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 Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the study of how cells in the
brain and nervous system develop and function, both on an individual level
and, even more importantly, as integrated systems of cellular networks. The
field of Neuroscience covers everything from molecules, genes, and proteins
to behavior. It includes the study of brain development, sensation and
perception, learning and memory, movement, sleep, stress, aging, and
neurological and psychiatric disorders. Some neuroscientists study the
whole organism (behavior), others study specific kinds of cells in the
brain, and yet others use computers as their "model system." Some
study "simple" systems, such as fruit flies and tiny worms,
because so much is known about the genes that control their behavior, while
other neuroscientists are delving into the much more daunting study of
humans. As with other disciplines of biology, some neuroscientists are
interested in basic understanding of how the system works, while others are
studying ways to prevent or cure nervous-system based disorders. (Source:
adapted from Society for Neuroscience)
Related Associations:
 Association of Neuroscience Departments and
Programs
Society for Neuroscience
Related Links:
Neuroscience for
Kids
Neuroscience
in the News
Nutrition
and Food Science
Nutrition is the study of all aspects of the relation of diet to health and
disease, especially in humans and animals of agricultural or zoological
importance. Such studies includes determining nutritional requirements and
how they change over the life cycle or during the course of disease,
nutritional risk factors for disease (either over- or under-supply), eating
disorders and weight management, dietary supplements, and special
considerations for sports. Food Science is concerned with all aspects of
food, including its nutritional content, additives and contaminants, and
packaging as well as the security of our food supply. Food scientists study
the physical, microbiological, and chemical content of food, as well as the
interaction of food components with each other, with air, and with
packaging materials, and the preservation of quality during processing,
transport, and storage. Both Nutrition and Food Science are closely related
to the fields of biochemistry, pharmacology, and physiology. (Source:
adapted from American Society for Nutritional Sciences and from Institute
of Food Science and Nutrition) See related field: Nutritionist
Related Associations:
American Society for Clinical Nutrition
American Society for Nutritional Sciences
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition
Institute of Food Science and Technology
Institute of Food Technologists
International Union of Food Science &
Technology
Related Links:
Introduction to the Food
Industry
The
Science of Food
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is
the study of chemicals (drugs) that affect the function of living
organisms, whether the chemical is intended to be therapeutic or is an
abused substance. Clinical pharmacologists study chemicals of medicinal
interest--how they are absorbed, transported, and metabolized in the body,
how they function therapeutically, how to change their chemical structure
so as to minimize unwanted side-effects. Some pharmacologists purify
substances derived from nature (for example, plant materials) in search of
new drugs, while others use knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of
disease to "design" therapeutic drugs that they synthesize in the
laboratory. Pharmacology can also be the study of the body's own internal
chemistry, for example, chemical messengers such as hormones and
transmitters, and how these are produced, packaged, and transported in the
body's normal functioning. Modern pharmacology also is closely tied to
biotechnology. (Source: adapted from British Pharmacological Society)
Related Associations:
American Association of
Pharmaceutical Scientists
British Pharmacological Society
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America
Related Links:
PharmWeb
Physiology
Physiology is the study of how the body works,
focusing on the function of cells and tissues in organ systems and how they
are coordinated for the entire body, under normal circumstances and when
exposed to stresses. Physiologists study life processes from the molecule
to the whole organism. For animals, the systems studied include
cardiovascular, digestive, excretory, immune, musculoskeletal, nervous, and
reproductive, and how hormones coordinate the functions of all of these.
Physiologists ask how these systems work under normal conditions and with
disease or under stress. How do they keep us warm in cold environments and
cold in hot environments, how do we adjust to low oxygen at high altitudes,
how do our heart and lungs adapt to intense exercise, and what happens to
astronauts when weightless for extended periods? Plant physiologists study
comparable questions, focusing, for example on photosynthesis and nutrient
and water transport. (Source: adapted from American Physiological Society)
Related Associations:
American Physiological Society
American Society of Exercise Physiologists
American Society of Plant Biologists
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by JGPerpich, LLC
and the US Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
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