Since 1968, UCLA has had an NIH-training grant in Cellular Neurobiology (CNB) that helps support postdoctoral fellows in a broad-based research and training program. At present, 23 faculty from eight departments in the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the College of Letters and Science interact closely in this Program, along with their students and staff. At any given time there are approximately 30 graduate students and 40 postdoctoral trainees in the Program. Participating faculty members are listed below, with links to Web pages detailing their research interests and recent publications. Also listed below are current trainees and the names of several recent alumni of the Program who held NIH postdoctoral traineeships.

Postdoctoral trainees normally spend a minimum of two years learning modern molecular, physiological/optical, and structural research techniques and their applications to understanding the biology of excitable cells. Research is centered in a particular lab, but additional training is available through a rich selection of specialized neurobiology courses, regular seminars, technique workshops, journal clubs, and informal interactions with the faculty and students in other labs. Special courses are offered in research ethics, paper writing, and grant preparation. Teaching experience is available to trainees who desire it.

Facilities are excellent and the research environment exciting. The laboratories of the participating faculty occupy approximately 30,000 square feet, most of which is contiguous space or within a few minutes walk. There are widely used common facilities for analytical biochemistry, molecular biology, cell-culturing, electron microscopy, and electronics and mechanical shop assistance. A small library/conference room serves as a familiar meeting ground and UCLA has excellent vivarium and computing facilities as well as one of the world’s great biomedical libraries. The university has traditionally made a strong commitment to neuroscience and this commitment continues.