Neuroscience

There are many intriguing and unresolved questions in the field of neuroscience.

Neuroscience is a broad and interdisciplinary subject, drawing from many fields to answer some of life's most important questions about the brain and behavior. Students in the Neuroscience major at Loyola University New Orleans are provided with access to a wealth of scientific variety including biology, psychology, physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and statistics. Our Neuroscience curriculum allows you to explore questions related to the brain in relation to your own interests. Neuroscience majors can choose tracks in Biology, Psychology, or Physics.

Learn by Doing

With a state-of-the-art rodent facility, electroencephalogram (EEG), ion channel electrophysiology lab equipped with manual and automatic (Nanion Port-a-Patch) patch-clamping stations, ample cell culture facilities and molecular biology instrumentation, we are one of the only universities in Louisiana with the faculty and resources to mentor undergraduate students who desire an interdisciplinary approach to studying the nervous system and behavior.

Faculty Mentorship

The faculty in our program are united in our desire to see our students succeed. If you choose to attend Loyola, you will enjoy small and interesting classes that span topics in psychology, biology, physics, and computer science. All of our students experience one-on-one research mentoring from faculty with expertise in music and cognition, stress and trauma, learning and memory, cellular biophysics, electrophysiology, animal behavior, gene expression, and other fascinating areas of neuroscience.

Contact Information

For questions about the Neuroscience program, please contact the Program Director Dr. Kate Yurgil at kyurgil@loyno.edu.

Office: Monroe Hall 374
Phone Number: 504-865-3991
Mailing Address: 6363 St. Charles Ave., Campus Box 194, New Orleans, LA 70118
Instagram: loyno_neuro
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Academic Programs

The Neuroscience program at Loyola University New Orleans includes three concentrations in Biology, Physics, or Psychology, as well as a University Honors curriculum. As an interdisciplinary program, students have the opportunity to work with faculty across multiple disciplines with an emphasis on hands-on learning and undergraduate academic research.

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Career Outlook for Neuroscience Professions

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers for medical scientists (which includes neuroscience) are expected to grow 17% from 2021–2031, much faster than average. The average salary in this category is $95,310 per year as of 2021.

Faculty-Led Research

Our faculty expertise spans the field of neuroscience, including neural activity associated with auditory speech perception, working memory capacity, and selective attention; sex-specific impact of stress and gonadal hormone exposure during early life on the interaction between learning style and emotionality; NR4A orphan nuclear receptors in cartilage and synovial tissues and how these receptors regulate subsets of genes involved in the degradation of cartilage and the proliferation of cells; and the non-equilibrium properties of ion channels in cellular membranes, which involves ion channel electrophysiology, numerical simulations, and theoretical analysis of channel gating kinetics. Students are able to participate in faculty-led research as well as pursue their own research interests or independent studies.

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