Foundations of Experimental Design
Samuel Kunes is a distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology from Harvard University, renowned for their specialized focus in Experimental Design. Their ongoing academic work serves to advance modern methodological approaches and critical innovations within the discipline. Working und...
Program Overview
Rigorous Methodology
Develop advanced data collection and analysis skills under strict academic standards.
Publication Output
Goal-driven environment focused on producing a paper ready for peer-reviewed journal submission.
Expert Mentorship
Direct feedback and ongoing guidance from scholars active at top global institutions.
Course Description: This course style explores how learning and memory emerge from molecular and cellular mechanisms, and how those mechanisms fail in neurological disease. Students learn how synaptic plasticity, gene regulation, and neural circuits connect to behavior and long-term memory.
Emphasis is placed on hypothesis-driven reasoning and experimental design: what would you measure, what controls would convince a skeptic, and how would you interpret conflicting results?
Projects often involve reading landmark papers, designing an experiment plan, and writing a research-style report. The outcome is a student who can connect molecular biology to brain function with scientific rigor.
Assessment Methods: Group Projects, Recommendation Letter Opportunities, Research Papers
Ideal Students
Students fascinated by how the brain forms and stores memories at the molecular level. • Potential Topic: Investigate the molecular mechanisms of memory formation, synaptic plasticity, and how neurons communicate to create long-term memories. Students interested in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. • Potential Topic: Explore the cellular and molecular changes that lead to dementia, analyzing how amyloid precursor protein and other factors cause neurological decline. Students curious about consciousness, anesthesia, and the biological basis of awareness. • Potential Topic: Study how anesthesia affects neural circuits and what this reveals about consciousness, using experimental approaches from cutting-edge neuroscience research.
Potential Research Topics
Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology | Experimental Design, Genomics, Laboratory Skills, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Research Methods
Course Curriculum
Foundations of Experimental Design
Led by Samuel Kunes • Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University
Course Description: This course style explores how learning and memory emerge from molecular and cellular mechanisms, and how those mechanisms fail in neurological disease. Students learn how synaptic plasticity, gene regulation, and neural circuits connect to behavior and long-term memory. Emphasis is placed on hypothesis-driven reasoning and experimental design: what would you measure, what controls would convince a skeptic, and how would you interpret conflicting results? Projects often involve reading landmark papers, designing an experiment plan, and writing a research-style report. The outcome is a student who can connect molecular biology to brain function with scientific rigor. Assessment Methods: Group Projects, Recommendation Letter Opportunities, Research Papers
Program Details
Duration
Jul 7, 2026 - Jul 17, 2026
Capacity
Limited Cohort
Location Format
On-Campus (Seoul)
Admission is highly selective and evaluated on a rolling basis.