Neurobiology

The Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine is a world-class center of scientific discovery dedicated to unraveling the complexities of the nervous system. Research in the department spans from the biophysical properties of single synapses to the neural circuits that mediate complex cognitive behaviors such as perception, attention, learning, and decision-making.

Housed in the Sherman Fairchild Science Building opens in a new tab, the department fosters an intensely collaborative environment where neurobiologists, physicists, computational scientists, and molecular biologists work together. By mapping the development, function, and plasticity of neural circuits, department researchers aim to understand both the fundamental biology of the mind and the underlying mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Academic and Training Pathways

The Department of Neurobiology provides elite training pathways designed to cultivate independent, innovative neuroscientists and future leaders in biomedicine:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Neurosciences: Graduate students in the Department of Neurobiology obtain their doctoral degree through the highly selective, interdepartmental Neurosciences Ph.D. Program opens in a new tab. Admitted students receive full funding, including tuition and a living stipend. Students perform their dissertation research under the close mentorship of Neurobiology faculty while participating in a broad, multidisciplinary neurosciences curriculum.

• Joint M.D./Ph.D. Training: Medical students are highly encouraged to pursue doctoral research within the department. The requirements of the Ph.D. program are flexibly tailored to fit the clinical schedules and unique academic interests of medical trainees.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship Training: This training provides advanced research opportunities and customized professional development for graduates holding Ph.D. or M.D. degrees, allowing them to lead high-impact projects at the frontiers of brain science.

Research Frontiers and Scientific Inquiry

Faculty and researchers in the department lead groundbreaking investigations into the architecture and dynamics of the brain. Key areas of scientific focus include:

• Sensory System Processing: Investigating how external stimuli are captured and processed by the brain, with a specific focus on information processing in the vertebrate retina and the structure, function, and development of the auditory and visual systems.

• Neural Mechanisms of Higher Cognition: Deciphering the complex neural circuits that mediate cognitive processes, including visual perception, selective attention, learning, memory, and executive decision-making.

• Development, Wiring, and Regeneration: Uncovering the molecular cues that direct how neurons find their targets during embryonic development, how synapses are assembled, and how the central and peripheral nervous systems can be encouraged to repair and regenerate after injury or disease.

• Neural Plasticity and Adaptation: Exploring how experience, learning, and environmental changes physically alter neural connections, modifying brain function across the life course.