Neuroscienze

The study of the brain is a frontier in modern science, that involves in a highly interdisciplinary way different disciplines. The PhD course on Neurosciences has the objective of training young scientists to perform competitive research on the neural basis of brain functions, in an integrated and cross-disciplinary way, from the molecular and cellular levels up to the level of higher cognitive functions. The Neuroscience PhD program prepares top-level researchers, who routinely go on to do research in very prestigious institutions, in Italy and abroad.
The PhD course is based on the research in Neurosciences carried out at the Bio@SNS Laboratory of Scuola Normale Superiore, in close collaboration with other SNS labs (NEST and DreamsLab) and research Institutions in Italy and abroad, with whom cooperation agreements are established.
One of the characteristics of SNS is the constant flow of visitors from all over the world; this, together with the financial support offered to our students, to visit research institutes and universities of very high standing, greatly enlarges their research horizons. Also, the limited size of SNS favors interactions among students in different disciplines, resulting in a remarkable cultural and personal enrichment.
The Neurosciences research programs at SNS focus on some of the most significant themes at the international level, neural development and stem cell biology, synaptic and neural plasticity, aging, neurodegeneration, exploiting cutting edge experimental approaches. Current research activities lead naturally to therapeutic and diagnostic applications relevant for the neurological, neurodegenerative and psychiatric pathologies that hit the human brain. Great attention is placed on the development of new experimental strategies, at the interface between Biology, Chemistry and Physics.