Master's Programme Translational Neuroscience Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Based on the extraordinary findings during the last decades, neuroscience has developed into one of the leading disciplines of biology and medicine. Basic neuroscience has provided valuable new evidence about the development, the functioning, the capacities, and the dysfunctions of the brain and the nervous system over the last decades.

In translational neuroscience, these findings and all technological advances are used to improve diagnosis and therapies for patients suffering from mostly incurable neurological, neurodegenerative or psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis or various types of brain tumours.

This Master's programme trains a new generation of young scientists who are capable of integrating basic and clinical neuroscience in the growing field of translational neuroscience.

Depending on the individual interests in potential future occupational areas, different study foci are offered, including the following:

• Neuroimaging
• Regeneration of CNS Trauma
• Molecular Basics of Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation

The study programme consists in the first and second semester of six Master's modules followed by two three-month practicals (third semester) and is concluded in the fourth semester with a six-month Master's thesis.

Semester 1
Module 1 Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology
Module 1 (10 CP) compulsory: Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology
Module 2 (6 CP) compulsory elective: Methods in Neurosciences I
Module 2a: Foundations of Medical Physics
Module 2b: High-Throughput Analysis: Genomics and Proteomics
Module 2c: Laboratory Animal Course
Module 3 (14 CP) compulsory elective: Translational Neuroscience I
Module 3a: Neurocytology, Cell Differentiation and Regeneration of the Nervous System
Module 3b: Cellular and Molecular Analyses of Brain Function
Module 3c: Cognitive Neuroscience: Methods
Module 3d: Protein Pathology in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Mental Brain Disorders

Semester 2
Module 4 (8 CP) compulsory elective: Methods in Neurosciences II
Module 4a: Experimental and Translational Neuroimaging
Module 4b: Systems Neurosciences
Module 4c: Cognitive Neuroscience: Functional Systems
Module 5 (14 CP) compulsory elective: Translational Neuroscience II
Module 5a: Neuroimmunology
Module 5b: Methods in Neuroscience
Module 5c: Stem cell based brain organoids
Module 6 (8 CP) compulsory: Research Ethics and Technics

Semester 3
Pilot Project (15 CP) compulsory: three-month practical with course "Scientific writing and presenting"
Project Proposal (15 CP) compulsory: three-month practical with course "Data analysis"

Semester 4
Master's thesis with colloquium

Two internships of three months are to be completed during the third semester. The coordinator will assist students with finding an appropriate internship at one of the working groups at HHU or at extramural working groups. Selected students will be offered to perform their internship at research groups of the Human Brain Project (HBP) and to participate in the HBP education programme.

The entry and admission is contingent upon completion of a university study programme in a relevant subject with a regular study duration of at least six semesters (equivalent to 180 ECTS credit points) with a final grade of 2.0 or better (German grading system). Foreign grades are converted to the German grading system by the "Modifizierte Bayerische Formel".

Regarded as relevant to admissions is a university study programme in a neuroscience or natural science subject (e.g. BSc Neuroscience, Biology, etc.) or a similar qualification or a study programme of human medicine at a German or foreign higher education institution with the following credit points acquired in lectures and practicals:

• 4 CP in cell and molecular biology, or
• 4 CP in biochemistry, or
• 4 CP in biopsychology, or
• 4 CP in physiology and/or anatomy/neuroanatomy.
• At least 2 CP from practical experience should be available.

A study programme in pharmacology or psychology does not per se provide the requested credit points.

A semester fee of approx. 350 EUR is required upon registration/enrolment as a student or doctoral researcher. This fee covers transport by bus, tram, and regional trains within North Rhine-Westphalia for the entire semester as well as the use of student facilities at discounted prices.

Students or doctoral researchers should calculate monthly expenses amounting to at least 1,000 EUR in order to live in a modest way, including costs for housing, food, health insurance, semester fees, study materials, etc.

A limited number of campus jobs are available. Students from non-EU countries are permitted to work 240 half days or 120 full days per calendar year without a work permit.

On-campus student accommodation is available, as is private accommodation near campus. For further information, please check http://www.stw-d.de or send an e-mail to info@stw-d.de.
Doctoral students can contact the tutor service of the Junior Scientist & International Researcher Centre (JUNO) for information and support concerning accommodation in Düsseldorf (www.juno.hhu.de/en/tutorservice).

Depending on the type of accommodation, the monthly rent in Düsseldorf usually ranges from around 500 EUR to 600 EUR for a basic apartment or a room in a shared apartment ("Wohngemeinschaft").