The long-standing Neuroscience Training Program (NTP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides pre- doctoral graduate training in neuroscience. The overall goal of the program is to train the next generation of leading integrative neuroscientists for future careers in academic research, education, industry, and public service. Students engage in research training with faculty whose research interests span the breadth of modern neuroscience. Students receive training in a broad range of neuroscience areas, including behavior, cognition and emotion; development, plasticity and repair; membrane excitability and synaptic transmission; molecular neuroscience; neural circuits; neurobiology of disease; perception and movement. Our proposed training program includes a combination of hands-on research work, coursework, and our unique seminar course. Training in experimental design, statistical methodology and quantitative skills will be integrated into coursework and seminar subgroups, and will occur throughout student training. The 79 members of the training faculty draw from 23 departments across campus and bring an array of scientific interests and state of the art methodologies to student training, ranging from molecular genetics to whole brain imaging. The NTP's goal is to train students with intellectual breadth necessary for them to become leaders in the field and make contributions and advances to biomedical research in neuroscience. Our program has been very successful in achieving its training goals. The median time to complete the Ph.D. degree has been 5.0 years over the past 10 years, and 94% of our graduates have remained in research-related careers. We anticipate appointing 12 trainees per year, with half of those appointments made to students in their first year and half to students in the second year of Ph.D. training. Selection of trainees will be based principally upon prior research accomplishments and demonstrated potential for an independent research career. Graduates will be well equipped to carry out research aimed at understanding fundamental neurobiological processes and mechanisms underlying diseases and disorders of the nervous system, and to help train the next generation of physicians and scientists.
Our program is designed to prepare predoctoral trainees for independent careers in neuroscience research and teaching. Graduates will be well equipped to carry out research aimed at understanding fundamental neurobiological processes and mechanisms underlying diseases and disorders of the nervous system, and to help train the next generation of physicians and scientists.
