About Our Program
Research
The Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy strives for excellence in bioscience research, with emphasis on fundamental problems in developmental biology, neuroscience, stem cells and regeneration, and neural disease and repair. The thirteen primary faculty maintain active research programs utilizing multiple model systems (mouse, chicken, zebrafish, xenopus, and planaria) and apply cutting-edge methods in genetics, molecular biology, embryology, and imaging. Current federal and foundation grant support total millions annually, including support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Dr. Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado.
Teaching
The department is committed to excellence in the training and professional development of students and fellows at the graduate and postgraduate levels. We currently have over 30 doctoral students and 17 postdoctoral fellows associated with the department. We offer 1) courses and research opportunities for doctoral students in the interdepartmental programs in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology, 2) graduate training leading to the Ph.D. degree in Neurobiology and Anatomy and 3) opportunities for postdoctoral research training. In addition, the department's faculty are responsible for teaching Human Gross Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, and Neuroanatomy to medical students and Oral Histology and Neuroanatomy to dental students in the School of Medicine.
Facilities
The department occupies approximately 17,000 square feet in the Wintrobe Building, adjacent to the School of Medicine, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, Vivarium, and other major research buildings. Its facilities include state-of-the-art equipment for molecular biology, imaging, and histology.
The School of Medicine has a multitude of excellent core facilities nearby, which include:
- Fluorescent Imaging and Confocal Microscopy
- DNA Sequencing
- Genomics
- Protein Interaction
- DNA and Peptide Synthesis
- Transgenic Animal Homologous Recombination
- Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting
- Mass Spectrometry
Environment
The University of Utah is a major research university located in a region with extremely attractive residential, cultural, and recreational opportunities.
