The Neuroscience Centre at Jiwaji University

The University has timely identified the activities in this subject in the campus and established the Neuroscience Centre In November 2000 which has now taken the status of a University Teaching Department with a post-graduate programme in Neuroscience.

Message

There has never been a more exciting time to study the brain – the subject called NEUROSCIENCE. Neuroscience is truly interdisciplinary and rapidly expanding today. We are trying to develop NEUROSCIENTISTS of tomorrow.
A career in neuroscience demands training in diversified areas like biology, psychology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, occupational biology, structural & molecular neurobiology, neurogenesis etc. The M.Sc. Neuroscience teaching programme provides training in most of these areas.
Along with theory and practical, students are encouraged to participate in ongoing faculty research as well as national and International training programmes of International Brain Research Organization, National Brain Research Centre and alike. Three of our M.Sc. Students have published research papers based on their project work in journals of reasonably high Impact Factor.
More than 75% of our students are working in India and abroad for their Ph.D. theses. Many are placed in R&D laboratories of pharmaceuticals companies.
Isn’t it exciting to know all these?
If you are looking forward to an exciting and challenging career, come and join us in our venture to prepare brains to understand how the brain makes us understand.

Best wishes!
                                                                                                                        Ishan Patro
                                                                                                                         Ph.D, FIAN
                                                                                                                      Coordinator-Head

Department profile *
The School of Studies in Neuroscience offers a platform for research and teaching towards understanding the structure and function of the brain. This is the first and only Post-Graduate Department in Indian Universities extending interdisciplinary and inter-Institutional training to students leading to the award of M.Sc. Neuroscience degree.
Generous financial support from the Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science & Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, University Grants Commission and other agencies during past few years and strong academic backup and support from distinguished neuroscientists of national and international stature have allowed us to develop a research centre which one can boast of. We have successfully executed several major research projects, organized training workshops for research scientists and University and college teachers, symposia and conferences of National and International level. The School is well equipped with modern instrumentation as well as a good library. Our neuroscientists have been trained in leading Institutes in India and abroad. The students who obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. from this Department are now working in established Institutes in the country and abroad.
The M.Sc. Neuroscience (supported by the Dept. of Biotechnology, Govt. of India) teaching programme takes care of the basic disciplines such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, pharmacology, etc. which provide a broad base during the first semester. This is followed by gradually specialized areas of neuroscience like neurochemistry, molecular neurobiology, genetics, neuroimmunology, development of brain, degeneration and regeneration of nervous system, systems neuroscience, learning, memory and cognition, clinical neurochemistry, tools, techniques and methods in neurobiology research.
In order to inculcate research skills in our students, in addition to their training at our research laboratory they get an exposure by way of project work/ training for up to 6 months in an established neuroscience laboratory.
We also make special efforts to promote an excellent general education that would provide the basis for careers in other areas such as teaching, commerce, and administration and management.

1.  Neuroscience research oriented positions in academia and industry,
2.   Carriers at the interface of the bench and bedside in the academic neuroscience or
   
3.  Even in the application oriented biomedical industry.

Scope for Placement

 M.Sc. Neuroscience programme has been designed to train students for neuroscience research oriented positions in Universities/Institutes/R&D Units of Pharmaceutical Companies engaged in production of neuropharmacological products and diagnostics, in India and abroad.

Number of Seats Available:  10 + NRI, No payment seats.

Studentship: Ten students shall be entitled for a studentship of Rs.1,200 pm.

Teaching Methods:

 The course is completed in a truly interdisciplinary and inter-Institutional mode. A variety of teaching methods are adopted including interactive lectures and seminars, group work, practical classes, computer based exercises as well as external visits to hospitals, Laboratories, Institutes, etc.

Course Structure

 It is a 2 years (4 Semesters) teaching programme. The students with a M.Sc. degree in Neuroscience would have acquired the basic knowledge in major disciplines of the subject such as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, molecular neurobiology, neurogenetics and the working of motor, sensory and regulatory systems, development and regeneration of the brain as well as aspects of biotechnology such as cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology and tools of the trade. They would also acquire practical training in the above aspects as well as in research methodology and computational skills.

Faculty

 The faculty consists of well experienced teachers and scientists from Jiwaji University and premier Universities/ Institutes such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, Jamia Hamdard, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, G.R. Medical College, ITM Universe and others.

Visiting Faculty:

Research Staff*

Extension Lectures by Eminent Neuroscientists from India and Abroad

Prof. P.N. Tandon, President, National Brain research Centre, Manesar.
Prof. M. Gourie Devi, Sr. Consultant Neurologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi & Hon. Advisor in Neurological Research, ICMR, New Delhi.
Prof. Mahdi Hasan, Emeritus Professor, KG’s Medical University, Lucknow.
Prof. K. Subba Rao, School of Life Sciences, Hyderabad university, Hyderabad.
Prof. P.K. Seth, CEO, Biotechnology Park, Lucknow.
Prof. Vijayalaxmi Ravindranath, Director, National Brain Research Centre, Manesar.
Prof. Y.K. Gupta, Head, Dept. of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
Prof. V.K. Bhasin, Dept. of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi.
Dr. Pamela Baker and Dr. D.L. Baker, College of Lewiston, Maine, USA
Dr. Srinivas N. Pentyala, School of Medicine, State University of New York, NY, USA.
Dr. Stan Terrace, Rainishaw, UK.

Student's Achivements

 Our students have been very actively participating in various scientific activities, training programmes and conferences, etc. Some of the important events attended during 2006-2008 are as follows:

Students’ Academic Events:Participation in

Abroad

• “International Brain Research Organization & International Society for Neurochemistry School in Neuroscience” National University of Singapore. 25th June- 16th July, 2006
• “6th IBRO- Associate School of Neuroscience” Venue: Tarbiat Modarres University (TMU), Tehran, Iran. Organized by: International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and TMU, Iran. 26th -30th Aug 2006
• “1st Neuroscience Orientation Summer Program” Venue: SB Medical University and TMU, Tehran, Iran. Organized by: Iranian Society of Physio. and Pharma. and IBRO. 2nd -21st Sept 2006
• “Biennial Meeting of Asia Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (Conference)”, Scientific Exhibition and Conference Center, Singapore. 17th July, 2006
• “1st UAE- IBRO Neuroscience School- Fundamentals of Basic and Clinical Neurosciences” UAE University, Al Ain, UAE. Organized by: UAE University Neuroscience Group and IBRO. 24th - 31st Jan 2007

India

• “Brain Awareness Day.”  School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, Organized by: JNU & NBRC, Manesar, Haryana, India. 03rd April 2006
• “National Symposium on Neural Plasticity and Repair” and “Workshop on Evaluation of Plastisity in Pain” Department of Anatomy & Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi- 11002 & Indian Society of Pain Research and Therapy18th – 19th October 2006
• “Workshop on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) for Academia” AIIMS, New Delhi. Organized by: Dept. of Sci. & Tech., Government of India. 24th & 25th Nov 2006
• “III International NBRC Conference” National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, India. 13th -15th Dec 2006
• DSI- GENTECH Workshop “Building an Integrated Physiological Monitoring System: A Discussion and Demonstration of DSI Product and their Application” Taj Hotel, New Delhi 12th October 2006
• “Workshop on Bioinformatics and Biomathematics” at SOMAS, Jiwaji University, Gwalior. 14th -16th January 2006
• 24th annual conference of Indian academy of Neuroscience: “International update on basics and clinical neuroscience advances” Industrial toxicology research centre, Lucknow, 17th- 20th December 2006
• 26th Annual Meeting of Toxicology (STOX) India “International Conference on Toxicology, Toxicogenomics and Occupational Health (ICTTOH), at Jiwaji University, Gwalior.  9th -11th October 2006
• How to Write a Scientific/ Medical Paper?  Jointly organized by Cancer Hospital and Research Unit, Gwalior and Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior.  24th September 06.
• “Centenary Commemoration of Alzheimer’s Disease & 12th Annual Conference of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India” New Delhi. 9th -11th November 2006
• Workshop on “Neurochemical Techniques for the Neuroscientists”, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology funded by International society for Neurochemistry and International Brain Research Organization.  29th December 2006 -7th January 2007
• Annual Conference of Society for Neurochemistry, India (SNCI) at Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata. 8th- 9th January  2007
• One week Hands-on Training at the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal. 12th -19th February 2007
• International Symposium on Advances in Neuroscience and Silver Jubilee Conference of Indian Academy of Neuroscience at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. 22nd -25th November 2007.
• National Seminar on “Nanotechnology and its Applications” Jiwaji University, Gwalior. 30th March 2008

Poster/ Papers Presented in Conferences, etc. (2006-2008):

Students Achivements

1. Ranjan Kumar. Gap Junctions in Brain: Functions in Health and Disease (Oral Presentation). 5th IBRO-ISN School at National University of Singapore (20th -30th June 2006)
2. Jitendra K. Sinha. Age Changes in Human Abducens Nerve: A morphometric study. (Poster). 6th IBRO Associate School, Tehran, Iran (2nd – 21st September 2006)
3. Ranjan Kumar. Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Study of Cerebral Cortex in Developing Fetal Brain (Oral Presentation). 4th FAONS Congress at Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. (2nd -4th December, 2006)
4. Jitendra K. Sinha. Age Changes in Adult Human Abducens Nerve (Poster). III International NBRC Conference, NBRC, Manesar, India (December, 2006)
5. Jitendra K. Sinha.  A morphometric study of human 6th cranial nerve (Oral Presentation) 1st UAE-IBRO Neuroscience School, Al Ain, UAE (24th -31st January 2007)
   
   
6. 6. Kamendra Kumar, Effect of Postnatal Exposure to Deltamethrin (DLT) on
   Spontaneous Motor Activity and Motor Coordination in Rat. (Poster). National
   Symposium on Glial Neurobiology held at Jiwaji University, Gwalior. (23rd
   October 2007)
   
7. Shashank Tiwari. FK506 Helps Motor Co-ordination Recovery Following Sciatic
   Nerve Transection in the Young but not in Senile Rats” (Poster). International
   Symposium on Advances in Neurosciences and Silver Jubilee Conference of
   Indian Academy of Neurosciences held at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
   (22nd -25th November, 2007).
   
8. Kamendra Kumar, Effect of post-natal exposure to Deltamethrin on
   Locomotor Activity and Motor Coordination in Rats. (Poster). International
   Symposium on Advances in Neurosciences and Silver Jubilee Conference of
   Indian Academy of Neurosciences held at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
   (22nd-25th November, 2007)
   By Research Scholars:
   
9. Kapil Saxena “Studies on the Influence of FK506 on Microglial Proliferation and
   activation in the spinal cord following sciatic nerve injury” (Poster). XXII Annual
   Conference of Indian Academy of Neurosciences at Hyderabad Central
   University, Hyderabad (6th – 8th May 2004)
   
10. Kapil Saxena. FK506 Suppresses Microglial Activation in the Spinal Cord
    following Sciatic Nerve Injury” (Poster). Annual conference of Society for
    Neurochemistry, India (SNCI), Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, (8th
    - 9th January 2007)
    
11. Meghna Shrivastava, Impact of Altered S-100 Protein Expression on Purkinje
    Neuron Dendritogenesis and Spontaneous Motor Activity in Rat Pups Exposed
    to Deltamethrin (Poster). International Symposium on Advances in
    Neuroscience and Silver Jubilee Conference of Indian Academy of
    Neuroscience at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (22nd -25th November
    2007).
12. . Meghna Shrivastava, Age Related Changes in Pain Sensitivity Differ in Male
    and Female Rats (Poster). International Update on Basic and Clinical
    Neuroscience Advances and 24th Annual Conference of Indian Academy of
    Neuroscience at ITRC, Lucknow. (17th-20th Dec. 2006).
13. Kapil Saxena, FK506 protects neurons following peripheral nerve injury via
    immunosuppression (Oral Presentation). International Update on Basic and
    Clinical Neuroscience Advances and 24th Annual Conference of Indian
    Academy of Neuroscience at ITRC, Lucknow. (17th-20th Dec. 2006).

Research publications of M.Sc. Students based on their Project Work

•  
• Gaur, Pankaj, Thakur,  B.K., Sharma, P.K., Oka, T. and Thakur, M.K. (2005) Expression of perchloric acid soluble 14kDa protein in mouse brain. Annal of Neurosciences, volume12, 12-15.

Kumari, Amrita, Sen, Sreetama and Mohanakumar, KP (2007) Atropine, a muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist increases serotonin, but not dopamine levels in discrete brain regions of mice Neuroscience Letters 423(2):100-3 (I.F. about 2.00).

Patro, I., Saxena, K., Tiwari, S and Patro, N. (2008) FK506 helps motor Co-ordination recovery following sciatic nerve transection in the young but not in senile rats. International Journal of Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration (In Press).

M.Sc. Students Attended IBRO and FAONS Conferences Abroad

Training & Placement
The first 5 batches (48 students) passed out in July 2003, July 2004 and July
2005, respectively. Of these 48 students, 30 have been able to get placement in
leading Neuroscience Laboratories of the country through the selection procedures
of the respective Institutes they are in. Two students have cleared the CSIR-UGC NET,
one in BET and most have qualified the GATE with very good percentiles. Many of the
students have appeared in the NET examination the result of which is awaited. The
placement details are as follows:
Placement
Abroad
• Cambridge University, UK
• CCHD Ph.D, Vienna Medical University, Austria.
• MCBO, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
India
• Department of Zoology, MLS University, Udaipur
• Departments of Anatomy and Physiology. All India Institute of Medical
Sciences, New Delhi
• Dept. of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
• National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore
• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore
• Natonal Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Gurgaon
• School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
• School of Studies in Neurosciences, Jiwaji University, Gwalior.
• Dr. Reddy’s Lab, Hyderabad
• HariHar Biotech., Agra
• Reliance Clinical, Mumbai
• Suven Life Sciences, Hyderabad
• Tata Consultancy Services, Noida
Training of students at other Institutes
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
• Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow
• Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad
• Defence Institute of Physiology and Applied Sciences (DIPAS), New Delhi
• Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior
• GR Medical College, Gwalior
• Indian Army
• Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata
• Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangalore
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur
• Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow
• Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology (IGIB), Delhi
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
• KG’s Medical University, Lucknow
• MLS University, Udaipur
• National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), TIFR, Bangalore
• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore
• SN Pradhan Centre for Neuroscience, Univ. of Calcutta, Kolkata
• University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad

Available Facilities at the School

Books and Journals

We have more than 650 books available on Neuroscience and allied areas.

Equipments

Research Activities

Ph.D. Programme 
The Centre intends to educate future scientists who will become leading researchers and
educators in the brain sciences.

Key Areas of Study

• Involvement of glia in brain development,
  aging and injury
• Cellular and molecular basis of brain aging
• Neurotoxicology: Developmental Neurotoxicology
• Adult Neurogenesis (Neural stem cell research)

Research Projects

During 1989-2007 we have completed 08 research projects and 03 are in  hand on aspects of brain research like neurotoxicology of commonly  used household and agriculturally important chemicals, stress and brain  response, development of brain areas, possibility of retardation of aging  changes in brain, drugs for the aging brain, behaviour and color change  in  animals and cell death in brain at old age. We have been supported  by the Department of Biotechnology Department of Science &  Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Defense  Research and Development Establishment. The following is a detailed  information on our research projects.

Training Workshops Organized

1. Sixth Neuroscience Society of India Workshop on Techniques in Neuroscience, December 8-20, 1997
2. Workshop on Morphometric Evaluation of Brain for Neurotoxicological Studies, December 3-5, 1999
3. DBT Short-term Training Course on Cloning and Expression of Animal Genes, July 15 - August 4, 1997
4. National Training Workshop on State of the Art Techniques in Cell and Molecular Biology, August, 7- 16, 1997
5. Planning and presentation of Research Proposals, August 10, 2001

Conferences and Symposia Organized in Neuroscience:

1. National Symposium on Biology of Ageing, October 29-31, 1993
2. National Conference on Gerontology & Symposium on Molecular Markers of Ageing, April 7-9, 1997
3. National Symposium on Frontiers of Neuroscience, December 8, 1997
4. 'Neuroscience 2000 and Beyond': 17th Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Neurosciences, Annual Meeting of Neuroscience Society of India, National Symposium on Cellular and Molecular Basis of Brain Function, December 6-8, 1999
5. Neuroscience: From Basics to Clinics, 22nd Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Neurosciences, 2005
6. National Symposium on Glial Neurobiology, October 23, 2007

Training Obtained in India and Abroad

Neuroscientists of the Department have visited some leading international Centres like the MRC Neurochemical Pathology Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Molecular Biology, North-Western University, Evanston, Illinois, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Department of Physiology, University of Singapore, Singapore. The recent one at the University of Cologne, Germany. We actively collaborate with some of the leading Institutes in the Country in executing our activities. Collaborative exchange program with a German Institute was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Indian National Science Academy (INSA). We are now strengthening this relationship.
Our Faculty and Post-doctoral Fellows have participated in the Overseas Collaborative research at the MRC Neurochemical Pathology Unit at Newcastle upon Tyne.
We now have research collaboration with Scientists at NIMHANS, Bangalore; AIIMS, New Delhi and CDRI, Lucknow.

Contact Person