Rebuilding the Brain: From Neurodevelopment to Neuromodulation

Catalog description

This course examines the biological basis of neurodegeneration and neurodevelopmental disorders- including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and cerebral palsy- and emerging strategies for neural repair. Students explore stem cell platforms, brain organoids, and human-relevant systems as tools for modeling disrupted development, connectivity, and cellular stress. Topics span neuromodulation, cell-based therapies, and gene editing, alongside the translational and regulatory challenges of moving therapies to clinic. Evidence from early clinical trials is critically appraised. This course closes with ethical frameworks governing neural intervention, equity, and the future of brain repair.