The Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology is the home for basic Neuroscience research and education in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Our Mission Heading link
The Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology is strongly committed to providing excellence in research, teaching, and service. At the core of our research mission is the advancement of our understanding of the nervous system, its structure, function and pathologies by performing internationally recognized research.
Our mission has three important aspects:
- Perform original research on the nervous system with an ultimate goal to alleviate diseases of the central nervous system and to disseminate these findings in international forums
- Educate our Medical and Graduate students in new and archival knowledge of the nervous system and anatomy of the human body to prepare them for careers in research, medicine, education, and industry.
- Contribute to the mission of the University and the advancement of scientific knowledge by service in the University, National and International organizations.
Commitment to Medical and Graduate Education Heading link
We have a strong commitment to medical and graduate education. Our graduate programs, which draw students from Graduate Education in Medical Sciences (GEMS), the campus-wide Graduate Program in Neuroscience (GPN), and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), are designed to prepare students for the challenges facing all neuroscientists who seek to understand the function and dysfunction of the brain. Graduate courses are offered in:
- Cellular and Systems Neuroscience
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Nervous system
Through the GEMS program, our students also receive training in a broad range of the Biomedical Sciences, from Biochemistry and Cell Biology to Physiology.
Faculty and Staff Heading link
We have a dynamic and growing group of junior and senior faculty, research faculty, post-doctoral fellows and PhD students. We are actively recruiting new faculty at all ranks in the department’s specific areas of expertise, such as:
- Neurodevelopment, Neurogenesis and Plasticity
- Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders
- Cerebrovascular Function and Neuroinflammation
- Neurobiology of the Synapse
- Myelination and Demyelinating Disorders
- Sensory and Motor Systems
- Cancer of the Brain
Our current faculty, staff and students use modern molecular genetics, bioinformatics, imaging and electrophysiological approaches to investigate molecular motors and the regulation of axonal transport, molecular biology of ion channels, synapses, sensory physiology, aging in the brain, imaging of brain function, and diseases of the brain and the blood brain barrier. Our goals include the understanding of normal and disease states that can lead to therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s Disease), immune and inflammatory diseases and, psychiatric disorders and deafness.