Program Overview

Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders Doctoral Program

The Department of Neurosciences at The University of Toledo is growing due to an exciting affiliation between the College of Medicine and Life Sciences and ProMedica, a local, nonprofit health-care system. This partnership has allowed the department to strengthen its research mission, provide more resources for students, and increase funded labs and faculty to mentor students.

Overview of the Program

The Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders doctoral program offers an interdisciplinary course of studies, training Ph.D. students for independent, creative careers in biomedical research and teaching. The program aims to integrate molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience to uncover nervous system function, how it goes awry, and develop treatments for diseases of the nervous system.

Top Reasons to Study Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders

• Exceptional faculty and resources: Nationally recognized, National Institutes of Health-funded faculty members serve as research mentors.
• Funded research: A number of recent UToledo doctoral students were awarded highly competitive NIH pre-doctoral fellowships for their research training.
• Funded travel: The Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program provides $1,000 to Ph.D. students to attend and present their research at national and international meetings.
• Dual degrees: UToledo offers a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree, and students may also simultaneously pursue a J.D., M.P.H., or M.B.A.

Research Efforts

Current research efforts in the department focus on:

• Development, organization, and maintenance of central and peripheral components of the nervous system
• Anatomy and function of neural circuits that control organs
• Mechanisms of regeneration and repair
• Synaptic biology
• Neuronal signaling
• Plasticity of the nervous system
• Neuropsychiatric disorders and behavior

Facilities and Equipment

All UToledo labs are equipped for modern biomedical science research. Extensive core facilities are available to students, including:

• Advanced microscopy
• Electrophysiology and optogenetics
• Histology
• Animal behavior
• Flow cytometry
• Metabolomics
• Proteomics

Career Opportunities

100% of students who complete the program find job placement as:

• Post-docs at academic institutions
• Government or industrial scientists Graduates of UToledos Ph.D. program have been named post-doctoral Fellows at prestigious institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, Harvard University, and Duke University. Alumni have found positions as scientists at companies like Cerulean Pharma, Inc., and Platelet BioGenesis.