
  • oral presentation and discussion of backgrounds and results in the lab seminar
  • write a scientific report
  • prepare and present a scientific poster
Module can serve as preparation for a Master's thesis.
Module contents
Introductory lecture and seminar (either blocked or parallel to lab work) plus 6 weeks of small-group lab
projects, participating in the supervisor's ongoing research, and in the respective group seminar. There are four
options for the lab projects:
Option 1: Navigation mechanisms in nocturnal bird migration (Mouritsen) comprises (i) lecture "Bird migration",
(ii) participation in group seminar, and (iii) a laboratory project "Navigation mechanisms in nocturnal bird
migration" (flexible timing); including participation in investigations of navigation mechanisms in migratory
birds (project focussing on behavioural biology, molecular biology or neuroanatomy).
Option 2: Invertebrate somatosensory system (Kretzberg), includes participation in group seminar, journal club
and laboratory project (all flexible timing).
Option 3: Central auditory mechanisms (Klump), includes introductory block course "Fundamentals of Auditory
Physiology" (one week at start of winter semester) , participation in group seminar and a laboratory project
(flexible timing)
Option 4: Magnetic field perception (Winklhofer), includes participation in group seminar, journal club and
laboratory project (all flexible timing).
Option 2: Invertebrate somatosensory system (Kretzberg), includes participation in group seminar, journal club and laboratory project (all flexible timing, at some times additional topics are available in the group, e.g. visual behaviour of mice).
Option 3: Central auditory mechanisms (Klump), includes introductory block course "Fundamentals of Auditory Physiology" (one week at start of winter semester) , participation in group seminar and a laboratory project (flexible timing)
Literaturempfehlungen
Option 1: Berthold P, Gwinner E, Sonnenschein (2003) Avian Migration. Springer.
Option 2: Nichols JG et al. (2001) From Neuron to Brain. Sinauer.
Option 3: Pickles JO (2012) An Introduction to the Physiology of Hearing. Brill.
Links
Language of instruction English
Duration (semesters) 1 Semester
Module frequency jährlich
Module capacity unlimited
Reference text
  • Please note that different options have mandatory course components at different times.
  • Priority for admission is given to students who attended at least one of the background modules listed as
"recommended in combination with"
  • Participation in a joint poster presentation of concurrent research modules is highly recommended.
Form of instruction Comment SWS Frequency Workload of compulsory attendance
Lecture 1 14
Seminar 1 14
Projektorientiertes Modul 8 WiSe 112
Präsenzzeit Modul insgesamt 140 h
Examination Prüfungszeiten Type of examination
Final exam of module
within 2 months after completion of experimental work
Internship report