Jump Start Classes

Jump Start Classes:

Students will receive scientific literature, recorded lectures, and open-ended questions to build knowledge in neuroscience and cutting-edge neurotechnology. The Jump Start Classes will be provided to students in a virtual format, and they are required to attend the in-person summer camp.    These classes provide the necessary foundation of knowledge for student success during the in-person camp.  The Cai lab will provide regular office hours to discuss these topics in more detail and to answer student questions.  

The Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Jump Start classes are broken into 8 modules: 

(I) Nervous System Anatomy 

(II) Neuronal Cell Biology 

(III) Drosophila as a model system 

(IV) Transgenic Animals 

(V) Multispectral Labeling and Fluorescence Microscopy 

(VI) Optogenetics & Thermogenetics 

(VII) Image and Video Analysis 

(VIII) AI Analysis

This 8-week self-paced class aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge for neuroscience research and participation in the on-campus Summer Camp in 2026.  Sign-up will be available starting in March 2026, with the classes becoming available in April 2026.