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Animals are frequently used to tell children's stories, especially in animated cinema. For the most part depictions of animals in classic films such as Lion King, Finding Nemo, or The Land Before Time are clearly not intended to depict an accurate natural history of their subjects. However, the ways in which movies get things wrong by having animals portray human roles opens an opportunity to explore the diversity of animal behavior. This course focuses on understanding the evolution, ecology, and natural history of diverse animals portrayed in films. It will cover a range of topics that apply generally to animated animal movies (e.g., Do animals use language?) as well as issues raised by specific movies (Does it make any sense for Scar to kill Mufasa in Lion King?). During this course students will engage with data and analyses used in the field of animal behavior, appreciate the diversity of experiences among animals, and consider our own biology and behavior in the light of the natural world.

The First-Year Writing Seminar is about introducing concepts in neuroscience and behavior and writing extensively about them. Topics vary by section.

General introduction to the field of animal behavior. Topics include evolution and behavior, behavioral ecology, sociobiology, chemical ecology, communication, orientation and navigation.

An introduction to neuroscience: the structure and function of the nervous system of humans and other animals. Topics include the cellular and molecular basis for cell signaling, the functions of neurons in communication and in decision making; neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, sensory systems, motor systems, neural development, learning and memory, and other complex brain functions. The course will emphasize how the nervous system is built during development, how it changes with experiences during life, how it functions in normal behavior, and how it is disrupted by injury and disease. Discussion sections will include a dissection of a preserved sheep brain.

Why are boys more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism, and why are women more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression? Are there different gay and straight brains? And how does brain science interact with gender and sexuality in popular debate? Reading and discussing the original scientific papers and related critical texts, we will delve into the neuroscience of gender. In this course, we will delve into the neuroscience of gender difference. Reading the original scientific papers and related critical texts, we will ask whether we can find measurable physical differences in male and female brains, and what these differences might be. Do men and women solve spatial puzzles differently, as measured physiologically? Do nonhuman animals display sex-specific behaviors mediated by brain structure, and can we extrapolate these findings to human behavior? Why are boys three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed as autistic, and is there any connection between the predominantly male phenomenon of autism and other stereotypically male mental traits? Are there physical representations of sexual orientation in the brain, and how are these related to gender identity? And how are scientific studies represented and misrepresented in popular debate?

Covers comparative and evolutionary approaches to the study of the relationship between peripheral hormones and neuroendocrine mechanisms in vertebrates, including humans, with sexual behavior, affiliative bonds and social grouping, parental behavior, aggression, mating systems, stress, learning and memory, and biological rhythms.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to experimental research on the neural basis of behavior and cognition in animals. Topics will include basic neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, neural and hormonal control of behavior, and learning and memory. Students will gain extensive hands on experience with a variety of laboratory techniques, and animal species, and behaviors.

Surveys the approaches that have been or are currently being used in order to understand the biological bases for learning and memory. Topics include invertebrate, simple system approaches, avian song learning, hippocampal and cerebellar function, research using MRI in humans. Many of the readings are from primary literature.

Covers the basic ideas and techniques involved in computational neuroscience. Surveys diverse topics, including neural dynamics of small networks of cells, neural coding, learning in neural networks and in brain structures, memory models of the hippocampus, sensory coding, and others.

We are in an AI revolution, yet these systems still can't match the brain's remarkable ability to build deep understanding of the world and use it flexibly for reasoning, planning, and adapting to new situations. This course examines neural information processing across multiple scales - from single neurons to brain systems - and their parallels in AI architectures. The course emphasizes how neuroscience insights drive AI innovation, from memory systems and neural dynamics to predictive processing and world models. For students with AI/CS/Math backgrounds, it provides deep insights into brain computation principles for developing neuroinspired algorithms. For neuroscience students, it introduces modern AI frameworks for understanding neural systems. Through topics spanning biological/artificial neural networks, hippocampal-cortical interactions, world models, and emerging neuroinspired architectures, students will explore how understanding the brain's computational principles can lead to more robust and general AI systems.

Why are chilies so spicy? This course examines the chemical basis of interactions between species and is intended for students with a basic knowledge of chemistry and biology. Focuses on the ecology and chemistry of plants, animals, and microbes. Stresses chemical signals used in diverse ecosystems, using Darwinian natural selection as a framework. Topics include: plant defenses, microbial warfare, communication in marine organisms, and human pheromones.

Introduction to neuropharmacology, with an emphasis on the neural mechanisms of psychoactive drugs. Topics include a brief introduction to neuropharmacology and a discussion of the major neurotransmitter families. The rest of the course covers the major psychoactive drugs, including cocaine, heroin, psychedelics, marijuana, and alcohol, as well as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression. Includes a term paper in the form of a grant proposal to study a current problem in neuropharmacology.

Focuses on how different molecular and genetic approaches have led to major advances in neuroscience. Lectures, student presentations, and discussions examine original research articles. Topics include: ligand-gated channels, potassium channels, seven membrane spanning receptors, olfaction, pain and cold receptors, neurotransmitter release, neural networks, epilepsy, optogenetics, and circadian rhythms.

Undergraduate course surveying system- and organ-related aspects of pharmacology. Topics include mechanisms of drug action; drug disposition; pharmacokinetics; autonomic pharmacology; pharmacology of inflammation, allergy and platelet function; and endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal pharmacology. The course is designed for undergraduate life science majors, particularly those interested in medical or veterinary school.

Courses on selected topics in neurobiology and behavior; can include lecture and seminar courses.

Intensive lecture and computer lab course on modeling strategies and techniques in the study of behavioral evolution. Population-genetic (including quantitative-genetic), static optimization, dynamic programming, and game-theoretic methods are emphasized. These approaches are illustrated by application to problems in optimal foraging, sexual selection, sex ratio evolution, animal communication, and the evolution of cooperation and conflict within animal social groups. Students learn to critically assess recent evolutionary theories of animal behavior, as well as to develop their own testable models for biological systems of interest or to extend preexisting models in novel directions. The Mathematica software program is used as a modeling tool in the accompanying computer lab.

Communication is the glue that holds societies together. This course examines how and why animals communicate. Topics include the role of the environment in shaping animal signals, whether animals tell the truth to each other, why some bird songs are simple and others complex, and what kinds of signals might be exchanged between species.

Experiments include PCR, western blots, RNAi, antibody staining, optogenetics, calcium imaging of neurons and behavioral assays. Students will also construct their own epifluoresence microscope. Experiments emphasize how molecular techniques can be applied to studying neurobiological problems and will culminate in designing your own experiments. If you have additional questions please contact dld14@cornell.edu.

Almost all behaviors-from speech to a cross court forehand-are mediated by the contraction of muscles. This course examines the neural origins of motor behavior, from simple reflexes to complex learned motor sequences. Ascending the motor hierarchy, we will study the neuromuscular junction, spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex. At each level, we will examine the structure and function of the local microcircuit, as well as diseases-such as myasthenia gravis, stroke, ALS, ataxia and Parkinson's-that result from that circuit's dysfunction.Each week we will discuss a topic relating to the neurobiology of motor control, with a combination of lectures (both video and real-life) and student-led presentations of relevant research papers. Students will be evaluated on the basis of their participation, their presentations, their final project (a 5 page grant proposal on a research question relevant to the course), and a final exam.

This course is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students interested in computational methods for analyzing neural and behavioral data. Potential topics include signal processing, spectral analysis, information theory, cluster analysis, fitting parametrized models and maximum entropy models. We will also look at applications of modern machine learning techniques to scoring, analyzing and interpreting data. Although the course will be geared towards students who are new to computational methods, familiarity with calculus is recommended. Students will be asked to give a short oral presentation at the end of the semester on the use of methods from the class to analyze a real dataset.

How do plants respond to antagonists, such as herbivores and pathogens? What are the checks and balances that keep mutualist organisms in their tight interactions? How are symbioses organized on molecular, metabolic and ecological levels? What are the molecular, plant hormonal, and metabolic mechanisms mediating plant biotic interactions with other organisms? What ecological and evolutionary consequences do these interactions have for the fitness of the plants and their interactors? This course provides an overview of plants' myriad interactions with antagonists and mutualists, from microbes to multicellular organisms, and explains the underlying ecological and evolutionary concepts. It gives an introduction to the study of induced plant responses in the light of a behavioral biology framework.

Laboratory course covering topics presented in BIOEE 4460/BIONB 4460/PLSCI 4460.

Advanced course in evolutionary biology focusing on the pattern and process of speciation and the nature of origin of behavioral, morphological, physiological and ecological traits that form the intrinsic barriers to gene exchange. Lecture topics include species concepts and definitions, the history of ideas about speciation, the biological basis of intrinsic barriers to gene exchange, current models for the origin of such barriers, genetic architecture of speciation, rates of speciation. Emphasis is on developing a rigorous conceptual framework for discussing speciation and on detailed analysis of a series of case histories.

Food intake is a complex behavior that is strictly regulated by sensory, homeostatic, and hedonic neural circuits, which balance energy intake with energy expenditure. An integrated system of external sensory information works together with peripheral body organs and the central nervous system to produce the sensation of food and the drive to consume. The balanced functioning of this interconnected physiological system is critical for humans and other organisms to control the nutrient intake and maintain stable body weight. In eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, or in metabolic syndromes, such as obesity, the perception of food and the homeostatic balance between hunger and satiety is dysregulated leading to weight loss or gain and associated health problems. In this course, students will learn about the current and past research on neural control of food intake and energy metabolism. I will introduce the topic and cover the main discoveries in a discussion-based lecture. After the lecture, each week, students will collaboratively present a topic. The first student will present an overview of the research topic. The second student will present the research article for the week. Each student will present twice (once in each slot). Everyone must do the readings each week and come prepared to discuss the science. There will be ample time for discussion and questions, which are strongly encouraged.

Overview of the diversity of modern biophysical experimental techniques used in the study of biophysical systems at the molecular, cellular, and population level. Emphasis is placed on groundbreaking methods behind recent Nobel Prizes and other techniques likely to be encountered in cutting-edge research and industry. Topics include: 1) super-resolution, multi-photon, and single molecule microscopy, 2) crystallography and structural biology methods used to characterize DNA, RNA, proteins, cells, tissues, 3) microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, and single cell culture techniques, 4) molecular dynamics simulations, stochastic modeling, and physical models of a cell, and 5) next-generation sequencing, protein engineering, synthetic biology, genome editing, and other experimental techniques at the intersection of applied physics and biological engineering.

This course will explore the wide diversity in visual systems across organisms and how evolution shapes these visual systems to solve a wide range of daily challenges. Vision often plays a key role in navigation, finding food, avoiding predators, and even choosing potential mates, but there isn't one best visual system for all these tasks in all environments. We will be examining how differences in eye structure and photoreceptors lead to differences in spatial acuity, color vision, polarized light detection, and even the speed of vision.

This course examines the neural circuit dynamics that support learning, memory and flexible decision making. We will critically read and discuss classic and current papers in these subjects. Topics may include neural mechanisms of different types of learning, memory-guided behavior, spatial navigation, memory replay, neural oscillations, brain computation, etc. We will critically read and discuss classic and current papers in these subjects. Topics may include neural mechanisms of different types of learning, memory-guided behavior, spatial navigation, memory replay, neural oscillations, brain computation, etc. Topics will cover both fundamental and translational research in different animal models and humans.

This class examines the neural circuits that regulate sleep and how sleep changes or preserves across different species. It will help students to extract critical information from research literature regarding sleep and related biological rhythms. Topics will range from comparison of sleep in different animals, description of the different sleep stages, brain computations during different sleep phases and pathological implications of sleep associated disorders.

Laboratory-oriented course designed to teach the concepts and tools of cellular neurophysiology through hands-on experience with extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological techniques, and computer acquisition and analysis of laboratory results. Students explore signal transmission in the nervous system by examining the cellular basis of resting and action potentials, and synaptic transmission and optogenetic control of behavior and physiology. Lecture time is used to review nervous system physiology, introduce laboratory exercises, discuss lab results and primary research papers, and for presentation of additional experimental preparations and methods. Invertebrate preparations are used as model systems.

Designed to give qualified undergraduate students teaching experience through actual involvement in planning and assisting in biology courses. This experience may include supervised participation in a discussion group, assisting in a biology laboratory, assisting in field biology, or tutoring.

Laboratory-oriented course designed to teach the concepts and tools of cellular neurophysiology through hands-on experience with extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological techniques, and computer acquisition and analysis of laboratory results. Students explore signal transmission in the nervous system by examining the cellular basis of resting and action potentials, and synaptic transmission. Lecture time is used to review nervous system physiology, introduce laboratory exercises, discuss lab results and primary research papers, and for presentation of additional experimental preparations and methods. Invertebrate preparations are used as model systems. Students must complete and additional semester-long project. The project includes exploration of experimental neuroscience questions not covered in the undergraduate laboratory class, novel, low cost instrumentation design, computational approaches to nervous system function and development of active learning activities. It will require a project proposal early in the semester, and a final project presentation and research journal style paper at the end of the semester.

Designed to provide several study groups each semester on specialized topics. A group may meet for whatever period is judged adequate to enable coverage of the selected topics. Discussion of current literature is encouraged. See course roster for offerings.

A weekly journal club-style discussion. Graduate students may be expected to present a summary of their research or a summary of research in the literature related to their thesis once per year.

A weekly journal club-style discussion. Graduate students may be expected to present a summary of their research or a summary of research in the literature related to their thesis once per year.

Designed to assist students in mapping their graduate careers and in choosing and pursuing transformative and tractable thesis topics. The core of the course will be open-ended discussions directed by paired neurobiology and behavioral ecology faculty on novel research frontiers in the study of mechanisms and the evolution of behavior (including in the zone of their conceptual intersection). Occasional laboratory experiences may also be included. Professional development topics will include how to: navigate graduate school, allocate time between reading, thinking creatively, and investing in research, design experiments, write grant proposals, give talks, and publish peer-reviewed papers.

In-depth discussions of career choices for academic biologists to empower them to manage their careers. Topics to be covered include: developing strong CVs, personal statements, public speaking and interview skills, competing for postdoctoral, faculty and other professional positions, interviewing, dual careers, where to publish, grand administration, dealing with editors, tenure promotion and other issues. Workshops will include panel discussions with postdocs, former NBB graduates and faculty members.

Group intensive study of current research in plant-insect interactions. Topics vary from semester to semester but include chemical defense, coevolution, insect community structure, population regulation, biocontrol, tritrophic interactions, and mutualism.