HOME HELP FEEDBACK ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit Reader Comments Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Reader Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Sign up for eTOCs Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Surratt, C. K. Articles by Meng, W. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Surratt, C. K. Articles by Meng, W. S.

Development of a Neuroscience-oriented "Methods" Course for Graduate Students of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282

Monitoring Editor: Mary Lee Ledbetter

Address correspondence to: Christopher K. Surratt (surratt{at}duq.edu)

To provide graduate students in pharmacology/toxicology exposure to, and cross-training in, a variety of relevant laboratory skills, the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy developed a "methods" course as part of the core curriculum. Because some of the participating departmental faculty are neuroscientists, this course often applied cutting-edge techniques to neuroscience-based systems, including experiments with brain G protein–coupled receptors. Techniques covered by the course include animal handling and behavioral testing, bacterial and mammalian cell culture, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, receptor binding of radioligands, plasmid DNA amplification and purification, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The course also encompasses research aspects such as experimental design and record keeping, statistical analysis, and scientific writing. Students were evaluated via laboratory reports and examinations, and students in turn evaluated the course using a detailed exit survey. This course introduces the graduate student to many more techniques and approaches than can be provided by the traditional graduate "rotation" format alone and should serve as a template for graduate programs in many basic research disciplines.