Central Course

The NeuralCODR course is a centerpiece of the training program and it is offered every spring. It is a team-taught, graduate level course to promote new ideas and collaborations in the area of how the brain and peripheral organs communicate in disease. 3 speakers per class will be asked to give a brief, verbal introduction on the scope of their work without slides. This will be followed by a moderated conversation on a suggested topic with participant involvement to catalyze new research concepts and identify roadblocks to communication and progress. Student participants will be primed with literature suggested by the speakers and coached on discussion goals. 

The overall goals of the course are to:

• Focus on the neural control of organ degeneration and regeneration.
• Complement research in organ regeneration, stem cell biology and tissue engineering.
• Address the knowledge gaps of how the nervous system influences organ development, disease evolution and organ degeneration.
• Have a team-taught format with a clinical perspective on development and disease, and an introduction to specific organ system regeneration approaches.
• Include diverse faculty from Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Houston, and Houston Methodist Research Institute.

General Information:

• REGISTRATION for the Spring 2024 offering of this course is now closed. Please check back for Spring 2025.
• There is no cost to attend, but space is limited.
• This course is not part of the NeuralCODR Fellow application process. See "How to Apply" tab for more information on how to become a Fellow.
• For more information, please email us at CNR@houstonmethodist.org.