Using Tinbergen's Four Questions as the Framework for a Neuroscience Capstone Course

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience Education
• Integrative Physiology
• Neurobiology

Background:

• Undergraduate neuroscience curricula commonly feature capstone courses.
• A B.S. in Biological Sciences with a Concentration in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology provides foundational knowledge.
• Integrating diverse knowledge and skills is crucial for upper-division students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel framework for neuroscience capstone courses.
• To adapt Nikolaas Tinbergen's four questions for an undergraduate curriculum.
• To emphasize neurotoxins within an integrative neuroscience context.

Main Methods:

• Implementing Tinbergen's four questions (proximate to ultimate/evolutionary) as a course framework.
• Focusing on primary literature, scientific process, and professional communication.
• Examining neurotoxins through mechanistic and adaptive/evolutionary lenses.

Main Results:

• The adapted Tinbergen's questions provide a flexible structure for integrating neuroscience concepts.
• Students can apply knowledge from proximate (mechanistic) to ultimate (evolutionary) levels of analysis.
• The course fosters an integrative approach to understanding neuroscientific phenomena, particularly neurotoxins.

Conclusions:

• The described method offers a adaptable model for neuroscience capstone courses.
• This framework enhances students' ability to integrate and apply complex scientific knowledge.
• The approach is suitable for various topics and institutions within neuroscience education.