Neuroscience: from molecular mechanisms to disease

BIO-480

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Week 1 (8 & 12/09) - How to study the nervous system & Brain Anatomy I (JG)

Week 2 (15/09 &19/09) - Brain Anatomy II & Neurodevelopment (JG)

Week 3 (26/09) - Glia (MB)

Week 4 (29/09 & 03/10) - Aging (JG) and Role of misfolded protein in NDDs - Part I (ALM)

Lecture on the 3/10: 

I. Global health and economic burden of NDDs 

II. Main features of the neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) 
a. ID card of AD, PD, ALS and HD

b. Origin of the diseases

III. NDDs: the role of misfolded proteins 


Week 5 (06/10 & 10/10) - Misfolded proteins in NDDs - Part II (ALM)

  • Lecture on the 6/10:

IV. The prion-like hypothesis (6/10)

V. Spreading of pathology in the brain: the gut-brain axis hypothesis (6/10)

VI. Gain-of-Function vs. Loss-of-Function hypotheses (6/10)

+ Exercises session from 3.15 pm-4pm

  • 2 hours of Exercises session on the 10/10

Week 6 (13/10 & 17/10): Motor system and motoneuron diseases (BS)

Week 7 (27/10 & 31/10) - Motoneuron disease (RNA metabolism); Basal ganglia and Parkinson's disease I and II (BS)

Basal ganglia

Parkinson's disease: general facts, symptoms, genetics

Symptomatic treatments: dopamine replacement, deep brain stimulation

Alpha-synuclein pathology: characteristics, link to symptoms, propagation

Organelle quality control


Week 8 (03/11 & 07/11): Parkinson's disease (BS) and Clinical perspectives on PD (ALM)

7/11: The Lecture will be given by Dr Julien Bally, Neurologist and Head of the Movement Disorders Unit at the CHUV.
Topics: PD, motor and non-motor symptoms and DBS

Week 9 (10/11 & 14/11): Alzheimer disease (JG)

Week 10 (17/11 & 21/11): Biomarkers and emerging therapeutics in PD (ALM) and Meet the Patients (ALM)

  • 17/11: Therapeutic strategies against synucleinopathies
  • 21/11: Meet PD patients
    Meet and discuss with PD patients and caregivers about daily challenges and lived experiences.
    Understand caregiver roles, emotional burden, and support strategies.
    Link patient perspectives with neuroscience knowledge for holistic understanding.

Week 11 (24/11 & 28/11): Neuroepigenetics (JG)

Week 12 (01/12 & 07/12): Immunotherapy for AD and gene therapy (BS)

Week 13 (08/12 & 12/12): DBS and neurorestore (Eduardo Moraud/ALM) and Perzonalized medecine in NDDs (ALM)

8/12: Lecture from Eduardo Moraud on DBS (http://emmoraud.net/) 

12/12: Perzonalized medecine in NDDs
iPSCs, organoid
and AI in advancing therapies

Week 14 (15/12 & 19/12): Mock exam and mock exam correction

The mock exam will be discussed via Zoom on December 19 2025, 10:00am.

The zoom link is: epfl.zoom.us/my/johannesgraeff

The presence time of the teachers is:

10.00-10.30: Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier

10.30-11.00: Bernard Schneider 

11.00-11.30: Johannes Gräff