8 weeks · 0 milestones
Analyse a specific cellular or molecular neuroscience mechanism at research depth: ion channel kinetics, action potential propagation, synaptic plasticity (LTP/LTD), neurotransmitter system dynamics, or intracellular signalling cascades. The proof is either a documented analysis of real electrophysiological or imaging data from an open dataset (CRCNS.org — free; Allen Brain Observatory — free), or a documented primary literature synthesis using PRISMA methodology on a specific cellular mechanism with identified gaps and methodological limitations. Both routes are accessible without specialised laboratory equipment. Reviewed by a neuroscientist who presents an unseen electrophysiology trace or imaging dataset segment during the review session and asks about the underlying cellular mechanism — the student must correctly identify the mechanism, not just describe the observed phenomenon.