About Stanford Neurosciences IDP

The mission of the Stanford Neuroscience Graduate Program is to use rigorous training in fundamental principles of neuroscience research to develop leaders at every level of our society.

Message from the Director

The Neurosciences graduate program at Stanford provides unique opportunities for graduate students to work with an elite group of faculty on cutting edge questions using state of the art technology. The program provides a personalized training plan for each student that is meant to develop their unique talents and interests.

1962

The interdisciplinary neuroscience PhD program began at Stanford in 1962. The original philosophy behind the program, and as it remains today, was to offer a single, coherent program in neuroscience as opposed to several small competing programs. The program was to be governed by faculty members on an interdepartmental basis. No single department was to dominate.

1972

During the early years, financial resources came entirely from faculty research grants and supported only three students per year. Under the leadership of Drs. Seymour Levine and David Hamburg, an NIMH training grant to the Department of Psychiatry allowed significant expansion of the program.

1975

The School of Medicine established the Department of Neurobiology with Dr. Eric Shooter as the founding Chair. For the first time at Stanford, a concentration of highly talented investigators in basic neuroscience provided a focal point of organization and energy for promoting neuroscience development on a campus-wide basis. The Department of Neurobiology did not offer its own degree, but rather chose to cooperate with all other neuroscientists on the Stanford campus to run a unified, high-quality graduate program.

Program Directors

Frank Morell 1962-1968

Professor and Chairman, Division of Neurology

Frank Morell moved to Stanford University to chair the program in neurology (1961), to New York Medical College (1969), and to Rush Medical College (1972) for his final 24 years.

In Memoriam

K.L. Chow 1968-1972

Professor of Neurology

Kao Liang Chow, a professor of neurology at Stanford University, died August 29 of a heart attack at Stanford Hospital at the age of 80.

Dr. Chow was born in Tianjin, China. He was awarded his bachelor's degree by Yenjing University in Beijing, then attended Harvard University, where he received his doctorate in 1950.

He was appointed to the faculty at the University of Chicago until he was hired by Stanford in 1961.

He was a founder of the neuroscience doctoral program at Stanford and was a major figure in research and training at the School of Medicine.

Memorial Resolution

Eric Shooter 1972-1982

Professor of Genetics and Biochemistry

A Life in Science: Q& A with Eric Shooter

The original of this image is part of the Stanford University Medical Center Records (MSS 101) at the Stanford Medical History Center.

Emeritus Lecture

Stephen Waxman 1982-1986

Professor of Neurology

Dr. Waxman received his BA from Harvard, and his MD and PhD degrees from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He held faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School, MIT, and Stanford University, prior to moving to Yale and the West Haven VAMC.

Neuroscience and Regeneration Research

U.J. McMahan 1986-1992

Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurobiology

Bio-X Affiliated Faculty

U.J. McMahan Lab

Howard Shulman 1992-1999

Professor of Molelcular Pharmacology and subsequently of Neurobiology

Dr Schulman is a founding co-director of the Stanford Brain Research Center and former chairman of the Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine.

Eric Knudsen 1999-2001

Edward C. and Amy H. Sewall Professor in the School of Medicine

(650) 723-5492

eknudsen@stanford.edu

William Newsome 2001-2005

Harman Family Provostial Professor, Vincent V. C. Woo Director of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute, and Professor of Neurobiology and, by courtesy, of Psychology

(650) 725-5814

bnewsome@stanford.edu

John Huguenard 2006-2013

Professor of Neurology, of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, of Molecular and Cellular Physiology

John.Huguenard@stanford.edu

Tony Ricci 2013-Present

Edward C. and Amy H. Sewall Professor in the School of Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Molecular and Cellular Physiology

(650) 736-1290

aricci@stanford.edu

The signature feature of the Stanford Neurosciences Program is the combination of outstanding faculty researchers and exceedingly bright, energetic students in a community that shares a firm and longstanding commitment to understanding the nervous system at all its levels of function.

Click here to learn more about the training program.

About Stanford Neurosciences IDP

The mission of the Stanford Neuroscience Graduate Program is to use rigorous training in fundamental principles of neuroscience research to develop leaders at every level of our society.

Message from the Director

Program History

1962

1972

1975

Program Directors

Professor and Chairman, Division of Neurology

Professor of Neurology

Professor of Genetics and Biochemistry

Professor of Neurology

Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurobiology

Professor of Molelcular Pharmacology and subsequently of Neurobiology

Affiliated Departments and Research Institutes

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Clinics & Services

Research Resources

Professional Training

Education Resources