IUBio

Undergrad seeking advice

Kenneth Collins k.p.collins at worldnet.att.net
Tue Sep 10 16:14:19 EST 2002


Dr. Norman, will you allow me to come to U-Michigan to demonstrate
that it's 'hopelessness' that is 'naïve'?

I'm about played-out, financially, so U-Michigan would 'have to' feed
and house me [for about a week], but I'll take care of the rest [if
my old car can make it there :-]

k. p. collins [ken]

Richard S. Norman wrote in message ...
>On 10 Sep 2002 02:15:58 -0700, phanbran at yahoo.com (Brandon Field)
>wrote:
>
>>Hi, I am an undergrad biological chemistry major (will soon
transfer
>>to Grinnell College) and plan to go into neuroscience after I get
my
>>B.S. My interest in neuroscience comes from the idea that we may be
>>able to understand the brain processes at the highest level, for
>>example, being able to examine a brain and know what it is thinking
by
>>decoding the brainss signals. This would be benificial because we
>>could learn exactly how the mind works, and also could comunicate
>>directly with brains with direct signals, for example, learning how
>>the brain encodes visual images, then changing the electric signal
of
>>video into the brains ode, which may one day allow blind people to
>>see.
>>
>>What I'm wondering is which branch of neuroscience should I study
to
>>learn these things?
>
>First, you should get some background in biology.  A good intro
course
>plus some background in cell biology and physiology and an intro
neuro
>course will really help you decide.  It will also show you that your
>ideas that seem so appropriate and logical to you now are hopelessly
>naive given the true complexity of neurons and nervous systems.
Also,
>once you get a good introduction in how to understand the primary
>reseach literature, you will be in a far better position to decide.
>
>I would strongly suggest you stay with the biochemical/molecular
>biology/cellular side of neuro, not the cognitive/physiological
psych
>side.  I say that simply because you are already in biochemistry and
>will have the proper tools and background for the one, but not the
>other.
>
>Since you are already getting a good background in biochem, it would
>be logical for you to go into some aspect of cell signaling.
>Plasticity of synaptic transmission is the key to unravelling memory
>and learning.  Gene regulation and control is another area heavily
>involved in learning and memory but also in development and
>regeneration.  There are a lot of untapped fields at the
>molecular/cellular level to explore!
>
>
>





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