Master 2 in Integrative Biology and Physiology - Neuroscience program
The Master BIP-Neuroscience program trains students in all fields of neuroscience with:
- more than 38 teaching modules in neuroscience supported by recognized specialists (researchers, teachers/researchers, clinicians, …).
- more than 200 research teams, in France and abroad, regularly involved in our training.
- close collaboration, for teaching and research training, with the 4 Sorbonne University neuroscience institutes (Neuroscience Paris Seine, Paris Brain Institute, Institut de la Vision, Institut du Fer à Moulin), and with the Institut Pasteur and the Ecole Normale Supérieure.
- 3 international training programs in partnership with University College London, University of Vienna, Technical University of Munich, KU Leuven, National Autonomous University of Mexico, and Trinity College Dublin.
- 10 months of internship in internationally-recognized laboratories in France or abroad.
2nd year Master courses (M2) taught in English
Semester 1
The Neuroscience program suggests 5 thematic tracks to help students build their curriculum:
- Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences (NCC)
- Neuroscience of Psychiatric Diseases (NMP)
- International track in Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND)
- International track in Vision Sciences (iMOV)
Common core courses
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
We ask here the question of the adequacy of the study model in behavioral neuroscience. We will thus discuss the advantages of the insect model with the bee and the drosophila, but also the zebrafish, the bird, the rodent and the non-human primate. During the week of the course, the students present the different models via the proposed articles.
Prerequisites
This course is mainly composed of scientific presentations of the different models through reviews of articles on current cutting-edge research in behavioral neuroscience. Therefore, a great curiosity about the different animal models used in neuroscience is a prerequisite. In addition, a knowledge of genetics is necessary to understand the different models, in particular the Drosophila and mouse models.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
To address the practical construction of neural models, the techniques specific to modeling, the main dynamic principles of modeling in biology and neuroscience, the computational specificities of neural models.
Prerequisites
It does not require any specific prerequisites in mathematics or biophysics and is essentially based on the mathematical foundations of L1. All the notions are taken from the basics and explained.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
The objective of this module is to provide detailed knowledge of the anatomical, physiological and functional organization of a structure widely studied in Neuroscience, the cerebellum.
Prerequisites
-Basic knowledge in electrophysiology
-Basic concepts in Neuroscience and cellular biology
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
This course addresses brain physiology and pathology by focusing on a cortical structure particularly well studied and involved in several important functions. The hippocampus is critically involved in learning and memory as well as spatial navigation. It is also affected in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in electrophysiology
Basic concepts in Neuroscience and cellular biology
Contact
Jean-Christophe Poncer (jean-christophe.poncer@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
This module aims to present the anatomical, physiological and behavioral bases of spatial cognition through complementary courses and a multidisciplinary approach to these concepts. How can we link the cellular bases, neurophysiology and behavior? What do modeling studies bring to our understanding of the living system? How can we make the link between human and animal studies? We propose to address these questions with a multi-scale vision through the presentation of work in humans (brain imaging, virtual reality, normal and pathological behavior) and in animals (plasticity, neurophysiology and behavior).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in Neurosciences.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
Basic knowledge in protein biochemistry (amino acid properties, protein structure, ligand/protein interactions) and pharmacology (what is an agonist, antagonist; notions of competitive and non-competitive inhibition).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in protein biochemistry (amino acid properties, protein structure, ligand/protein interactions) and pharmacology (what is an agonist, antagonist; notions of competitive and non-competitive inhibition).
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
The course will help students to discover the fascinating world of neuron-glia interactions and their roles in the brain physiology and pathophysiology.
Prerequisites
English language.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
Research in psychiatry is a highly dynamic and fast-moving field. This course aims to introduce students (clinicians and neuroscientists) to the study of etiopathogenic factors of neuro-psychiatric disorders.
Prerequisites
Any Master 1 degree (mainly biology, medical sciences). Since the teaching unit is oriented towards genetics and molecular tools, it can be not particularly appropriated for students who have a background in psychology, neuropsychology or social sciences.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) have often been initially described as behavioral and cognitive disorders. Yet progress in the description of their pathological mechanisms has been mainly driven by the advances of biological methods.
Prerequisites
No specific prerequisite are needed for this course.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
The chemical neurotransmission of the nervous message is an expanding field of research that has experienced a spectacular development these past years, leading to new insights into brain and mind physiology as well as possible therapeutic outcomes for neuropsychiatric diseases.
Prerequisites
Students should have completed a course in fundamentals of neurosciences : Molecular basis of membrane permeability, action potentials, mechanisms by which information flows within and among cells in the nervous system and the mechanisms through which the cellular structure of the nervous system develops and is maintained.
Contact
Caroline Dubacq (caroline.dubacq@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 3 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
The aim of this teaching, with various pedagogical aspects (from lectures to the realization of an EEG on oneself), is to show how brain rhythms are generated (from subcellular mechanisms to network properties) and to describe their roles in physiological and pathological processes. The large network studied here, which underlies states of alertness and various neurological pathologies, is the "thalamo-cortical loop".
Prerequisites
Master 1 in physiology having acquired the main neurophysiological and neuroanatomical principles. Students coming from other backgrounds must have followed the refresher courses of the Master BIP (neuroscience), especially in electrophysiology.
Contact
Christelle Rochefort (christelle.rochefort@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Brief Description
The complexity of the brain makes it necessary to develop theoretical concepts and simplified models that capture the essential aspects of its functioning and allow to interpret the details of the biology. Research in this area at the interface between complex systems analysis and neuroscience experimentation is extremely active. During this module, students will conduct an in-depth study of a research topic focused on neural networks, using the literature and with close supervision of a theoretician/experimental researcher pair experimenter.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in neurosciences or equivalent is required.
Contact
Regis Lambert (regis.lambert@sorbonne-universite.fr)
Specialised courses
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences (NCC)
Brief Description
Study of the relationships between brain functioning and cognitive functions (language, memory, attention, calculation, executive functions, visual-spatial, gnostic, emotion, motivation, consciousness).
Prerequisites
Basics of biology and neuroanatomy
Contact
Katia Andrade (katia.andrade@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI) / Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences (NCC)
Brief Description
The Brain to Market Summer School is a coursework developed by the Paris Brain Institute. It brings together a diverse group of students from backgrounds in science, engineering, design and medicine to develop original solutions for people living with brain disorders.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in neurosciences or equivalent is required. No prerequisite in marketing or business is required.
Contact
Clarisse Marieluce (clarisse.marieluce@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
The nervous system of vertebrates has developed many specific mechanisms for generating and processing information. This course presents in detail a few selected examples to illustrate a large part of cellular communication processes. It thus covers aspects of signal integration from the molecular to the cellular and neural network levels.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in neurosciences or equivalent is required.
Contact
Regis Lambert (regis.lambert@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) / Vision Sciences (iMOV)
Brief Description
The objective of this course is to provide students with conceptual and methodological training that will enable them to acquire the tools and skills to design a research project. The students will have to elaborate and implement an experimental approach: analysis of the state of a scientific question, design of an experiment, elaboration of an experimental protocol - allowing them to answer a scientific question.
Contact
Régis Lambert (regis.lambert@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 12 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
This course presents new data and ideas on molecular and cellular aspects of the nervous system development, its plasticity and its diseases. Practical activities present various animal models including mouse, xenopus, and drosophila which are commonly used in neuroscience research.
Prerequisites
A solid background in the molecular and cellular basis of neural function is highly recommended.
Contact
Alain Trembleau (alain.trembleau@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
This module will introduce students to the main events during the development of the nervous system, as well as the experimental model organisms used to study these events.
Prerequisites
Prior academic studies in Biology, Medicine, or Neurosciences, at the M1 level.
Contact
Ann Lohof (ann.lohof@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 12 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
Neurons are excitable cells that "express" themselves mainly through electrical signals. These signals (membrane potential changes, current flow through ion channels ...) take place on a very fast time scale, of the order of milliseconds. The nature and speed of these signals impose strong constraints on experimental approaches for studying the physiology of neurons. The two disciplines best adapted to the requirements of Neurophysiology are electrophysiology and cellular imaging techniques.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in neurosciences or equivalent is required.
Contact
Regis Lambert (regis.lambert@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
The goal of this course is to provide an understanding of the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease as well as insight into neuronal cell death, genetics and existing treatments.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in neurosciences or equivalent is required.
Contact
Catherine Lubetzki (catherine.lubetzki@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) / Neuroscience of Psychiatric Diseases (NMP)
Brief Description
Students will be exposed to notions of fundamental, translational and clinical research by attending conferences at the Paris Brain Institute, where they will participate to discussions with the international scientists presenting.
Prerequisites
A master 1 level in biology/neurosciences or equivalent is required.
Contact
Hélène Cheval (helene.cheval @sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences (NCC)
Brief Description
Acquire essential data from research using integrated neurobiological approaches on the pathophysiology and treatment of certain psychiatric pathologies. Understand the interest of the psychiatric pathologies model for the study of fundamental biological and cognitive processes
Prerequisites
M1. Knowledge of the clinical expressions (semiology, diagnosis, therapy) of psychiatric disorders is not a prerequisite.
Contact
Philippe Fossati (philippe.fossati@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic track: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
This module is about information processing mediated by neural networks. It focuses on the mechanisms underlying multisensory integration, neural coding, and memory formation/retrieval.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge about neuronal excitability.
Contact
Angelo Arleo (angelo.arleo@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Vision Sciences (iMOV) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
The aim of this course is to present the latest results and current issues related to how sensory cortices process information, and how this gives rises to perception.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in Neurosciences.
Contact
Gregory Gauvain (gregory.gauvain@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI) / Neuroscience of Psychiatric Diseases (NMP)
Brief Description
This course aims at providing a global vision of the signaling of different neuromodulators and neurotransmitters.
Prerequisites
Background in cell biology, interest for intracellular signaling, and for approaches at the cellular and molecular level.
Contact
Anne Roumier-Dauteloup (anne.roumier-dauteloup@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI) / Neuroscience of Psychiatric Diseases (NMP)
Brief Description
Overview of the latest methodological approaches used to study in an integrative way the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with neuronal function and dysfunction.
Focus on four main domains: Omics, stem cell research, imaging and electrophysiology
Applications to advance research on diverse brain disorders including: Parkinson's desease, ALS; Alziemer's desease.
Prerequisites
Theoretical bases underlying the main techniques addressed in this course.
Contact
Hélène Cheval (helene.cheval @sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Vision Sciences (iMOV) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
This course aims at giving an overview of the different pathological context leading to sensory defect. The physiological conditions of the diseases will be explored with an emphasis on how research advances can lead to therapeutic progress.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in Neurosciences.
Contact
Gael Orieux (gael.orieux@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI) / Neuroscience of Psychiatric Diseases (NMP)
Brief Description
The main goal of this course is to provide an overview of current approaches and methodologies to study the neurobiological bases of psychiatric diseases.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites required, but knowledge of basic neurophysiology is necessary.
Contact
Peter Vanhoutte (peter.vanhoutte@sorbonne-universite.fr)
2nd year Master - 1st Semester - 6 ECTS - English Level: B2 (no test required)
Thematic tracks: Vision Sciences (iMOV) / Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences (NCI)
Brief Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce the different approaches used to study the early visual system, with a focus on development, physiology and modeling from the retina to the primary visual cortex.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in Neurosciences.
Contact
Gregory Gauvain (gregory.gauvain@sorbonne-universite.fr)
International Master In Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND)
The International Master in Neurodegenerative Diseases (iMIND) is a multidisciplinary program built on a partnership between Sorbonne Université (Paris) and the Paris Brain Institute with the collaboration of Heidelberg University, Vienna University, KU Leuven and Munich Technical University.
iMIND combines coursework concerning neurodegenerative diseases (M2 year, 3rd semester) and a master’s thesis related to a research internship preferentially done in a laboratory affliated to one of the partner universities (M2 year, 4th semester).
It aims to train students who wish to understand the brain function brain in normal and pathological conditions, by providing access to the latest knowledge on neurodegenerative diseases, in close proximity with the research community (scientific teams, senior and junior researchers, technical platforms, living labs…).
Taught entirely in English, you can follow this Neuroscience track by choosing the following courses:
- Brain to Market Summer School (MU5BIN15)
- Developing a research project (MU5BIN01)
- Glial Pathologies and Neurodegenerative Diseases (MU5BIN07)
- Hippocampus: From Cells to Physiology and Human Pathology (MU5BIN16)
- Hot Topics: Transdisciplinary Approaches to Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Diseases (MU5BIN22)
- Neuron-Glia Interactions (MU5BIN17)
- Neuropsychiatry Genetics (MU5BIN17)
- New Methods for Behavioral & Cognitive Explorations: Applications to Neurodegenerative Diseases (MU5BIN16)
- Novel Technologies Applied to Human Neuropathologies (MU5BIN18)
International Master in Vision Sciences (iMOV)
Sorbonne University and the Vision Institute in Paris have been collaborating with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) to create an international master program on vision sciences. This program covers all different aspects of vision sciences. It goes from human studies to computational models of vision information processing and also includes the physiology and physiopathology of the different ocular tissues and development of innovative therapeutical strategies for treating, compensating or preventing vision loss.
This Neuroscience track taught entirely in English contains the following courses:
- Developing a research project (MU5BIN01)
- Hippocampus: From Cells to Physiology and Human Pathology (MU5BIN16)
- Memory and Spatial Navigation (MU5BIN17)
- Molecular Neuropharmacology (MU5BIN17)
- Neuron-Glia Interactions (MU5BIN17)
- Neurophysiology of Perception (MU5BIN20)
- Physiopathology of Sensory Diseases and Translational Research (MU5BIN21)
- Vision From Retina to Primary Visual Cortex (MU5BINV1)