03-161 Molecules to Mind

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course provides a depth-first approach to understanding neuroscience using case studies of human diseases and experiments in model organisms to understand brain function. We will talk about a mutation in a sodium channel gene that leads to the complete inability to feel physical pain and how the somatosensory system transforms innocuous and noxious sensation into pain. Students will learn about the connections between neurons and the biochemical basis for synaptic plasticity and learning. We will use a case study of a family with mutations in a single "master controller" gene to understand how the brain language produces and understands language. Finally, we will look at how assemblies of neurons encode and transform sensation into action, using the well-described neural architectures of invertebrates. Special emphasis will be placed on how transformative discoveries are made in science.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Spring 2027, Spring 2026

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