Dive into the cutting-edge world of nuclear medicine with this comprehensive course that blends theory and hands-on practice. In this one-week course, you will gain invaluable knowledge and skills at the forefront of medical imaging and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies.

This course offers a unique opportunity to:

• Master the fundamentals of radiation physics and biology
• Explore state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic applications in oncology and neurology
• Gain practical experience handling radiopharmaceuticals in a laboratory setting
• Understand the latest developments in personalised medicine using radioactive tracers

Upon completing the course, you will be allowed to handle radiopharmaceuticals and open radioactive sources at Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital.

The course is designed to provide students and researchers with a solid understanding of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a relatively new tool to measure brain activity and will emphasize both theoretical knowledge and practical skills of fNIRS. The students will gain expertise in the underlying principles of fNIRS, its instrumentation, and various analytical approaches. The primary goal is to empower students with the knowledge of this additional neuroimaging tool to design and execute advanced experiments, interpret fNIRS data effectively, and contribute to cutting-edge research in neuroscience and related fields.

The main purpose of the course is to provide the students with a solid understanding of the tools available to analyze brain structural data measured with structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). The students will develop the ability to critically review results provided by different methods, to select the most adequate tools and experimental designs to answer different questions and to compare their relative advantages.

The course will introduce neuropsychological assessment in an aging population, focusing on age-related cognitive changes and their neural correlates. An additional purpose is to increase understanding of cognitive aging and how to differentiate between non-pathological cognitive aging and early signs of pathology. After the course, you will be able to define and describe common neuropsychological concepts and measurement techniques and demonstrate an overall understanding of neuropsychological investigation methodology and cognitive diagnostics in aging. The course will give you an increased understanding of cognitive aging and the complexity of differentiating between “normal” and early-stage pathological aging.

The course is aimed for you who want to get an understanding of the principles of PET, the methodology used for neuroreceptor imaging and quantification, as well as to get an insight in important research ongoing in the field and in the clinical applications of PET.

The course covers the theoretical background to the brain imaging methods sMRI, fMRI, PET, EEG and MEG, such as what aspects of the human brain's structure and function they register, and the operation principles of the imaging instruments. The coursed gives the student a good understanding in how the different methods are used within in academic research as well as within health care. The course also addresses how the imaging methods can be combined in multimodal analyses, and discusses the interplay between development of theory, instrumentation, method, and applications.
The course begins with an introduction to brain imaging methods within neuroscience. In separate course modules, the course then offers the student a deeper understanding of the different methods sMRI, fMRI, PET, EEG and MEG, as well as combining them in multimodal brain imaging. Finally, the students will deepen their knowledge on a topic of their choice in an individual study project.

The purpose of the course is to introduce the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental healthcare focused on theoretical development, ethics and practical application informed by a scientific approach.

This course will elevate your AI proficiency, preparing you to actively engage in the digital evolution of healthcare. It offers a comprehensive perspective on the healthcare shift, steered by medical necessities, and bolstered by innovative artificial intelligence solutions.

Topics covered include:

• Coding: basic concepts, practical training, testing
• Foundations of sensor technologies
• Foundations of Bluetooth communication
• Usage of advanced programming interfaces (APIs)
• Analysis of time series data
• Introduction to machine learning techniques

This course covers acquisition and advanced analysis of MRI-data in clinical research including scanning
routines, tractography, tract-based spatial statistics, voxel-based morphometry and
support machine vector programming.

Topics covered include:

• Electrophysiological recording techniques
• Design of cognitive paradigms
• Spike detection and spike sorting
• Peri-stimulus time histograms
• Data analysis and statistical evaluation

Topics covered include:

• Basics of MRI and functional MRI
• Design of psychological experiments
• Analysis of functional MRI data
• Functional Neuroanatomy

This course is a basic course on advanced fluorescence microscopy imaging and correlation spectroscopy techniques for quantitative characterization of molecular transport and interactions in live cells. The purpose of the course is to give an introduction of the underlying physicochemical principles, hands-on training and an overview of applications of these specialized techniques in biomedical research. At the end of the course, the student will have hands-on experience with live-cell imaging and specialized fluorescence microscopy and correlation spectroscopy techniques. The course is suitable for doctoral students lacking training in mathematics, physics, or optical engineering who want to apply these techniques in their research.

This course will provide up-to-date insights into the neurobiological basis of language. The course will be given by internationally leading researchers in the field. Students will learn how state-of-the-art methods and approaches are currently being applied, and what are the next big questions for the field. 

Our MATLAB-based comprehensive course is designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and practical skills to delve into biomedical image processing, specifically tailored for biological/medical and neuroimaging applications using MATLAB.

Selection will be based on:
1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant's doctoral project (according to written motivation),
2) start date of doctoral studies (priority given to earlier start date)

The course consists of theoretical sessions and practical work related to decision-making, memory formation and emotion. It will also include the neuroanatomy related to these functions using both MRI and human brains. The participants will be actively involved in group work dealing with practical and theoretical aspects of cognitive neuroanatomy.

Selection will be based on:
1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant's doctoral project (according to written motivation),
2) start date of doctoral studies (priority given to earlier start date)

Developmental biology lies at the heart of an effort to understanding complex biological systems. By studying how neural circuits are assembled we can extrapolate key aspects of their function as well as devise strategies for their repair. This course is given to deepen the understanding of how molecular and cellular mechanisms underlie neurobiological function and to widen the horizon of students within the strong Karolinska neuroscience community.

Contents of the course: The course will cover the main steps of development from neural stem cells to mature circuits, including the patterning of the neural plate and thus the origin of cell types, the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors, gene regulation including epigenetics, neuro-glia interactions and the role of network activity in shaping the final circuits. Different molecular and tracing technologies, and model organisms will be covered. An important aspect of the course regards molecular technologies for labeling, transcriptional analysis, and genetic manipulation of defined neural populations. Connections between aberrant developmental processes and neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders will be discussed.

Course director

The course is given by four course-leaders: Gonçalo Castelo-Branco, Jens Hjerling-Leffler and Ulrika Marklund all at MBB and François Lallemend at Dept of Neuroscience.

Experimental neuroscience is key to progress in the understanding of how the brain functions. The experimental toolbox for studies in rodents is currently without comparison, allowing detailed investigation of how the brain is built and the function of brain circuits. Technological advances also make it possible to directly connect neurons and circuits to behaviour. 

In the Brain Circuits course, students will meet international and KI neuroscientists who have made significant contributions to the study and understanding of neuronal circuits and behaviour. The development and application of novel technologies and analysis (high-density electrophysiology and imaging of single-neuron activity, optogenetics, behavioural tracking, machine learning etc) will be covered, with a focus on advances using transgenic rodents. We have a strong emphasis on engaging junior neuroscientists in the course and on creating a network for future neuroscience leaders.