what to do with a phd in neuroscience

• Doing a PhD in Neuroscience

What Does a PhD in Neuroscience Focus On?

Neuroscience is the study of the structure and function of the nervous system. Neuroscientists investigate how the nervous system works and also study factors which can influence the behaviour of the nervous system. Such factors include neurological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.

A PhD in neuroscience provides a wide range of advantages for people that are already studying in the field. It allows you to focus your postgraduate study, work with cutting edge technology, operate within leading research departments, and pursue specialist neuroscience jobs upon completion of your research project.

It should be noted that there are many research projects which are focused on a specialist area of neuroscience. Subsequently, other relevant doctoral degrees include (but are not limited to):

• PhD in cognitive neuroscience – A PhD in cognitive neuroscience offers a unique opportunity. It teaches you how the brain functions chemically and neurologically. A PhD allows you to investigate the role of neurotransmitters, chemical compounds that send messages across the synapses of the brain. These compounds control the behaviour of the neurons and influence all the other functions of the brain. When they are working the way they’re supposed to, the brain is behaving normally.
• PhD in behavioural neuroscience – Also known as biological psychology, biopsychology, or psychobiology. Behavioural neuroscience includes the study of psychological and neural mechanisms which affect behaviour (e.g. genetic or psychiatric) and neurological disease.
• PhD in computational neuroscience – Computational neuroscience is a growing field and uses computers to simulate the brain. Computational neuroscience candidates should be well versed in the emerging technologies of this field to contribute to the field’s progress, and may have a background in mathematics, physics, artificial intelligence, or computer science rather than biology. A PhD in computational neuroscience may see a PhD student develop personalized treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
• PhD in clinical neuroscience – A postgraduate degree in clinical neuroscience focuses on the nervous system in relation to health and disease. A research project in this field may involve the development of novel techniques to diagnose and treat disorders of the human brain or central nervous system.

Other popular neuroscience research areas in include molecular neuroscience, neuroengineering, neuroimaging, neurolinguistics, neuroinformatics, and neurobiological study.

Entry Requirements for A PhD in Neuroscience

The typical neuroscience PhD research project requires applicants to have, or expect to obtain, an upper second class (2:1) bachelor’s degree in a related subject area. In some cases, a lower second class (2:2) bachelor’s degree is sufficient if the graduate has a master’s degree or other relevant experience. For international students, overseas equivalent qualifications are almost always accepted. Since the focus of a research project can vary greatly, relevant subjects can be decided on an individual basis.

Of course, PhD in neuroscience requirements vary across different institutions, and some projects may have subject specific entry requirements, e.g. a PhD in computational neuroscience may require the graduate student to have basic programming knowledge.

Universities typically expect international graduate students to provide evidence of their English Language ability in addition to their application. English language requirements are usually provided in the form of a IELTS, TOEFL (iBT) or CAE and CPE score. The exact score requirements may differ from university to university. Any English language qualifications will be clearly stated as part of the application process.

Browse PhDs in Neuroscience

A next-generation genetic technology to identify biotechnologically-valuable enzymes and transporters, development of fluorescent organic molecules for application in super-resolution imaging techniques, ubiquitin-dependent signalling pathways in ageing, speciation in facultatively sexual species, energy dissipation in human soft tissue during impacts, how long does it take to get a phd in neuroscience.

In the United Kingdom, a standard PhD research project in neuroscience requires 3 to 4 years of full-time study. A part-time neuroscience programme typically takes 6 to 7 years to complete. A neuroscience MPhil typically takes 1 to 2 years of full time study.

Students pursuing careers in this field may undertake additional training courses, aimed to develop independent research, communication and project management skills. Courses in these areas will give students an excellent foundation in which to begin their careers.

There are also laboratory rotations and specialised training modules for doctoral students within some PhD programmes, which may include developmental psychology, developmental biology, brain sciences, clinical neuroscience, cell biology, medicine, biomedical sciences, genetics, pharmacology, neurophysiology, cognitive science and neurology .

Costs and Funding

Annual tuition fees for PhDs in neuroscience are typically around £5,000 – £6,000 for UK students. Tuition fees for overseas students are typically around £25,000 – £35,000 per academic year. Tuition fees for part time programmes are typically scaled down according to the programme length (for both home and international tuition fees).

Some neuroscience PhD programmes also have additional costs to cover laboratory resources, travel, fieldwork, department administration and computational costs.

Many Universities offer postgraduate studentships or doctoral loan schemes which cover the tuition fees and in some cases the living costs for neuroscience PhD programmes.

PhD in Neuroscience Career Paths and Jobs

If you are wondering what to do with a PhD in neuroscience, there are many options you can explore. PhD in neuroscience jobs require specialist knowledge, and the typical neuroscientist salary in the UK reflects this. However, the average salary of a neuroscientist varies greatly due to the broad range of industries they can operate in. Generally a senior neuroscientist salary in the UK is around £50,000 per annum, however salaries can exceed £100,000 depending on the specific role. For example a cognitive neuroscientist salary in the UK may be greater than that of a cellular neuroscience researcher. It is also possible to use your PhD to find work internationally as some countries may provide employment opportunities which improve upon neuroscience salaries in the UK.

Many PhD in neuroscience careers are within the academic world, as often postgraduate students choose to become lecturers, professors and researchers. Here they can continue to lead research into their field of interest and can help shape future postgraduate study. Neuroscience professors and lecturers can expect a generous salary. Higher education institutions are not the only destination available for postdoctoral researchers. Government lead research councils such as the BBRSC are one of many employers which contribute to academia.

Other PhD students look for neuroscience jobs in the pharmaceutical industry, where they can use their specialist knowledge and skills in the lab to understand how developmental drugs affect the nervous system.

Another popular career destination is within public engagement. As a scientific communicator, you are responsible for educating the general public on neurological matters and often take governmental or advisory roles. There are many NHS jobs that facilitate these responsibilities.

Typically, a PhD in neuroscience salary is higher than that of a counterpart with an undergraduate degree only. This is because the specialist knowledge a PhD graduate student has allows them to innovate and lead. A PhD programme also usually involves some manner of project management which lends itself to management roles.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

• Majors & Careers
• Online Grad School
• Preparing For Grad School
• Student Life

Best Neuroscience PhD Programs: Careers, and More [2024]

Are you looking for the best neuroscience PhD programs of 2024? You’re lucky because I have compiled the best neuroscience PhD programs list. Before we get into the individual programs, let’s first dive into what neuroscience is.

Neuroscience is a branch of biological science studying the brain, emphasizing its biochemistry, molecular biology, psychology, and anatomy to understand human and animal behavior. It offers an in-depth understanding of brain diseases and abnormalities so we can develop solutions using studies with neuroscientific models.

An expert neuroscientist can make significant contributions to society, and a PhD in neuroscience will equip you to pursue a prestigious career in the field. According to Salary Expert , the average annual salary of neuroscience PhD holders is $113,946. That number is expected to rise to $129,991 by 2028, making this one of the highest-paying PhDs .

Ready to find your dream PhD program in neuroscience? Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Best Neuroscience PhD Programs

Harvard university, harvard medical school.

Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience (PiN)

The Neurobiology Department of Harvard Medical School is the first research department in the world to take an interdisciplinary, systemic approach to studying the human brain. This program is one of the more competitive PhDs in neuroscience and offers a wide range of electives in a flexible format. Students can easily balance their coursework and lab work with hybrid and online learning.

• Courses : Quantitative methods for biologists, rotations in neuroscience, and discipline of neuroscience.
• Duration : 3 years or more
• Delivery : On-campus
• Tuition : Full funding
• Financial aid : Full tuition/stipend support, health insurance, childcare support, parental support, and travel allowance.
• Acceptance rate:  5%
• Location : Boston, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brain and Cognitive Sciences PhD Program

MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences claims to produce the world’s sharpest and most innovative brain scientists. This PhD program enables students to pursue cutting-edge research that seeks to push the boundaries of neuroscientific knowledge.

• Courses : Molecular & cellular neuroscience, computational cognitive science, and statistics for neuroscience research.
• Duration : 5 years plus
• Tuition : $29,875 per term
• Financial aid:  Scholarships, loans, and health insurance.
• Acceptance rate : 7.3%
• Location : Cambridge, Massachusetts

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Neurosciences Ph.D. Program

Stanford is one of the leading research universities in the world. This PhD program is one of 14 “Biosciences Home Programs” offered by the institution’s School of Medicine. One of the best neuroscience PhD programs the USA provides, it enables students to design their post-graduate studies by working collaboratively with an extensive network of faculty and labs.

• Courses : Responsible conduct of neuroscience, neuroscience systems core, and neurogenetics core.
• Credits : 135 units
• Duration : 5 years
• Tuition : Refer tuition page
• Financial aid: Fellowships, grants, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and veteran benefits.
• Acceptance rate : 5.2%
• Location : Stanford, California

Princeton University, Graduate School

Ph.D. in Neuroscience

Princeton University is a globally acclaimed school with a long list of Nobel laureates and other honors. This one in our list of the best neuroscience PhD programs emphasizes hands-on experience, encouraging students to apply the concepts they learn in lectures in the lab.

• Courses : Cellular & circuits Neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and Statistics for Neuroscience.
• Tuition : $59,710 per year
• Financial aid : Fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, external funding, travel grants, veteran benefits, and loans.
• Acceptance rate : 5.6%
• Location : Princeton, New Jersey

Yale University, School of Medicine

Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program

Yale is another world-renowned university with several cultural centers to preserve the institution’s unique cultural identity. This interdepartmental PhD program is called a “department without walls” as it allows students to explore every aspect of neuroscience with the help of over 100 faculty members from more than twenty departments.

• Courses : Principles of neuroscience, foundations of systems neuroscience, and bioethics in neuroscience.
• Duration : Up to 7 years
• Tuition : $48,300 per year
• Financial aid : Fellowships, awards, research assistantships, loans, and travel funds.
• Acceptance rate : 6.5%
• Location : New Haven, Connecticut

The University of California San Francisco, Weill Institute for Neurosciences

Neuroscience Graduate Program

The University of California San Francisco is a big name committed to diversity and follows the JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) approach to promote a positive campus environment. This post-graduate program allows students to work collaboratively with faculty members across various departments who are well-known names in their respective fields.

• Courses : Cellular & molecular neuroscience, systems & behavioral neuroscience, and computational neuroscience.
• Duration : 4 – 6 years
• Tuition : $11,442 per year
• Financial aid : Fellowships, awards, grants, and teaching assistantships.
• Acceptance rate : 3.7%
• Location : San Francisco, California

Brown University

Brown University is located in the culturally diverse city of Providence, Rhode Island. The program emphasizes intellectual freedom and has an “Open Curriculum” system at the undergraduate level, which confirms this. This PhD in neuroscience program involves various experimental approaches, including a Graduate Partnership Program (GPP) with NIH (National Institutes of Health).

• Courses : Advanced molecular & cellular neurobiology, advanced systems neuroscience, and neuroanatomy.
• Tuition : $8,207 per course
• Financial aid : Full funding, stipend, health insurance, grants, fellowships, and teaching assistantships.
• Acceptance rate : 7.7%
• Location : Providence, Rhode Island

Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine

Neuroscience Training Program

The Neuroscience Department at Johns Hopkins University was one of the country’s first academic centers for Neuroscience. Its PhD program is well-regarded, offering students ample opportunities for lab rotations, a wide selection of electives, and seminar series from eminent national and international scholars.

• Courses : Neuroscience cognition, quantitative methods for the brain sciences, and neuron models.
• Duration : 3 years plus
• Tuition : Full tuition, stipend, and benefits
• Financial aid:  Fellowships, loans, scholarships, and grants.
• Acceptance rate : 11.1%
• Location : Baltimore, Maryland

California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering

Neurobiology Graduate Program

Caltech is a private institution dedicated to excellence in technological education and research. This Ph.D. program allows students to conduct advanced research in molecular mechanisms of nervous system development, the evolution of the brain and behavior in primates, neuroscience of brain disorders, and neuro-engineering.

• Courses : Tools of neurobiology, molecular, cellular, and developmental neurobiology, and circuits, systems, and behavioral biology.
• Credits : 54 units (6 quarter courses)
• Tuition : $56,364 per year
• Financial aid : Teaching assistantships, fellowships, loans, research assistantships, and full funding.
• Acceptance rate : 6.7%
• Location : Pasadena, California

The University of Chicago, Biological Sciences Division

PhD Program in Computational Neuroscience

The University of Chicago is a renowned institution that has pioneered neuroscience research by eminent scientists like K. C. Cole, Stephen Polyak, and Jack Cowan. The school’s PhD in Computational Neuroscience offers an in-depth understanding of how various neural components affect human and animal behavior.

• Courses : Cellular neurobiology, methods in computational neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience.
• Tuition : $19,035 per quarter
• Financial aid : Grants, fellowships, awards, stipends, and research assistantships.
• Location : Chicago, Illinois

What Do I Need to Get a PhD in Neuroscience?

You’ll need an undergraduate degree in biological sciences or a related field. Some programs may also require a master’s in a relevant field; others may ask for GRE scores as part of the application process. You must complete coursework, research, and a dissertation paper throughout the program, meet teaching requirements and seminars, and pass qualifying examinations.

What to Consider When Choosing a Neuroscience PhD Program

Neuroscience is a highly specialized field that often involves interdisciplinary research. Therefore, looking for programs offering specializations in your areas of interest and with faculty members who are experts in these fields is essential. It’s also vital to consider applicable tuition, other fees, location, and whether the program offers the type of study you want (on-campus, online, or hybrid learning).

Once you decide on the best neuroscience PhD program for you, laying some groundwork is a good idea. This will help you create a more robust application and better prepare for the program. Read up on the latest neuroscience research and think about potential subjects for your dissertation. Build your sector network and start making connections that will help you with your studies and beyond.

Why Get a Doctorate in Neuroscience?

A doctorate in neuroscience can make you a valuable expert in one of the top branches of the biological sciences. You’ll have plenty of opportunities in this field to perform exciting, valuable, and innovative research.

This advanced degree will also qualify you for many well-paid roles, including:

• Medical Science Liaison ( $149,911 )
• Senior Clinical Research Associate ( $114,764 )
• Neuroscientist ( $81,661 )
• Research Scientist ( $87,532 )
• Program Director, Healthcare ( $87,780 )
• Assistant Professor, Postsecondary/Higher Education ( $73,907 )

PhD in Neuroscience: Key Facts

What is the average cost of a phd in neuroscience.

The cost of completing a Ph.D. in neuroscience varies depending on factors like the school, the program, and other expenses like accommodation. A reputable PhD in neuroscience program can range anywhere from $10K to $60K per year.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Neuroscience?

Getting a PhD in Neuroscience usually takes between 3 and 7 years.

What Skills Do You Gain from a PhD in Neuroscience?

A PhD in Neuroscience awards you a range of skills, most notably:

• The ability to develop testable neuroscientific hypotheses  and conduct studies using experimental, statistical, and literature review methods.
• Laboratory skills  related to  researching behavioral Neuroscience concepts.
• Scientific written communication skills.

PhD Neuroscience Program Statistics

• A PhD in neuroscience program can expect hundreds of applicants — the average is around 170 .
• Most neuroscience PhD candidates have an undergraduate degree in psychology, biology, or neuroscience , though they may have backgrounds in other fields, even non-science ones such as business or humanities.
• Most schools only accept a few neuroscience PhD candidates a year based on stringent criteria. For example, The University of Texas at Dallas accepts an average of 10-20 students per year.

Key Takeaways

With intake numbers for PhDs in neuroscience programs being relatively small, it’s essential to start preparing early to assemble the most robust application possible. Once you get accepted into your dream program, the future will be bright, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating a 10% growth in jobs for medical scientists between 2022 and 2032. From high salary prospects to the opportunity to make valuable contributions to society, you’re sure to have a rewarding career as a neuroscientist!

If you’re deciding between neuroscience and psychology, check out our guides to the best Master’s in Psychology  and the best online PhD in Psychology programs .

Frequently Asked Questions

How competitive are neuroscience doctoral programs.

Neuroscience PhD programs can be highly competitive. Even when there are hundreds of applicants, only 10 or so may be accepted each year by each program. Therefore, it’s essential to have a strong academic record and prepare a compelling application to be accepted into your dream program.

Do Neuroscientists Need a PhD?

This depends on the exact neuroscience role you want. Typically, you’ll need a PhD in neuroscience to work as a research scientist, senior research associate, or neuroscience professor at a post-secondary school. However, you may be eligible for entry-level neuroscience roles with an undergraduate or master’s degree .

Does Harvard Have a Neuroscience Major?

Yes, Harvard University offers one of the USA’s most reputable neuroscience doctorate programs .

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ 12 Best Laptops for Computer Science Students
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ ACBSP Vs AACSB: Which Business Program Accreditations is Better?
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ BA vs BS: What You Need to Know [2024 Guide]
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ The 19 Best MBA Scholarships to Apply for [2024-2025]

Top 10 Best PhD in Computer Science Programs

Best online master’s in nutrition programs, related posts.

• How New Grads Research Companies to Find Jobs

• Experience Paradox: Entry-Level Jobs Demand Years in Field

• Grad Trends: Interest in Artificial Intelligence Surges

Applying to Big Tech This Year? Here’s How to Ace It.

73% of job seekers believe a degree is needed for a well-paying role–but is it?

Tech Talent Crunch: Cities with More Jobs Than Workers

Best Online Master's in Nutrition Programs

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

• Computer Science Graduate Admission Trends: Annual Results
• The Best Academic Planners for 2024/2025

© 2024 TheGradCafe.com All rights reserved

• Partner With Us
• Results Search
• Submit Your Results
• Write For Us

• Student/Faculty Portal
• Learning Hub (Brightspace)
• Continuous Professional Development

Neuroscience

Neuroscience track.

program completion rate

job placement rate

Guaranteed 5-year internal fellowship

includes full tuition, stipend and benefits

Advances in technology allow us to see and study the brain like never before, providing a panoramic view of the inner workings of the mind and how it works. By understanding the basis of learning, memory and other fundamental brain functions, researchers are at the cusp of a major paradigm shift in the way we treat, cure and even prevent nervous system disorders.

The Neuroscience Track within the Ph.D. Program at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Science brings together nearly 60 basic neuroscientists and clinician-scientists as faculty — each of whom have wide-ranging expertise and truly multidisciplinary research interests — to provide you with a unique educational experience.

Students in the Neuroscience track can freely choose from labs at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Jacksonville, Florida; Rochester, Minnesota; or Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. This provides unparalleled instruction from top neuroscientists in subjects as diverse as neurodegeneration, neuroregeneration, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, imaging, behavior, neuropathology, virology, pharmacology, stem cells and transplantation, deep brain stimulation, and clinical studies.

Ongoing research in this program includes:

• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal cord injury and repair
• Neural regeneration
• Non-Alzheimer's disease dementias
• Neurogenetics
• Neuro-oncology
• Neuroengineering
• Neuroimaging
• Neuroinflammation

The Neuroscience Track places a significant emphasis on laboratory-based research training. Laboratory research is complemented with both core and track-specific courses, as well as advanced courses on current topics in neuroscience. These are taught in a tutorial format with small groups of faculty and students discussing cutting-edge research in areas such as neural development, neural aging, neurogenetics, addiction and electrophysiology.

In addition to regular coursework, you’re provided with institutional support for travel to advanced courses at such institutions as Cold Spring Harbor and the Marine Biology Lab. In your first year of the program, you’ll also have the opportunity to attend the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting (SfN).

• Introductory neuroscience and core curriculum courses
• Lab rotations
• Comprehensive written qualifying examination
• Critical thinking, presentation skills, and scientific writing courses
• Selection of thesis lab
• Oral qualifying exam to determine advancement to candidacy
• Completion of advanced neuroscience courses
• Formation of thesis advisory committee
• Laboratory research
• Works-in-progress presentation (annual)
• Thesis committee meetings (biannual)
• Elective courses in advanced neuroscience topics

Knowing the vast extent of research occurring across all three campuses, and the fact that I am now a contributing member of this community, is very exciting and gives me great pride. The impact that the investigators and their teams have had on the understanding and treatment of the world's most devastating diseases, is inspiring. The diversity of the Mayo research network removes limitations on the questions we can ask as scientists and the means to answer those questions.

Ben Rabichow Ph.D. student, Neuroscience Track

Neuroscience is a burgeoning field that not all institutions have the resources to pursue. Mayo Clinic has a stronger translational facility than you see at other research institutions, and there’s so much potential to be able to work firsthand with patient samples.

Francis Shue Ph.D. student, Neuroscience Track

My PhD training at Mayo Clinic will definitely benefit my long-term career goal of becoming a physician-scientist. The close collaborations between clinic and lab have taught me how to define specific questions from clinical observation and then design experiments to investigate and answer those questions. I have no doubt that I’ll be well prepared to conduct translational studies after the rigorous training at Mayo Clinic.

Lingxiao Wang Ph.D. student, Neuroscience Track

Recent thesis topics

• “Blood and Brain Metabolic Signatures of Depression, Schizophrenia, and Alcohol Use Disorder,” Daniel Lindberg, Ph.D. (Mentor: Doo-Sup Choi, Ph.D.)
• “Targeting the Thrombin Receptor to Enhance Lipid Production and Repair in the CNS,” Erin M. Triplet, Ph.D. (Mentor: Isobel A. Scarisbrick, Ph.D.)
• “Neural Basis of Chronic and Binge Alcohol Exposure and Impulsive Behaviors,” Phillip Starski, Ph.D. (Mentor: Doo-Sup Choi, Ph.D.)
• “Neuroplasticity of Respiratory Motor Control following Spinal Cord Injury," Sabhya Rana, Ph.D. (Mentors: Carlos Mantilla, M.D. Ph.D. and Gary C. Sieck, Ph.D.)
• “Microglial Responses to Damaged Myelin and the Consequences of Demyelination,” Miranda Standiford, Ph.D. (Mentor: Charles L. Howe, Ph.D.)
• “Pathobiology of Clusterin in Alzheimer's Disease,” Aleksandra Wojtas, Ph.D. (Mentor: John Fryer, Ph.D.)
• “Development and Application of Genome Engineering Tools to Investigate Rapid Stress Signaling in Vertebrates Using the Zebrafish Model,” Han Lee, Ph.D. (Mentor: Karl Clark, Ph.D.)
• “Investigating the Effects of Deep Brain Stimulation on Functional and Effective Connectivity in Humans Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” William Gibson, Ph.D. (Mentor: Kendall Lee, M.D., Ph.D.)
• “The Role of miR-7 in Regulation of Energy Homeostasis,” Hyejin Yoon, Ph.D. (Mentor: Jungsu Kim, Ph.D.)
• “Model Systems of the C9ORF72 Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansion Mimic Disease Features of Frontotemporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” Jeannie Chew, Ph.D. (Mentor: Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D.)
• “Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease in At-Risk Populations,” Aurelie N’Songo, Ph.D. (Mentor: Nilufer Taner, M.D., Ph.D.)
• “Engineering a Regeneration Permissive Environment Allowing for Recovery After Complete Spinal Cord Transection,” Jeffrey Hakim, Ph.D. (Mentor: Anthony Windebank, M.D.)
• “The Role of Cannabinoid Signaling in Zebrafish Stress Responses,” Randall Krug III, Ph.D. (Mentor: Karl Clark, Ph.D.)
• “Preclinical and Clinical Implications of Adenosine and Glutamate Signaling in Alcohol Use Disorder,” David Hinton, Ph.D. (Mentor: Doo-Sup Choi, Ph.D.)
• “Synergy and Convergence of Pathways Controlling Axon Outgrowth and Neural Regeneration in the Spinal Cord,” Lucas Calstrom, Ph.D. (Mentor: John Henley, Ph.D., M.S.)
• “Astrocytic Glutamate Dysregulation in Neuron-Glia Interactions in Alcoholism and Psychiatric Disorders,” Jennifer Ayers-Ringler, Ph.D. (Mentor: Doo-Sup Choi, Ph.D.)
• “ The Neuropathology of Frontotemporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with a C9ORF72 Hexanucleotide Repeat,” Kevin Bieniek, Ph.D. (Mentor: Dennis Dickson, M.D.)
• “ Investigation of Neuropathological Identified Cerebral Microinfarcts and their Effects on Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” Mekala Raman, Ph.D. (Mentor: Kejal Kantarci, M.D.)

Your future

The Neuroscience Track has graduated more than 100 students, all of whom have gone on to successful careers in diverse areas such as academia, the pharmaceutical industry, scientific publishing and intellectual property. Our students and faculty publish at the highest levels and our scientific endeavors have made — and continue to make — a very real impact at the bench and in the clinic.

Meet the director

Welcome to neuroscience at Mayo Clinic, where we offer training for graduate students in a broad range of basic science, translational, and clinical laboratories conducting cutting-edge research with a focus on translating research findings into treatments for disorders of the nervous system.

The Neuroscience Track delivers a unique, interdisciplinary, educational experience with vibrant student populations at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Rochester, Minnesota; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida.

Owen Ross, Ph.D. Neuroscience Track Director Associate Professor of Neuroscience Phone: 904-953-6280 Email:  [email protected] See research interests

Browse a list of Neuroscience Track faculty members

Brain and Cognitive Sciences PhD Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences are among the sharpest, most innovative brain scientists to be found anywhere. In a given year the department admits 5 to 10 percent of applicants, and our PhD program is consistently ranked among the best in the world. Students work hard to get here, and they are highly valued in the BCS community.

Innovative:  Our students often take on riskier projects and pilot studies that probe the edges of our technical and scientific knowledge. They can move among projects more easily, and their successes lay the foundation for not only their careers but the future directions of their mentors’ labs.

Collaborative:  Our students bring bold, fresh thinking to the department, and exploring these potentially transformative ideas often means reaching across boundaries of lab, center, and department to build new collaborations. Graduate students help BCS mesh with the rest of MIT.

Supportive: Graduate students are the most frequent mentors of undergraduate students in UROPs , actively guiding and developing those who will become the next generation of top-tier graduate students. BCS graduate students also are helping make sure the department is a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community.

Overview of the Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences work with an advisor and advisory committee to pursue an innovative and rigorous program of original research. Students should aim to complete their PhD in five to six years.  

• Students take three to four of their required six courses
• Students complete required Responsible Conduct in Science training.
• Students complete a minimum of three lab rotations by March 31.
• Students select a thesis advisor by April 30.    
• Students complete the remaining two to three of their academic course requirements by the end of the Spring Term.
• Students complete teaching assistant training and their first teaching (TA) requirement.
• Students form their qualifying exam advisory committee, have their first committee meeting, and turn in the completed committee meeting form to BCS HQ by the end of the Spring Term.   
• Students complete the second teaching (TA) requirement.
• Students complete the written and oral qualifying exam in October or November.  
• Students form a thesis committee, submit a written thesis proposal to their committee, orally present their proposal to the thesis committee, and receive committee approval, before the end of the Spring Term.
• Students must meet with their thesis committee once per year.
• Students take the final steps to completing the PhD oral examination (also known as the thesis defense) and submission of the approved written dissertation.

For detailed information on courses, rotations, and other program requirements, see Program Details .

Neuroscience, PhD

School of medicine.

The Department of Neuroscience offers an interdisciplinary program designed to train doctoral students for independent research and teaching in neuroscience. It is the goal of the program to ensure that candidates for the Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. degrees obtain a background covering molecular, cellular, systems, and cognitive approaches to neuroscience, as well as receive training that brings them to the forefront of research in their particular area of interest. A series of core courses in neuroscience, along with advanced electives, seminar series, laboratory rotations, and original independent dissertation research, form the Neuroscience Graduate Training Program.

Students enter the program from different backgrounds and the laboratories in which they elect to work cover different disciplines; therefore, the program is tailored to fit the needs of individual students. The academic year at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is divided into four quarters plus a summer semester. Courses are designed so that students have ample time to become involved in laboratory rotations. These laboratory rotations expose the student to a variety of current research techniques in neuroscience and provide an opportunity for the student to select a laboratory in which to conduct dissertation research. Scheduling of the three rotations is adjusted to make the most convenient schedule for each student. The rotations are usually completed by the end of the first full year in the program. Most students begin their thesis research at the beginning of their second year.

For more information, please visit The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience webpage: http://neuroscience.jhu.edu.

Financial Aid

The program provides tuition remission plus a stipend at or above the National Institutes of Health Predoctoral level for all students. All entering and first-year students are encouraged to apply for individual fellowships such as those sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Vivien Thomas PhD Scholars at JHU The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is a new endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically black college and university ( HBCU ) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. More information about the VTSI program is available at this link:  https://provost.jhu.edu/about/vivien-thomas-scholars-initiative/ . To be considered for the VTSI, all application and supplementary materials must be received by  December 1st .

Admission Requirements

We use a holistic approach to evaluating applicants and look forward to reading your application. We are most enthusiastic about applicants who have taken full advantage of the opportunities available at their undergraduate institution and through other summer or postbac experiences. Our class size is typically ~18 students per year.

Applicants are expected to have received a B.S. or B.A. prior to enrolling in the graduate program. Laboratory research experience prior to enrollment is also desirable. If you have research experience, please describe your research in your Statement of Interest and Career Objectives and indicate the number of months engaged in full-time and part-time research on your CV. Students who do well in our program typically have a strong academic foundation in areas of biological or physical sciences. Some of the courses that prepare students well include general biology, neuroscience, mathematics through calculus, general physics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics, engineering, or computer science.

NOTE: The Neuroscience Program DOES NOT require GRE scores. 

Program Requirements

A year-long core course provides an integrated overview of molecular and cellular neuroscience, neuroanatomy and systems, and cognitive neuroscience. This course is aimed at providing Neuroscience graduate students with a foundation for posing meaningful questions in their area of interest.  During the first two years, students are required to take 6 graduate level core courses that provide rigorous training in principles of neuroscience research. In addition, students in the first year attend research symposia and complete lab rotations to introduce them to research. Students in the program are also required to participate in core program activities such as seminars, journal clubs, a quantitative analysis boot camp, career development courses and various program events. In addition, each student selects advanced electives offered by members of the Neuroscience Training Program or other departments at the Medical School.

Seminar Program

The Neuroscience Training Program conducts several seminar series to ensure that students are exposed to recent work by researchers from across the country and the world as well as by Hopkins faculty and fellows. Graduate trainees participate actively in these series throughout their training, including inviting and hosting three speakers each year. A weekly lecture is given by an outstanding researcher in some field of neuroscience. Seminars are selected so that an overall balance of subject matter is covered yearly. Students are given an opportunity to meet with each speaker for questions and discussion. Weekly lunchtime talks are presented on current literature by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Since an ability to communicate scientific work clearly is essential, graduate students receive close guidance in preparing and evaluating their journal club presentations. Once a month, the faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students from one laboratory present and discuss the ongoing research in that laboratory. This provides an informal setting to discuss research being conducted in the laboratories of the Neuroscience Training Program and gives advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a forum for presenting their work.

Requirements for the PhD Degree

A minimum residency of two academic years is required. During the course of graduate study, the student must successfully complete the required course requirements. An oral examination, conducted as prescribed by the Doctor of Philosophy Board, must be completed by the end of the second year. The student must then conduct original research and describe this research in a written thesis dissertation, which must be approved by the students Thesis Committee and the Doctor of Philosophy Board.

Training Facilities

The Training Program is centered in the Department of Neuroscience. The Training Program utilizes laboratory facilities located in the Department of Neuroscience plus several other basic and clinical departments closely associated with the Neuroscience Department. All of these laboratories are within a short distance of each other. Modern state of the art facilities for research in molecular biology, neurophysiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology, and morphology are available. The Mind/Brain Institute, located on the Homewood Campus of the University, is a group of laboratories devoted to the investigation of the neural mechanisms of higher mental function and particularly to the mechanisms of perception. All of the disciplines required to address these questions are represented in the Institute. These include neurophysiology, psychology, theoretical neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and cognitive science. All of the faculty in the Mind/Brain Institute are members of the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Combined M.D./Ph.D. Program

A subset of the current predoctoral trainees in the Neuroscience Program are candidates for both Ph.D. and M.D. degrees. Applications for admission to the combined program are considered by the M.D./Ph.D. Committee of the School of Medicine. Application forms for the School of Medicine contain a section requesting information relevant to graduate study. Applicants interested in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program should complete this section also, and indicate specifically their interest in the “Neuroscience Training Program”. If application to the combined M.D./Ph.D. program proves unsuccessful and the applicant wishes to be considered for graduate studies, they must notify the Admissions Office of the Neuroscience Training Program by separate letter.

Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 40
• Students: 80
• Students receiving Financial Aid: 100%
• Part time study available: No
• Application terms: Fall
• Application deadline: November 30

Nancy Zucker Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Duke University Box 90086 Durham, NC 27708-0086

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  http://psychandneuro.duke.edu

Program Description

Graduate training leading to a Ph.D. in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is offered through a unique program that merges social sciences and natural sciences in the study of brain, behavior, and cognition in humans and animals. Program tracts are offered in Clinical Psychology, Cognition & the Brain, Developmental (DEV), Social Psychology, and Systems and Integrative Neuroscience (SINS).

• Psychology and Neuroscience: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
• Psychology and Neuroscience : PhD Completion Rate Statistics
• Psychology and Neuroscience : PhD Time to Degree Statistics
• Psychology and Neuroscience: PhD Career Outcomes Statistics

Application Information

Application Terms Available:  Fall

Application Deadline:  November 30

Graduate School Application Requirements See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Résumé: Required
• GRE General (Optional)
• For clinical applicants ONLY:  If you were not a psychology undergraduate major, it is recommended that you take the GRE subject test. For psychology majors, it is not necessary to take the subject test.  No other area within Psychology and Neuroscience requires the subject test.
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English *test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Department-Specific Application Requirements (submitted through online application)

Writing Sample None required

Additional Components Applicants to the joint Ph.D. program in Public Policy and Allied Disciplines must submit an additional essay for admission to the program. Regardless of your selection of primary department, please respond to the following prompt:

In 500 words or less, please explain your interest in the joint Ph.D. program offered between Public Policy and an Allied Discipline. Highlight how your research interests and past experiences lie at the intersection between Public Policy and the Allied Discipline and how participation in the joint program will facilitate your professional goals after receiving your degree.

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance

List of Graduate School Programs and Degrees

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• J Undergrad Neurosci Educ
• v.16(3); Summer 2018

Demystifying Graduate School: Navigating a PhD in Neuroscience and Beyond

Linda k. mcloon.

1 Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

2 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

A. David Redish

3 Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

The decision to apply to a PhD-granting graduate program is both exciting and daunting. Understanding what graduate programs look for in an applicant will increase the chance of successful admission into a PhD program. It is also helpful for an applicant to understand what graduate training will look like once they matriculate into a PhD program to ensure they select programs that will help them reach their career objectives. This article focuses specifically on PhD programs in neuroscience, and while we use our program, the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, as an example, most of what we describe is applicable to biomedical graduate programs generally. In order to ensure that our description of graduate programs is typical of neuroscience graduate programs generally, we surveyed the online websites of 52 neuroscience graduate programs around the U. S. and include our observations here. We will examine what graduate schools look for in an applicant, what to expect once admitted into a PhD graduate program, and the potential outcomes for those who successfully complete their PhD in neuroscience.

What Makes a Strong Application to a PhD Program in Neuroscience

A number of years ago, our Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota performed a statistical analysis of what correlated with successful completion of our PhD program. Consistent with more recent analyses ( Weiner, 2014 ), we found that the strongest correlation was if the applicant had done research outside of the classroom setting. Given those results, at this point, our admissions committee will only consider applicants if they have some research experience. However, in our experience speaking to undergraduates, we find that undergraduates tend to underestimate how much research they’ve done. This issue of what counts as “research” appears to worry many applicants, who often feel that they have not done sufficient research to meet this requirement.

The most useful research experiences are not necessarily those which result in publications, or even those which find statistically significant answers. Rather, the most useful research experiences are those in which an applicant contributes to the research being performed, which involve grappling with questions which do not have known answers in the back of the book. These experiences are generally performed outside of a regular classroom setting, but a wide array of experiences can fulfill this research prerequisite. For example, an applicant might have done one or more summer internships in a laboratory. Others may have done a directed research project that was taken for academic credit but whose sole purpose was to perform independent research. Others may have done internships at companies. We often see applicants who have worked in laboratories or done independent original research projects in the context of their specific coursework during the school year. These courses are becoming more common, and these independent research-focused undergraduate classes can be great examples of independent research if the work provided the applicant with experience in doing research directly.

Some colleges do not have strong research opportunities available. Students in those situations should reach out to summer or other internship programs at other universities to gain that research experience. There are many such research programs. For example, the University of Minnesota runs a Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP) that provides such opportunities across many fields in the life sciences (including neuroscience). Many universities have Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs available that are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). These programs usually pay a summer stipend and living costs as well as providing research experiences.

However, it is not necessary for the research to be done in a formal setting. What matters is that the applicant has some experience with direct research. Similarly, the duration of the research done is not as critical a concern as having had the experience of performing research at all. The key question is: Does the student have real-world experience in doing research, and in spite of methodological difficulties and negative results in experiments, does the applicant still have a love for the scientific process? It does not matter if there were no conclusive results, if the project was left unfinished, or if the project was not published as an abstract or peer-reviewed publication.

While coursework in a graduate program is important, the “real” work of a graduate student is to learn to do science. The research experience demonstrates to the admissions committee that the applicant has a realistic sense of what it is like to work on an open-ended problem, which takes innovative thinking about experiments and controls as well as understanding the need for patience with the scientific process. It is important that both the applicant and the admissions committee know that if admitted, the applicant will not be surprised by the focus of graduate school on independently performed research.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is one of the most important aspects of an application to a graduate program. There are three main areas that need to be included in a personal statement, and if these are inadequate, it will have a negative impact on the ultimate success of that application. First, and most importantly, a personal statement must make it clear why that applicant wants to pursue a PhD in neuroscience specifically. A broad flowery description about the applicant’s interest in biology since they were 5 years old is not helpful. This statement is easier if the applicant has some laboratory research experience and can speak to why that research experience was motivating. A clear articulation of “why neuroscience” is imperative.

As noted above, the most important information in an application is the research done by the applicant. Thus, the applicant needs to provide a description of the independent research they have performed to date somewhere in the application. The research description should focus on the big picture: What was the big question? What choices were made in the experiments? What controls were done? Why were the specific controls used? The applicant should do this for each distinct research project. This shows the admissions committee how the applicant thinks about science; understanding the process is more important than if there were positive results.

The final part of the personal statement should state why they are applying to the particular program. A good way to show that the applicant has spent time looking at the specific graduate program and has thought about which programs were a good fit for their interests is by identifying programmatic strengths, such as the expertise of the faculty, or by identifying other specific or unique aspects that differentiate the program, such as, for example, our Itasca program [see below].

Finally, applicants should proofread their personal statements. Typographic errors, poor grammar, and other sloppy writing suggest an applicant who does not take the time or effort to ensure quality. It may seem silly to mention, but it is important to make sure that when mentioning programmatic strengths, the applicant should be sure that these are the programmatic strengths of the institution to which the application is sent.

Majors, Grades, and GREs

Neuroscience encompasses many different disciplines – from genetics and subcellular approaches to neural circuits and behavior. Most neuroscience graduate programs admit applicants with a broad variety of majors. Many of the applicants that we see majored in neuroscience, biology, or psychology as an undergraduate, but applicants with other undergraduate majors such as math, computer science, or physics have succeeded in our program. Many programs also admit applicants with degrees in the humanities, and we have found that many students with these broad backgrounds have succeeded in our program, some of whom only developed an interest in neuroscience after they graduated from college. However, successful applicants from the humanities need to have taken classes in the sciences before they apply to graduate school for a PhD in neuroscience.

The most important statement that we can make about grades is really in terms of the specific classes taken. While the major area of study is not critical, an internal survey of our program found that trainees were most successful in our PhD program if they had taken at least some biology, some physics, basic chemistry preferably through organic chemistry, and college level mathematics through calculus.

In our survey of over 50 graduate programs in neuroscience, most programs do not seem to have a strict GPA cut-off under which they will not admit someone; nevertheless, GPA is an important criteria being used by many admissions committees. While overall GPA is important, students who did poorly in their freshman and sophomore classes, but did well in their junior and senior years, can excel in their PhD training. Another example might be someone who had a very bad single semester or year due to extenuating circumstances, such as an illness of a death in the family. If one of these scenarios applies, it is imperative for this to be directly discussed in the personal statements that accompany a graduate program application. While most admissions committees do not explicitly rank schools, expected difficulty of the undergraduate program is usually taken into account when looking at grades, classes and GPA.

The use of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) in making admissions decisions to a neuroscience PhD graduate program is a complex issue and has become controversial in recent years. Although many recent studies have claimed to suggest that GRE scores do not correlate with successful completion of a PhD degree in the biomedical sciences ( Hall et al., 2017 ; Moneta-Koehler et al., 2017 ), other studies examining PhDs in more quantitative disciplines, including neuroscience, found that the portions of the GRE score are in fact correlated with successful degree completion ( Willcockson et al., 2009 ; Olivares-Urueta and Williamson, 2013 ). In a large meta-analysis of GRE scores and success in graduate school, Kuncel and Hezlett (2007) found that both the GRE and undergraduate grades were effective predictors of important academic outcomes even beyond grades earned in graduate school. It should be noted that all of these studies have been performed on programs that took GREs into account when making admissions decisions and thus are based on biased data sets. Following this, some neuroscience graduate programs have elected to remove the GRE from their admission decisions, while others have decided to weigh it less in their decision-making. Most graduate programs recognize that the GRE score is just a tool, and one of many that admissions committees use to make their admissions decisions. Our graduate program, for example, is currently in the latter group—we still require it but are weighing it less than other factors such as the personal statement, classes taken, GPA, and letters of recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are some of the most important components of an application to graduate school. Who the student chooses to write for them and what those letters say are important factors considered by admissions committee members. The most important letters are those from research mentors with whom the applicant did independent research. A lack of letters from research mentors leaves open the question of the extent and value of that research experience. The best letters of recommendation are detailed and provide a clear indication that the mentor knew the student and can assess the student’s potential for success. The mentor’s comparison of the applicant’s abilities relative to others with whom they have worked is particularly useful.

Letters from other sources, such as athletics coaches or course directors, can speak to initiative, time management, ability to work under stress, and so forth; however, most admissions committees do not find these particularly useful, unless the course director can speak to exceptional academic achievement, such as an undergraduate shining in a graduate class. Least useful are letters from non-academic sources, such as faith leaders, employers, family friends, and the like. These letters cannot speak to the questions of success in a graduate program and have been known to detract from an application, because it implies that the student does not have sufficient academic mentors to provide the full complement of letters.

Should letters come from postdoctoral fellows or graduate students? In many large laboratories, the primary professor may not actually interact with an undergraduate research assistant very much. Instead, undergraduate research is often done under the supervision of a postdoctoral fellow or graduate student. While letters from senior postdoctoral fellows are acceptable to some programs, they are not for others. We advise the applicant to check with each program to determine if this is an issue for their admissions committee. Our program has accepted students with one letter from a postdoctoral mentor, but we found that these students were not eligible to be nominated for some university-level awards. Thus, there is a balance in having the letter come from someone who worked with the student directly but also having the letter come from a faculty member. We recommend that undergraduates in these situations get a single letter that is co-signed by both the postdoctoral fellow and the professor or senior mentor.

The Admissions Process

Most graduate programs in neuroscience use a two-stage admissions process. The first stage identifies a subset of students to invite for an interview/recruiting visit and then a subset of those students is provided offers. All graduate schools in the U. S. have signed the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants from the Council of Graduate Programs which says that students have until April 15th to make their matriculation decisions. In order to try to manage this, schools will admit more students than they actually expect to matriculate, and may place other students on a waitlist, trying to balance issues of getting too many students, producing a problem for budgets, or too few students producing problems of cohesion, and problems meeting the research needs of the program and university.

Interview and Recruiting Visits

Some graduate programs bring students out either singly or in small batches to visit their program, interview with faculty, and see what possibilities could come from matriculating into the program. Other programs bring students out all at once as a cohort in a combined interview/recruiting visit. Many programs combine this interview/recruiting visit with other program events; for example, we tie ours to our annual retreat. The method of organizing these interviews and recruiting visits is not particularly important, as the goal of these visits is the same – to provide an in-person look at the graduate program.

From the program side, the interview/recruiting visit allows the admissions committee to assess the fit of the potential students and to ask specific questions related to how they think about science. It is important for visiting interviewees/recruits to realize that graduate programs often have graduate students contribute to the governance of the program and provide input to the admissions committees. In our program, two current PhD students are full voting members of the admissions committee. Comments made during events where only graduate students are present do matter, and we have had a number of experiences where comments and behavior at dinners or other trainee-only events have led to rejection of the applicant.

From the visitor side, this is an opportunity to see what the program is like, as well as the living environment where the program is located. Important questions that applicants should consider include whether the students are getting the training and support that they need, whether the faculty members are engaged with the program, and whether there are faculty members to work with in the student’s area of interest. Generally, applicants should recognize that their goals, interests, and research directions may change. Ensuring that a program can accommodate those changes is an important thing when choosing a PhD program.

Choosing the Right Program

Graduate school, like most of life, is about finding the right fit. Every student is going to have to use their own judgement to determine which graduate school is right for them, but we have some suggestions about issues to consider.

First and foremost, are there a sufficient number of faculty members in their area of interest? Importantly, students should recognize that interests often change, either with experience or time or discoveries, so the student should also look at what other faculty members are around, and what opportunities there are to examine other research areas. For example, how collaborative are the faculty? What processes are in place if one needs to switch advisors? Does the program do rotations in different laboratories, or does the student have to choose an advisor immediately?

In our survey of over 50 neuroscience graduate programs in the U. S., all but one admit students into the program as a whole, rather than into specific laboratories. Students in the majority of programs spend the first year rotating through three or four different laboratories in order to get a thorough exploration of advisors and potential research areas. Furthermore, because students are admitted to the program as a whole and not into a specific laboratory, there are processes in place to handle the (rare) situation when a student needs to switch their primary research mentor.

An important consideration on picking an advisor is not only the research area of the advisor, but also the training and personal style of that PhD mentor. In our graduate program, we have 8-week rotations to give a student and an advisor sufficient time to determine if they can work together well. The duration of laboratory rotations varies between programs, but generally most programs have between 2 and 4 during the course of the first year. Choosing a PhD thesis mentor is not generally an issue of advisor quality, but rather one of style. Should the student and advisor meet daily? Weekly? Monthly? Is the goal a thesis that is a hoop to jump through on the path to another career or is it a magnum opus on which one will build a reputation? How are manuscripts written? How does the laboratory decide which projects to do? These questions do not have right and wrong answers, but a mismatch between styles can potentially make it difficult to complete the degree.

There are several other considerations. The applicant should examine the curriculum. How comprehensive or specific is it? Does it cover what the student wants to have as their baseline/background? Applicants should also look at publication requirements and expectations. Are students publishing first author papers? Trainee funding should also be evaluated. How are trainees supported? Is funding guaranteed or not? Part of the consideration relative to trainee funding is whether the program has training grants to help financially support students—these can include National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 grants, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship (NRT) and Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) training grants. Training grant support from NIH and NSF is a good measure of how the PhD training program is viewed by external reviewers. It is also useful to see if the trainees are successfully competing for fellowship awards. This speaks to the quality of the graduate students as well as the quality of mentorship from their thesis advisors and the program.

Other issues to consider are the environment and social climate of the program and the career paths the program’s graduates take. In terms of social climate and environment, we suggest asking whether the trainees know and support each other, and whether the faculty members know the trainees. Science is increasingly a collaborative venture. Evidence could be the presence of co-mentored trainees, as well as research publications that are co-authored by members of the graduate program. Other evidence of the environment of a PhD graduate program is to determine how integrated the PhD trainees are in program decision making and leadership. Do they serve on committees, and if so, what are their roles? Self-reflective programs generally include multiple voices in making program decisions. This also speaks in part to mentorship of trainees, as participating in program governance provides the PhD trainee an opportunity to develop leadership skills.

In terms of outcomes, it is important to recognize that career goals change, but we recommend programs that provide opportunities for a variety of career paths. Importantly, programs should have processes that enable students to succeed in academia and elsewhere. As we will discuss in the following section, post-graduate paths for PhD trainees have always included a mix of academic and non-academic careers. This was also the recommendation of a workshop held by the National Academy of Science ( IOM, 2015 ), and in fact reflects the actual career choices of individuals who received their PhD in neuroscience ( Akil et al., 2016 ). Importantly, the career-space that our current graduates will face will look very different from previous generations. In particular, it will look very different from the previous generation when there were very few academic jobs available. The current career space is broader than it used to be, including some jobs, such as internet-related positions, that did not exist a generation ago. Furthermore, neuroscience academic jobs are opening up as baby boomers retire and universities invest in neuroscience. Whatever the student’s goal is, we recommend looking for programs that provide career facilitation support for a variety of outcomes, because, as noted above, career goals may change with experience.

While many students and many programs will look at time-to-degree as a criterion for program quality, we feel that this can be misleading. No one has ever asked us how long we took to get through graduate school. One way to think about graduate school is to realize that graduate students in neuroscience programs get paid to go to graduate school – being a graduate student in neuroscience is a job, and one that should provide a living wage in the area that one will be living in during one’s time in graduate school. The main problem with students taking too long to complete a degree is that it may indicate deeper problems in a graduate program, for example, when students are not graduating because their technical skills are needed in a laboratory. These situations are rare, but extremely long durations (e.g., 8 years) can be a sign to look for when making a decision. However, the difference between spending 4.5, 5.5, or even 6 years in graduate school is simply not important relative to the duration of a scientific career. In fact, there is a case to be made that taking an extra year to get additional publications can be a wise choice for students going into academic careers, since fellowships, awards, and other granting mechanisms, such as individual NIH postdoctoral training grants (F32) and individual NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) awards, and the faculty level “early stage investigator” identifier at NIH, are based on date of graduation. Furthermore, few reviewers normalize number of papers by time spent in graduate school.

Additional Resources

The Society for Neuroscience provides useful resources to undergraduate students interested in a PhD in Neuroscience. One resource is the online training program directory that offers graduate program information on more than 75 top neuroscience graduate programs in North America, and provides a short summary of the characteristics of each program (e.g., number of faculty, student demographics, and research areas) along with a link to the program of interest. A second resource is available to prospective students who are able to attend the SfN annual meeting. Known as the Graduate Student Fair , it offers an opportunity for prospective students to meet face-to-face with representatives of many graduate programs.

The Gap Year Question

In recent years, we have seen that increasing numbers of applicants are taking a gap year between completion of their undergraduate degree and entering graduate school. We have not seen any correlation with success in graduate school from a gap year, and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota does not require such a gap year. However, other neuroscience graduate programs have begun to require it. The gap year itself can vary, but often the recent college graduate enters a formal postbaccalaureate or “postbac” program, such as the one at the NIH, works in a laboratory, and participates in specific programs designed to increase readiness for graduate school. Many applicants have taken one or more years off from formal education to do research in an academic, government or industry setting. Whether a postbac year is useful or not is very much an individual choice.

There are two cases where a postbaccalaureate experience can be helpful for admissions into a neuroscience PhD program. One is when the undergraduate GPA is lower than a 3.0 or the student does not have the requisite science-related coursework. The other is when a student does not have sufficient research experience. Structured programs, such as the one at NIH, can be helpful in these situations. These postbac programs can provide an experience that is valuable for those students with limited research experiences. They can also provide opportunities for students who decide to transition to new fields late in their college career or after completion of their undergraduate degree. However, as noted above, in our experience, students underestimate their research experience and take gap years unnecessarily. To summarize, additional research training after a bachelor’s degree is not necessary for successful admission into a graduate program in neuroscience for the vast majority of applicants, nor does it appear to correlate with successful completion of the PhD.

What Trainees Can Expect During Their PhD Training in Neuroscience

A neuroscience PhD is a research-focused degree. This means that the student will spend the majority of their time as a PhD trainee working on research that can be published in peer-reviewed journals. However, that journey can look quite different from program to program. Most programs work through some structure that is a combination of coursework and early research exploration in the first years, punctuated by a written preliminary exam, followed by a thesis proposal, thesis research, and a thesis defense. In almost all of the programs we surveyed, the student is paired with an advisor that is the primary research mentor.

Throughout this section, we will use our program as an example and we will note where it differs from others. However, the general timeline is similar between programs.

In August before our “official” school year actually starts, we provide a month-long hands-on, state-of-the-art research experience for all our incoming PhD students at a research station owned by the University of Minnesota at Lake Itasca at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. This program is unique in our experience relative to other programs, and it (1) provides a neuroscience background experience for students coming from diverse intellectual backgrounds, (2) binds the class together into a cohort which helps to provide a strong support system during the transition to and experience of graduate school, (3) begins the trainees on a journey from student to colleague. They then return to the Twin Cities to begin their formal year 1 experience.

In the majority of neuroscience graduate programs, students spend their first year doing two to four laboratory rotations with faculty who participate in the neuroscience graduate program and complete a set of core classes. The four core classes we require are Cell and Molecular Neuroscience , Systems Neuroscience , Developmental Neurobiology , and Behavioral Neurobiology . Other programs require other classes that might constitute a “minor” in a secondary subject, such as pharmaceutics or computational methods. At the end of the first year, many programs have students take a written preliminary examination that is focused on the integration of the material taught in the core first-year classes. Generally, programs use this sort of examination as a check to ensure that students have integrated the knowledge from their first-year classes. Students in most neuroscience graduate programs also take a class that provides training in research ethics, writing experiences, and other important non-academic components that will be necessary for a research career. Starting in the first year, it is typical that the program directors have annual or semi-annual meetings with every trainee in the graduate program. In later years, a thesis committee will also meet semi-annually with students to provide oversight and mentorship. Some programs we surveyed have separate committees that monitor student progress in the PhD program independent from the mentor and thesis committees. We advise looking for a program that will provide the trainee with regular evaluations and clearly defined milestones to help the student complete their degree in a timely manner.

In year 2, students in the majority of graduate neuroscience programs have settled into a laboratory and are working towards writing their thesis proposal. The thesis proposal is usually the basis for the “oral preliminary exam.” In our program, we have students write their thesis proposal in the form of an NIH NRSA (F30 or F31) grant proposal which helps train students to write grant proposals.

Many programs have students take other elective classes throughout their second and sometimes even into the third year. In the second year in our program, students take one more required class, Quantitative Neuroscience that covers statistics, programming, and experimental design, but that then completes their class requirements. These types of quantitative classes are being introduced in many neuroscience graduate programs in response to the rigor and reproducibility issues that are being raised in the scientific literature and expected to be discussed as part of grant submissions to the NIH.

Most neuroscience graduate programs also have a teaching requirement. In our program, this occurs in the second year. Programs require different amounts of teaching, so this is a good question for the applicant to ask when they are interviewing. Many graduate students are interested in careers that include teaching as well as research, and additional teaching experience is important. We provide extra opportunities for teaching, where the trainee might run discussion sections or give course lectures. Often, these “extra” teaching experiences are paid beyond what the student receives from their stipend. For those interested in a more teaching-centric career, these experiences are very important. We recommend the applicant ask about how teaching expectations of the graduate students is handled in the programs to which they are applying.

Year 3 and Beyond

In the subsequent years, PhD trainees continue to do research, write and publish papers, present their work at conferences and in colloquia, and proceed on the journey to graduation. Graduate neuroscience programs generally have trainees meet with their thesis committee once or twice a year to ensure that they stay on track to graduation. The final stage, of course, is the thesis writing and thesis defense.

Presentations and Outreach

A key factor for a successful science career is the ability to communicate one’s discoveries, both to fellow scientists and to the public at large. In our program, students are required to present their research annually to the other faculty and students in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience. These presentations are opportunities to learn how to present work to a friendly audience who will push one scientifically, but still provide positive support. In our experience, students are often very nervous giving their first colloquium, but confident by the time they are ready to defend their PhD thesis. The final PhD defense is a public presentation in which the student presents and defends their research. The specific aspects of the PhD defense are accomplished in different ways amongst PhD graduate programs; however, in the end, all PhD programs require that the student be able to publicly present their research in a comprehensive and cohesive manner as well as field questions about their research.

In addition, neuroscience graduate programs provide many opportunities for outreach beyond the scientific community, although most do not require outreach explicitly. Typical types of outreach in many programs include volunteering to present science at K-12 schools, Brain Awareness Week programs sponsored by the Society for Neuroscience, or science museums as examples. We have found that these opportunities provide students learning experiences in how to present scientific data and ideas to a broader audience. Not surprisingly, the ability to present ideas to a broad audience translates very well to communicating scientific results to other scientists as well.

It’s a Job

We have found it useful for students to think of graduate school as a combination of college and career. Students should not have pay out of pocket for their PhD program. Most neuroscience graduate programs not only pay students a stipend but also provide tuition and health care benefits. For some trainees, conceptualizing graduate school as a job rather than as continued school can be important for dealing with family pressures to “get a job” rather than “continue in school.”

Where to Go from Here

Fundamentally, the goal of a PhD program is to teach the student how to think critically and how to determine if a new discovery is real or illusion. An undergraduate program is usually about how to learn from books and from teachers, how to determine if the text in front of you is trustworthy or not, and how to integrate knowledge from multiple sources. A graduate program is about how to determine if the discovery you just made is correct when there is no answer in the back of a book for you to look up. In practice, this means learning how to ask questions that are answerable, how to design appropriate controls, how to interpret results and integrate them into a scholarly literature, and, importantly, how to communicate those discoveries to other scientists and the public as a whole.

These skills are useful in a variety of careers. Much of the discussion of graduate school outcomes has suggested that graduate programs are designed to produce faculty for colleges and universities and bemoan the fact that (1) there are too many PhD trainees and not enough faculty jobs, and (2) that many students are forced into “alternative careers.” Both of these statements are wrong when one looks at the actual data.

First and foremost, we wish to point out that there should be no such thing as an “alternative career” — graduates should go towards a career and not away from one. We tell our students that we want them to do something important, whether that is becoming faculty at a research institution, teaching undergraduates at a liberal arts college, contributing to industrial research, analysis, or translation, becoming a writer and making research findings accessible to other scientist or lay audiences, or making policy in a governmental or non-profit setting.

Second, the complaints seen in many of these publications do not take into account very important demographic trends. Current students will see a very different world of faculty jobs than their professors did. Simply put, understanding the faculty situation requires considering the baby boomers (q.v. ACD biomedical workforce data ). In 1980, a 35-year-old young professor was born in 1945, while a 65-year-old was born in 1915. This means that the generation of senior professors in 1980 consisted of those who had survived two World Wars and the Great Depression, while the junior professors were baby boomers. With the blossoming of investment in science after WWII, there were lots of jobs, and the baby boomers filled them quickly. Mechanisms were developed for new professors to get initial NIH grants to help them set up their laboratories (q.v. NIH History of new and early stage investigator policies ). In contrast, in 2000, a 35-year-old was born in 1965, and a baby-boomer born in 1945 was 55, in the prime of their scientific career. There were fewer jobs and few funding mechanisms that focused on providing assistance for new, young investigators. In 2018, that baby-boomer born in 1945 is nearly 75 years old and likely retiring or retired. Thus, based on our own university as well as checking sources online such as Science Careers , there are faculty positions in neuroscience open all over the country. In addition, there are now specific programs at NIH to help new faculty get grants and transition into becoming successfully funded faculty quickly.

In practice, this has meant that there are many faculty positions for those who want them, at many different types of academic institutions. An undergraduate student who wants to take the next step into a PhD program should be encouraged to do so. PhDs have always gone on after their PhD to contribute to science in many ways. A recent survey published in Nature found that a scientific PhD had high value in the United Kingdom and Canadian job markets ( Woolston, 2018 ). In fact, when we look at the distribution of careers our graduating students have taken since graduation, we find that the vast majority (96%) are engaged in important, science-related jobs.

However, the essential benefit of a PhD is that it teaches one how to think critically about the world around them. Life is long and careers are long, and the needs of both society and technology changes. It is critical to remember that many of the jobs people are doing today literally did not exist when we (the authors of this paper) were in graduate school. For example, it is now possible to make a living running an educational website on scientific topics that gets millions of hits per month, reaching thousands of school districts around the country, but when we (the authors) were in college, the internet didn’t exist. A well-designed PhD program will prepare its trainees for whatever career they chose.

We cannot imagine the world 30 years from now, but we can state that PhD-trained scientists will not only be able to handle these changes but will in fact invent many of them. Huge technological innovations now allow investigators to see many individual neurons inside the brain, control the properties of neurons experimentally, to see effects of individual channels and proteins within a neuron or glial cell, and to observe the effects of these manipulations on behavior. Neuroscience is making amazing discoveries in the fundamental science of how the brain functions and the clinical and practical consequences of those discoveries. Simply put, it is an amazing time to be a neuroscientist.

The authors thank Drs. Robert Meisel, Timothy Ebner, Paul Mermelstein, Stephanie Fretham, Kevin Crisp, and Neil Schmitzer-Torbert for comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

• Akil H, Balice-Gordon R, Cardozo DL, Koroshetz W, Posey Norris SM, Sherer T, Sherman SM, Thiels E. Neuroscience training for the 21rst century. Neuron. 2016; 90 :917–926. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hall JD, O’Connell AB, Cook JG. Predictors of student productivity in biomedical graduate school applications. PLoS One. 2017; 12 (1):e0169121. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Developing a 21rst century neuroscience workforce: Workshop Summary. Washington DC: The National Academies Press; 2015. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kuncel NR, Hezlett SA. Assessment. Standardized tests predict graduate students’ success. Science. 2007; 315 :1080–1081. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moneta-Koehler L, Brown AM, Petrie KA, Evans BJ, Chalkley R. The limitations of the GRE in predicting success in biomedical graduate school. PLoS One. 2017; 12 (1):e0166742. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Olivares-Urueta M, Williamson JW. Pre-admission factors and utilization of tutoring services in health professions educational programs. J Allied Health. 2013; 42 :74–78. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Weiner OD. How should we be selecting our graduate students? Mol Biol Cell. 2014; 25 :429–430. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Willcockson IU, Johnson CW, Hersh W, Berstam EV. Predictors of student success in graduate biomedical informatics training: introductory course and program success. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2009; 16 :837–846. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Woolston C. Science PhDs lead to enjoyable jobs. Nature. 2018; 555 :277. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

FellowshipBard

Phd in neuroscience: requirements, salary, jobs, & career growth, what is phd in neuroscience.

A PhD in Neuroscience is a doctoral degree that focuses on the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field that integrates elements of biology, psychology, physics, chemistry, and other disciplines to study the structure and function of the nervous system at many levels, ranging from molecules and cells to circuits and behavior.

A PhD in Neuroscience program allows students to specialize in fields such as cognitive neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, computational neuroscience, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, or clinical neuroscience, among others.

How much money do people make with a PhD in Neuroscience?

Individuals with a PhD in Neuroscience can earn better pay than others with less knowledge in the discipline, however the exact salary can vary greatly.

Salaries in academia, which includes jobs such as postdoctoral researchers, research scientists, and professors, can vary greatly based on experience and institution.

According to BLS and other sources, the median annual wage for postsecondary biological science teachers (which includes many neuroscience faculty positions) was around $83,000 in 2021, while the median annual wage for medical scientists (including neuroscience researchers) was around $88,000.

Salary levels in industry or the private sector can also vary greatly based on the type of company, level of specialization, and location.

One in pharmaceutical or biotechnology businesses, for example, where brain research may be focused on drug discovery or clinical trials, may pay more than academic ones.

Professions in research and development (R&D) or leadership roles in neuroscience-related sectors may also pay more than entry-level or technician professions.

What is expected job growth with PhD in Neuroscience?

Individuals with a PhD in Neuroscience have a generally good job growth prognosis, albeit this can vary based on the exact career path and geographic area.

Neuroscience is a fast expanding profession with an increasing demand for knowledge of the brain and nervous system. Neuroscience researchers and faculty posts in universities, research organizations, and academic medical facilities are often in high demand.

However, competition for tenure-track posts can be severe, and obtaining a permanent teaching position may necessitate much effort and experience.

PhD-trained neuroscientists can find work in pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses, neuroscience-related sectors, and research and development (R&D) positions in the private sector.

Positions such as research scientists, drug discovery scientists, clinical researchers, and data scientists are examples of these.

There may also be chances in science communication, policy, and advocacy, as well as consultancy and other positions requiring neurological competence.

Furthermore, with a greater emphasis on brain health and neurological illnesses, neuroscientists may be in higher demand in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities.

Opportunities in government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other sectors requiring competence in neuroscience research and application may also exist.

What can you do with a PhD in Neuroscience?

With a PhD in Neuroscience, you can follow a variety of employment options based on your interests, talents, and ambitions. Individuals with a PhD in Neuroscience may pursue the following careers:

1. Academic research and education: Many PhD-trained neuroscientists work as postdoctoral researchers, research scientists, or faculty members at universities, research institutions, and academic medical facilities. They do original research, publish scientific publications, acquire research funding, and teach and mentor students in subjects relevant to neurology.

2. Industry and the private sector: PhD-trained neuroscientists can find work in pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses, neuroscience-related sectors, and research and development (R&D) positions. Positions such as research scientists, drug discovery scientists, clinical researchers, data scientists, and others involved in discovering novel medications, conducting clinical trials, or analyzing and interpreting data may fall into this category.

3. Science communication and policy: Some individuals with a PhD in Neuroscience may choose to work in science communication, policy, or advocacy roles, where they translate scientific research for public understanding, engage in science policy, or advocate for evidence-based neuroscience and brain health policies. This can include working in government agencies, non-profit groups, or the media.

4. Healthcare and clinical practice: Neuroscientists with a PhD may also work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities, as clinical researchers, neurodiagnosticians, or neurorehabilitation specialists. They may be involved in patient care, clinical research, or the development of new therapeutics for neurological illnesses.

5. Consulting and industry collaborations: PhD-trained neuroscientists may serve as consultants for a variety of businesses, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and others, providing experience in neuroscience research, data analysis, and product development. They may also work on research and development projects with industrial partners.

6. Entrepreneurship and startups: Some PhD-level neuroscientists may choose to start their own businesses or work with startups, leveraging their neuroscience expertise to develop innovative technologies, products, or services related to brain health, neurotechnology, or other neuroscience applications.

7. Non-profit and advocacy organizations: Non-profit and advocacy organizations focused on neuroscience research, brain health, and neurological illnesses may hire individuals with a PhD in Neuroscience. These groups could be involved in research financing, education, patient advocacy, or policy activities.

What are the requirements for a PhD in Neuroscience?

The specific requirements for obtaining a PhD in Neuroscience can vary depending on the institution and program, but generally, the following are common requirements:

1. Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree: Applicants to most PhD programs in Neuroscience must have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Although it is not usually required, certain schools may accept applicants with a Master’s degree in a related discipline.

2. Academic Transcripts: Applicants are usually expected to present certified transcripts of their undergraduate and graduate education, which demonstrate their academic performance and achievement.

3. Statement of Purpose: Applicants are typically expected to provide a personal statement or statement of purpose detailing their research interests, academic ambitions, and reason for pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience.

4. Standardized Test Scores: Applicants to many PhD programs may be required to submit scores from standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other related assessments.

5. Letters of Recommendation: Applicants to PhD programs in Neuroscience are frequently required to provide letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources who may speak to the applicant’s academic talents, research potential, and eligibility for a PhD program.

Looking For Scholarship Programs? Click here

How long does it take to get a phd in neuroscience.

The time it takes to acquire a PhD in Neuroscience depends on a number of factors, including the specific school, the individual’s rate of advancement, and the requirements of the research topic. In general, a PhD in Neuroscience normally requires 4-6 years of full-time study and research after completing a bachelor’s degree.

Looking For Fully Funded PhD Programs? Click Here

Do you need a masters in neuroscience to get a phd in neuroscience.

In general, admission to most PhD programs in Neuroscience does not require applicants to hold a Master’s degree in Neuroscience or a related discipline.

A Master’s degree in Neuroscience or a related discipline, on the other hand, can be advantageous in the PhD application process.

A Master’s degree in Neuroscience might show PhD program admissions committees that an applicant has a solid understanding of the topic through coursework, research experience, and possibly publications.

It may also suggest that the applicant has already gained some research abilities and expertise that will be beneficial in obtaining a PhD in Neuroscience.

What are the Best PhD in Neuroscience Degree programs?

1. harvard university – phd in neuroscience 2. massachusetts institute of technology (mit) – phd in brain and cognitive sciences 3. stanford university – phd in neurosciences 4. university of california, san francisco (ucsf) – phd in neuroscience 5. johns hopkins university – phd in neuroscience 6. university of california, berkeley (uc berkeley) – phd in neuroscience 7. washington university in st. louis – phd in neuroscience 8. duke university – phd in neurobiology 9. yale university – phd in neuroscience 10. university of pennsylvania – phd in neuroscience, leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Professors Not Responding? Your CV May Be the Reason.

Try Our Ready-to-Use CV Templates Land You in Harvard, MIT, Oxford, and Beyond!

Ohio State nav bar

Ohio state navigation bar.

• BuckeyeLink
• Search Ohio State

What can you do with a PhD in Neuroscience?

Graduates of NGP have been successful in acquiring academic positions in colleges and universities throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.  Recent graduates have obtained post-doctoral positions within laboratories at institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, and Vanderbilt as well as McGill University and University College London.  After completing their post-doc, our alumni have earned faculty positions at Columbia, Emory, University of Texas Southwestern, and Tufts.

Featured Alumni

Tracy Bedrosian - Graduated 2013 Clinical Research Scientist, Neurotechnology Innovations Translator Received an F32 award from the National Institutes of Health

Laura Fonken - Graduated 2013 Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Austin Received an F32 award from the National Institutes of Health

John Gensel - Graduated 2007 Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky Received an R01 award from the National Institutes of Health

James Walton - Graduated 2013 Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia State University Received an F32 award from the National Institutes of Health

View a complete list of our alumni.

• What is an Affinity Community?
• International Students
• Students of Color
• Veteran Students
• NCAA Student Athletes
• Students with Neurodiversity & Dis/ability
• Adult Students
• First Generation Students
• Prospective Students
• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students
• What is a Career Community?
• Exploration & Discovery
• Education, Cultures & Human Services
• Multimedia, Marketing, Communication & Creative Arts
• Policy, Law & Public Service
• Management, Consulting, Sales & Finance
• Life & Physical Sciences
• Environment & Sustainability
• Engineering
• Computing, Information & Analytics
• Exploring Careers
• Exploring Graduate School
• Internships
• Interview Prep
• Research, Volunteering, & Fellowships
• Resume Prep
• Skill Development
• Contact + Team
• Career Resources

I am a Neuroscience Major. Now What? Graduate School and Career Paths to pursue in Neuroscience.

• Share This: Share I am a Neuroscience Major. Now What? Graduate School and Career Paths to pursue in Neuroscience. on Facebook Share I am a Neuroscience Major. Now What? Graduate School and Career Paths to pursue in Neuroscience. on LinkedIn Share I am a Neuroscience Major. Now What? Graduate School and Career Paths to pursue in Neuroscience. on X

Many students enter the field of Neuroscience considering a pre-medical track. However it is important to value your degree and understand the endless possibilities the foundational undergraduate degree in Neuroscience can provide. In the end, everything is connected! Whether you plan on medical school, or whether you are invested in the career field of neuroscience, with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience there are several options for graduate school and career paths. Here are some of the most common:

• Graduate School: Many graduates choose to pursue a Master’s or Ph.D. in Neuroscience or a related field. This can lead to careers in research, academia, or medicine.
• Medical School: With a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, graduates may be well-suited to pursue a career in medicine. Many medical schools offer specialized tracks or programs in Neurology, Neurosurgery, or Psychiatry.
• Research: Graduates can work in a research setting, either in academia or in the private sector. This can include positions in pharmaceuticals, biotech, or government research institutions.
• Science Writing: Neuroscience graduates with strong writing skills may consider a career in science journalism or science writing. They can write for scientific publications, websites, or work in public relations for scientific organizations.
• Education: Graduates can also consider a career in education, working as a teacher or professor in a neuroscience-related field.
• Clinical Work: Neuroscience graduates can work in clinical settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or mental health clinics.
• Industry: Graduates can work in the neuroscience industry, including sales and marketing of neuroscience-related products or medical devices

Overall, there are many career options for graduates with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. It is important to determine your interests and career goals early on and pursue relevant experiences and graduate education to achieve. Medical, Therapeutic, Academia and Industry are the three core branches in neuroscience career areas. The industry offers many different directions, depending on interests and expertise.

Examples and options to pursue in the Industry:

• Pharmaceutical Industry: Neuroscience research is a major focus of the pharmaceutical industry, with companies developing drugs for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmaceutical companies employ neuroscientists to conduct research and clinical trials to develop new drugs and therapies.
• Medical Devices: The development of medical devices for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders is another area of focus within the industry. Examples include deep brain stimulation devices for Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, as well as neuroprosthetics for spinal cord injuries. Neuroscientists work with engineers to develop and test these devices.
• Biotech: Biotech companies are involved in the development of new therapies and diagnostics for neurological disorders. This can include the use of stem cells, gene therapies, and other innovative approaches.
• Artificial Intelligence: The intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence is a growing area of interest, with companies developing technologies that can analyze brain imaging data, predict behavior, and create more effective therapies.
• Neuromarketing: Neuromarketing is a field that uses neuroscience techniques to understand consumer behavior and preferences. This includes the use of brain imaging to study how consumers respond to different stimuli such as advertisements or products.
• Cognitive Computing: Cognitive computing involves the use of artificial intelligence and neuroscience to create machines that can think and learn like humans. This has potential applications in areas such as robotics, autonomous vehicles.

A degree in Neuroscience can prepare you for a range of therapeutic and consulting roles. Here are some potential fields to consider:

• Neuropsychology: Neuropsychologists assess and treat individuals with neurological disorders that impact cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning. With a background in neuroscience, you would have a solid foundation to pursue a career in neuropsychology.
• Clinical Psychology: Clinical psychologists diagnose and treat individuals with mental health disorders. Your knowledge of neuroscience could be valuable in understanding the underlying causes of mental health conditions and developing effective treatment plans.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. Understanding the neurological mechanisms of behavior and cognition could be helpful in developing effective CBT interventions.
• Neurofeedback Therapy: Neurofeedback therapy is a type of treatment that uses real-time monitoring of brain activity to help individuals learn to regulate their brainwaves. A background in neuroscience would be helpful in understanding how neurofeedback works and developing effective treatment plans.
• Consulting: Many companies and organizations are interested in understanding how the brain works and how they can use this knowledge to improve their products or services. With a degree in neuroscience, you could work as a consultant, providing insights and recommendations based on your understanding of the brain and behavior.
• Research: If you are interested in advancing our understanding of the brain and its functions, you could pursue a career in neuroscience research. This could involve studying brain disorders, developing new treatments, or investigating the neural basis of behavior.

Reflecting over personal and professional interests, values and what sparks curiosity is key in starting to network, investigate and pursue education, experiential learning and research opportunities to prepare for a future career related to neuroscience. Start now, listen to podcasts, conduct informational interviews and read articles, be mindful in course selection and continue to build skills – all important factors in the journey to find your “why” and your “what”. Opportunities are waiting!

• Degrees Associate Degrees Bachelor's Degrees Master's Degrees Doctorate Degrees Online Programs Online Associate Degrees Online Bachelor's Degrees Online Master's Degrees Online Doctorate Degrees Degrees by State Top Ranked Schools
• Subjects All Subjects and Degree Programs Agricultural Studies Architecture Design Biological Sciences Business Management Computer Science Culinary and Cosmetic Services Engineering Health Professions and Medical Services Humanities and Liberal Arts Legal Studies Mechanical and Electrical Repair Media Related Communications Physical Science Psychology School Administration Transportation and Distribution Services Visual and Performing Arts
• Careers Career Aptitude Tests Career Planning Career Profiles Career Roadmaps Career Training FAQs Education and Career FAQs Job Resume FAQs Salary FAQs
• Resources All Articles All Videos Scholarships

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask you enter in the text you see in the image below so we can confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

ABOUT LEARN.ORG

• Privacy Policy
• © Copyright 2003- 2024 Learn.org, all rights reserved.

Subscribe to Student Saver

Free breaking news and coverage of savings in education

Princeton Neuroscience Institute

Graduate students, application information, admission update, 1/2024: in the spirit of transparency, we would like to inform applicants that invitations to interview for our graduate program were sent out in mid-december. other applicants are no longer being considered for admission..

Application Deadline:  November 20, 2023

All applications for graduate study are processed through the  Graduate Admissions Office , which provides an  online application . Our school code for TOEFL is 2672. No department code is required.

Requests for application fee waivers will be considered for U.S. citizens or permanent residents on the basis of significant financial hardship, or if you have participated or are currently participating in one of the several eligible programs (see  Fee Waivers ). Proof of program participation will need to be uploaded along with your application. The fee waiver option is accessible through the payment section of the admission application. If you choose that option, the fee waiver application will become part of your admission application and must be submitted by the application deadline. Applicants will be notified of a fee waiver decision within one week after the applications are submitted. Please email  [email protected]  with any questions.

PNI Graduate (Ph.D.) Program Application Tips

The application for the Neuroscience PhD program includes:

• A statement of purpose
• Transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate programs
• Three letters of reference
• Personal Essay
• Optional:vGRE scores are not required, but we do accept them if students choose to submit them.

While PNI reviews graduate applications holistically, most referees place the greatest emphasis on the statement of purpose and the letters of reference, and are particularly interested in letters of reference from previous research mentors. The statement of purpose is an opportunity to convey scientific and career goals directly to the admissions committee. A good statement will include a brief overview of your motivation to pursue graduate training in neuroscience, a history of research experiences up to this point, along with future interests and ambitions. When discussing previous research experiences, focus on the big picture questions the research addressed followed by specifics of your role in the project, in addition to any outcomes/impact to the field. A successful statement also outlines why PNI is the best place for you to conduct your graduate training.

Applicants should identify 2-3 faculty members at PNI who might be a good fit for their research interests. Please note the faculty you are interested in both the research statement and in the application form. Be thoughtful when selecting faculty, as these are helpful in indicating your research interests. Additionally, visit the faculty websites you’re interested in potentially working with to confirm they’re taking students. You may also email them directly to confirm.

PNI welcomes graduate applications from students of all disciplines. Our current graduate students completed undergraduate degrees in fields including but not limited to neuroscience, psychology, biology, engineering, and computer science. The program itself is designed to support students from many disciplines in an effort to create an intellectually diverse neuroscience workforce. In addition, while we welcome international applicants, please note that due to funding constraints we are only able to admit a small number of international students.

Additional advice/tips on completing your PNI application

Princeton Neuroscience PhD Program Application Support

EPSP (Empowering Diversity and Supporting Scientific Equity at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute (PNI)) and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute would like to help you with your PhD application to the Neuroscience program at Princeton University. We are delighted to match you with a Princeton Neuroscience Institute graduate student who would be happy to help review your application material! Amongst the resources we hope to offer are 1-on-1 mentorship and a comprehensive view of the program and its resources. EPSP aspires to build and support an inclusive, accessible, and diverse community for underrepresented groups and their allies at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. EPSP aims to empower, support and welcome scientists and research staff from all underrepresented backgrounds such as first-generation or low-income students, and students who identify as belonging to a racial and/or ethnic underrepresented group, individuals who are neurodiverse, medically disabled, and/or LGBTQIA+. 

Our application support group is a student-run initiative led by the  EPSP . The intention of this initiative is to provide support to prospective applicants. All personal information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with Princeton University faculty and administration. Participation in this program will not guarantee admission to the PNI program.

The creation of this program was inspired by similar efforts offered by MIT's BCS program and NYU’s Neuroscience program Application Support Group.

We will be accepting submissions beginning September 29, 2023.

Financial Support

All admitted students receive full financial support for the duration of their Ph.D., including tuition, a competitive stipend, and health benefits. This support is made possible through a combination of funds from Princeton University, federal grants to PNI, generous private donations, teaching assignments, and grants to faculty members. For complete details, refer to the Graduate School at Princeton University.

A completed  application  is required, including:

• Unofficial transcripts of your grades
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official TOEFL exam scores from ETS are required if you do not meet  the requirements listed .
• Statement of Purpose

*Please note that GRE scores are not required; however, applicants may submit them if they so choose.*

Princeton University Graduate School

Clio Hall Princeton, NJ 08544 Phone: (609) 258-3030 Fax: (609) 258-7262 [email protected] gradschool.princeton.edu/admission Regular Office Hours: 8:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Summer Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Get the Reddit app

/r/neuroscience is dedicated to the academic discussion of the discipline. While we welcome beginners to browse and learn, front page posts are heavily moderated and limited to academic journals and serious discussion. For a more casual option, please see our Beginner Megathread or the less-strict /r/neuro.

What can I do with a masters (or PhD) in Neuroscience?

• Neuroscience in Africa
• Organisation
• Partners and Funders
• African Brain Child Initiative
• Centre for Brain-Behaviour
• HIV Mental Health Research Unit
• Neurodevelopment Group
• Neurology Research Group
• African Stem Cell Inititative
• African Brain Health Genome Project
• Neuroscience Institute Brain Bank
• Microscopy Working Group
• Neurosurgical Innovation Lab
• The Ethics Lab
• Research Strategy
• Publications
• Our Members

Research MSc & PhD

• MA (Neuropsychology)
• Advocacy and Engagement
• Advancing African Neuroscience
• Resources for Public Good
• Opportunities
• Events Archive
• News archive
• Newsletters
• Cortex Club

MSc and PhD Programmes are by dissertation only and students need to be accepted by a potential supervisor in the Neuroscience Institute. 

The Neuroscience Institute has a very active postgraduate programme. Students are supervised by senior researchers in the institute and the topics for postgraduate research cover a wide range of fields . 

Students participate in a regular programme of seminars and journal clubs. An MSc is typically completed within two years but students may upgrade to a PhD in their second year if good progress in their research project has been made and if their supervisor supports their request. A PhD is typically completed in three or four years.

• Relationships

7 Signs That You're a Covert Manipulator

Improve your relationships by finding more authentic ways to express your needs..

Posted June 17, 2024 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

• Why Relationships Matter
• Find a therapist to strengthen relationships
• It's often hardest to recognize your own subtle manipulations.
• Everyone tries to influence others, but continual manipulation hurts close relationships.
• Simple changes can help you be more straightforward in your dealings with others.

Some types of manipulation are easy to see. For example:

• A salesperson tries to scare you into buying the extended warranty.
• Your boss asks you to work through the weekend and suggests that your answer will affect your bonus.
• A political candidate blames every problem on the incumbent and promises to turn things around.

But other types of manipulation can be harder to spot, especially when it's covert and you're the one engaging in it. Covert manipulation refers to subtle ways of trying to influence what other people think, feel, and do.

Covert manipulation can be hard to recognize not only for others but even for the manipulator, for several reasons:

• We often have blind spots for our own motivations and actions.
• It tends to be habitual and automatic, operating just outside of conscious awareness.
• It's easy to attribute it to more noble intentions—for example, believing that flattery (see below) is only meant to make the other person feel good about themselves.

The subtlety of covert manipulation doesn't make it more benign. In fact, the covert element makes it all the more manipulative, because the other person believes they're having a straightforward interaction with you.

Common Signs of Covert Manipulation

If you suspect that you might engage in covert manipulation, look for these seven common signs:

• You share information selectively. For example, if you really want to go to a restaurant but aren't sure your partner will, you play up all the positive reviews and don't share any of the negative ones. Controlling what the other person knows helps you control the situation.
• You crave approval. Few things are more important to you than being liked and pleasing others. Gaining approval is a (probably unconscious ) strategy for getting what you want, such as companionship, status, self-esteem , or financial rewards. This motivation can lead to subtle manipulations such as doing your partner a favor—not to make their day nicer, but so they'll like you and think well of you.
• You're always trying to be "nice." It's very important to you that other people see you as a good person—kind, thoughtful, unselfish, upstanding. While a part of you may genuinely care about being good and decent, much of your motivation for being nice is to get what you want. As a result, you might tend to bury negative feelings and put on a happy face, or pretend like everything is fine even if you're upset about something.
• You choose your words very carefully. Your mind works hard at finding just the right things to say to help you get the outcomes you want. For example, you might mentally rehearse how to avoid visiting your in-laws at Thanksgiving, aiming to sway your partner with just the right mix of sympathy and guilt . Instead of telling them honestly that you don't enjoy being with their parents, you blame other factors such as the driving distance or the difficulty in finding a pet sitter. Consequently, your partner doesn't know the truth behind your wishes.
• Your behavior varies greatly depending on who is present. Everyone is affected by the presence of other people, but your actions are drastically different based on who's around. Maybe you're much kinder to waitstaff when you're trying to make a good impression on your date, or you work harder when someone else is watching. You might even put off doing a task until someone is present so you'll get "points" for doing it.
• You often flatter others. Complimenting people can be a way of gaining their approval, thereby helping your own cause. Perhaps you butter up your partner with the hope that they'll have sex with you, or you use flattery to cajole a business owner into giving you a discount. Although it might feel as if the compliments are sincere, you realize that you wouldn't be saying those things if you didn't want something from the other person.
• You often feel resentful. A major downside of covert manipulation is that it's based on implicit or explicit mental contracts. Your behavior is designed to get something from the other person, and if they don't comply, you're likely to feel angry and resentful. You might think, for example, "I was so nice to clean the kitchen and they didn't even say thank you!" Without realizing it, you're handing control of your emotions to others based on whether they do what you want.

We all can be manipulative, and everyone experiences at least some of these signs from time to time. Moreover, many work roles rely on the ability to manipulate—for example, a trial attorney's efforts to sway the jury. But if you often see many of these signs in your personal relationships, you might benefit from finding other ways to meet your needs.

How to Stop Manipulating

It can be hard to stop manipulating since getting what we want is very rewarding. Manipulation is often seen as helpful to the manipulator and harmful to others, but the truth is that it hurts everyone. The lack of honesty gets in the way of more genuine connection, and it alienates you from yourself. It's also a lot of work to constantly try to bend others to your will.

When you loosen your grip on the need to control the situation and other people, you can find greater intimacy and peace. These three steps can help you break the habit of covert manipulation.

• Get curious about your intentions. Start to ask yourself what's behind your actions. What is motivating you to "be nice," or to do your partner a favor? Bringing curiosity to your behavior makes it easier to spot subtle forms of manipulation.
• Explore what is driving your actions. Interpersonal manipulation is correlated with emotional intelligence ( Ngoc et al., 2020 ), so use your emotional intelligence to examine why you manipulate. Without judging yourself, consider what's behind your manipulation. What need are you trying to fulfill? Where did you learn to manipulate? What is stopping you from being more authentic? Understanding where manipulation is coming from can give you more flexibility in your relationships.
• Aim to be more direct. When you catch yourself about to manipulate, see if there is a more authentic option available to you. What would it look like to be more straightforward? What are the possible upsides of expressing your needs directly?

Ngoc, N. N., Tuan, N. P., & Takahashi, Y. (2020). A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between emotional intelligence and emotional manipulation. Sage Open , 10 , 2158244020971615 .

Seth J. Gillihan, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and author specializing in mindful cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

• See us on facebook
• See us on twitter
• See us on youtube
• See us on linkedin
• See us on instagram

Customizable AI tool developed at Stanford Medicine helps pathologists identify diseased cells

The artificial intelligence technology can be trained by pathologists, giving them personalized assistance in identifying cells that might indicate diseases such as cancer or endometritis.

June 19, 2024 - By Sarah C.P. Williams

Green boxes highlight plasma cells — an indicator of infection — in a sample of the tissue lining the uterus. Zou lab and Montine lab

It’s something nearly any pathologist would welcome: a personally trained assistant that can help them identify abnormal cells in blood samples and biopsies so they can more quickly and accurately diagnose cancer or other diseases. In recent years, that kind of image analysis assistance has become more accessible than ever, thanks to artificial intelligence. But most medical AI tools are one-size-fits-all, like an assistant who can do only one job and has already been trained based on someone else’s workflow and preferences.

Now, Stanford Medicine computer scientists and physicians have collaborated to develop a new AI tool that identifies diseased cells under the microscope and can be easily customized by any pathologist. The tool, called nuclei.io, was described June 19 in Nature Biomedical Engineering .

Stanford Medicine doctors using nuclei.io to diagnose endometritis — an inflammation of the uterine lining — or metastatic colon cancer were 62% faster at making diagnoses and 72% more accurate than they were without the program, the team reported. Importantly, nuclei.io was not designed to make diagnoses on its own, but to point the pathologist more quickly toward areas that need a closer look.

“We don’t want a tool that replaces doctors, but something that collaborates well with doctors,” said James Zou , PhD, associate professor of biomedical data science and co-senior author of the paper. “We found that a pathologist assisted by the AI is much better than either the pathologist by themselves or the AI by itself.”

“As we face a growing shortage of pathologists, AI tools that work in tandem with doctors have the potential to speed up some of the more tedious, time-consuming parts of our job,” added professor and chair of pathology Thomas Montine , MD, PhD, co-senior author of the paper.

The ability to learn quickly

Pathologists, who study fluids or tissues taken from the body to help diagnose disease, are often faced with daunting search-and-find tasks as they peer through a microscope. They identify rare cells that indicate cancer, inflammation or other diseases but may be surrounded by thousands of healthy cells. Learning to pinpoint these cells and make diagnoses takes years of training.

AI tools, when given examples of healthy cells and diseased cells, can quickly learn to distinguish between the two, and many AI-based programs have been developed to analyze digital pathology images. However, once they are trained on initial data, they generally cannot be changed. A program trained to find cancer cells in the pancreas, for instance, might not find cancer cells in the lungs or immune cells, which infiltrate cancerous tissue, embedded in the colon. Moreover, a program might pinpoint fewer, more or different cells than a pathologist would like based on their usual workflow.

“Pathology is both a science and an art,” Montine said. “Every pathologist has their own idea of what a classic cell type looks like when it comes to any particular type of biopsy. In the past, AI tools have not been able to capture those individual preferences.”

Zou and Montine’s team, led by postdoc Zhi Huang, wanted to create a more fluid AI tool for pathologists that could learn and evolve as a doctor uses it — more like a real human assistant who responds to feedback. They created nuclei.io, which comes with the basic ability to differentiate cell types based on the appearance of their central nuclei, which contain the cell’s core genetic information. However, the program is also designed to learn: As it is used, nucle.io checks in frequently with the doctor about how it is performing.

“The pathologist doesn’t need any technical background to customize nuclei.io,” Zou explained. “The AI shows the clinician its predictions and asks, ‘Do you think this is correct or incorrect?’”

Thomas Montine

In less than an hour of use, the AI program learns how to recognize the cells that the individual pathologist wants to look for and highlights those cells on an image. When Stanford Medicine pathologists started testing nuclei.io, Zou’s team tracked their mouse clicks on the computer screen, indicating where they thought they saw diseased cells, as they were analyzing images.

“When they had the AI assistance, they were more targeted in where they zoomed in to the relevant regions within a large image,” Zou said. “It was no longer like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

When it came to searching for immune cells in uterine biopsy images (to diagnose endometritis) or colon cancer cells within a lymph node (to diagnose metastatic cancer), the AI assistance decreased diagnosis time from 209 to 79 seconds.

Toward better patient care

The goal of tools like nuclei.io is to ensure that patients are receiving fast and accurate diagnoses. In initial trials at Stanford Medicine, nuclei.io not only sped up pathologists’ work, but improved the accuracy of their diagnoses and decreased the frequency with which they had to request additional images from a patient sample.

Already, Stanford Medicine pathologists are testing the program’s ability to recognize other types of diseased cells.

“One of the strengths of nuclei.io is that it is agnostic to application,” Montine said. “This can be a powerful tool for interpreting any biopsy where we are trying to differentiate healthy and malignant cells. That’s not true of any other major AI tool being used in pathology right now.”

Zou, Montine and their colleagues are working with a startup company to prepare nuclei.io for deployment across the Stanford Medicine health system — and elsewhere. The tool must meet certain compatibility and security benchmarks before it can be used outside of a research setting. 

The research was supported by a Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator Award.

• Sarah C.P. Williams Sarah C.P. Williams is a freelance science writer.

About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu .

Hope amid crisis

Psychiatry’s new frontiers

‘You think, so you can dance’

Dancer and research scientist Elinor Harrison’s course ‘The Neuroscience of Movement’ teaches students to integrate thought with action.

On the first day of class, Elinor Harrison, AB ’01, PhD ’18, asks her students to think about the primary purpose of the brain. “Cognition? Perception? Motor learning? Emotion?

“Of course, that’s a trick question,” she says. “There’s no real way to separate these phenomena. They are all integral to the human experience.”

Harrison is discussing her class “The Neuroscience of Movement: You Think, So You Can Dance?” First offered in 2020, and cross-listed in performing arts, biology and philosophy-neuroscience-psychology (PNP), all in Arts & Sciences, the course draws on Harrison’s experience as a professional dancer and as a research scientist who studies movement therapies.

“We usually have more non-dancers than dancers,” Harrison says. “But almost everyone’s had the experience of practicing some kind of skilled movement, whether that’s in the studio or recital hall or baseball field or tennis court.

“This class does not require any particular training or level of motor skill,” she says. “We all have a range of abilities. Every student brings with them a wealth of embodied knowledge that only they possess. So how can that experience be applied to the ways we think about science?

“The goal of this class is to not only critically evaluate scientific literature,” she adds, “but to generate new scientific questions.”

Sensory information

Part lecture, part studio, “The Neuroscience of Movement” meets in Siegle Hall with regular excursions to rehearsal spaces in Mallinckrodt Center and the Anne W. Olin Women’s Building.

“I don’t believe it’s particularly useful to learn the neuroscience of movement by sitting still,” Harrison says with a smile. “Walking by my classroom, you might see students improvising dances, balancing on foam blocks with their eyes closed, or walking in circles clapping and singing.”

If that sounds fun, it is. But the pedagogy is strategic. Dancing with partners, tumbling on the floor, tossing tennis balls back-and-forth — such activities build camaraderie and combat self-consciousness. They also underscore import concepts like kinesthesia, proprioception and the role of the brain in navigating space.

“We move through the evolutionary basis of movement — how our nervous systems evolved to integrate sensory information, how action and perception give rise to consciousness, how complex neural processes allow us to coordinate our bodies in space and time,” Harrison says. “And that lays the foundation for dance and music, which are both fundamental functions in human society.

“Dance and music exist in every culture that we know about,” she adds. “Our brains must have evolved to enable these skills for a reason.”

Perception and movement

For their midterm project, students critically evaluate existing literature on one of six movement disorders: Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke and spinal cord injury. “Sometimes students have a loved one with one of these disorders,” Harrison says. “Sometimes they might even have one themselves.”

Students then develop 12-week intervention plans and lead the class through sample exercises. “We’ve heard ideas for drum circles, cooking classes, virtual reality paradigms —even goat yoga,” Harrison says. “Everything is fair game, so long as it hasn’t been studied before and can be justified scientifically.”

“My hope is not only that they learn to think about the body holistically in whatever field they pursue, but also that they do so for their own well-being.” Elinor Harrison

For the final project, students craft original research proposals relating to perception and movement. “Many students, especially our pre-meds, have spent years working in labs, getting great research experience,” Harrison says. “But they’ve rarely been asked, ‘What do you really care about?’ ‘What burning questions do you have?’

“They come up with so many great ideas,” Harrison says. She ticks off examples: Group a capella singing to reduce depression in college students, using driving simulators to improve lower extremity function in people with cerebral palsy, self-portraiture to improve body schema and increase activity in the amygdala.

“My hope is not only that they learn to think about the body holistically in whatever field they pursue, but also that they do so for their own well-being,” Harrison says. “The body is important! Everyone can benefit from thinking more about how they move and becoming more attuned to habitual movement patterns.”

Comments and respectful dialogue are encouraged, but content will be moderated. Please, no personal attacks, obscenity or profanity, selling of commercial products, or endorsements of political candidates or positions. We reserve the right to remove any inappropriate comments. We also cannot address individual medical concerns or provide medical advice in this forum.

You Might Also Like

Also in this Issue

Alumni profiles.

A career in counterintelligence

The path of a community organizer

Featured Books

Winner’s circle

Opening doors

‘An amazing story’

The motherhood entrepreneurs  

My Washington

Redefining the alumni experience

The continued need for DEI in the workplace  

Online Exclusives

Pledge drive