Doctoral programme in Neuroscience

Programme overview

A significant part of the Research at Karolinska Institutet deals with the normal function or pathology of the nervous system. Doctoral students are trained within the different neuroscience disciplines in research groups at eight departments. The inter-departmental "Doctoral Programme in Neuroscience" organizes courses and supports other activities.

Courses

Annual Courses

In the beginning of each fall a package of four courses, the "Frontiers Courses in Neuroscience", is given. You may apply to all courses or select individual courses.

We especially recommend doctoral students in the beginning of their training period to apply to all courses. This will quickly give you a broad knowledge base and make you acquainted with many neuroscientists at KI.

Frontiers courses in Neurosciences

The Developing Brain
Brain Circuits
Functional Cognitive Neuroanatomy
Neurodegenerative Disorders i: Genes, Mechanisms and Clinical Aspects

Other Courses

A number of other specialized and general courses are also given each semester and will be announced in the course catalogue.

Basic Human Neuroscience

We can now offer a seven (7)-week course in Basic Human Neuroscience for doctoral students without a basic training in biomedicine/medicine. This course follows the curriculum of the biomedicine programme at Karolinska Institutet. It will be given every fall semester and will be announced in the course catalogue.

If you have studied basic neuroscience but feel that you need to refresh your knowledge, we recommend the free online course in Medical Neuroscience organised by Duke University.

Log in to Coursera.org, register and search for Medical Neuroscience.

Proposals for new courses

We welcome proposals for new courses within the neuroscience area that you feel would be valuable. Proposals should include the theme of the course and possible course organizers (within KI) and other possible teachers. Send proposals to Lennart Brodin, e-mail: lennart.brodin@ki.se.

Activities organized by doctoral students

The programme supports activities aimed at promoting neuroscience and networking among doctoral students.

Send proposals to: Lennart Brodin

Neuroscience seminar series for doctoral students

19 April 2024: "Cell atlases of the human brain"

22 March 2024: "Prenatal stress during neurogenic developmental periods shapes cell regulatory networks and brain architecture"

23 February 2024: "Molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage caused by bacterial infections and new therapeutic strategies to protect neurons from bacteria attacking the brain"

23 January 2024: "How theoretical models have been used and misused in stress research and in research on music's biological effects?"

8 November 2023: "How the presynapse forms and functions" (Professor Dr. Volker Haucke, FMP, Berlin, Germany)

20 October 2023: "In vivo molecular imaging in mood disorders" (Johan Lundberg, KI; Department of Clinical Neuroscience)

29 September 2023: "Increasing resolution in neurobiology of stress and treatment response" (Pablo Lopez, KI, Department of Neuroscience)

22 May 2023: "Recovering from anorexia by machine: the mind-body problem in neuroscience-based clinical practices" (Per Södersten, KI, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society)

26 April 2023: "Microglia and their interaction with neurons in the healthy and diseased brain" (Martin Fuhrmann, DZNE Bonn, Germany)

27 March 2023: "Sex and gender determinants to brain and mental health - the work of the Women's Brain Project" (Maria Teresa Ferretti, Women's Brain Project, Switzerland)

15 February 2023: "What does sleep do for the brain and why are we so differently affected by sleep loss?" (John Axelsson, Stockholm University)

Application and admission to courses on doctoral level

Application to courses is made directly in the Course catalogue at Karolinska Institutet. The available courses at the doctoral level are announced once per semester. The catalogue for courses is published on ki.se around 15 April respectively 15 October and is open for application during one month.

Courses within the programme of Neuroscience

After the application period is closed the applicant can only be admitted according to availability. A late application is made directly to the course organizer. KI's courses are open for registered doctoral students at all universities and colleges. If space allows, other applicants may also be accepted.

Formal note about admission (or not) is emailed to the applicants within a month after the application time is closed. If you are not admitted, you will be asked for interest to be on the waiting list. The applicant needs to confirm participation by a form signed by the applicant and his/hers supervisor.

All syllabi for courses at doctoral level at KI are collected in the KIWAS database.

Steering group

Lennart Brodin (Coordinator and Chair), Department of Neuroscience
Daniel Ferreira Padilla, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Nicolas Ruffin, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, CMM
Sophia Schedin Weiss, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Johan Lundström, Department of Clinical Neuroscience
Karima Chergui, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology
Tobias Karlsson, Department of Neuroscience
Alina Aaltonen, (PhD student representative), Department of Neuroscience
Ljerka Delac, (PhD student representative), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Victoria Balabanova, (Programme administrator), Department of Neuroscience