STARTING A NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH LABORATORY IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: A
FULBRIGHT EXPERIENCE IN HONDURAS.
Quirk, Gregory J.
Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Pl., New York,
NY 10003-6621.
APStracts 2:0003S, 1995.
ABSTRACT
The first laboratory of neurophysiology was installed in the medical school of
the University of Honduras, during the 1992-93 academic year. The goal of
the project was to improve the teaching of physiology in the medical
curriculum and establish a neuroscience research laboratory able to address
Honduran needs. In addition to a computer learning facility and wet-labs in
neurophysiology for medical students, an independent research program was
developed that focused on social problems in the country (for example the
effects of malnutrition on the developing CNS), paving the way for the first
graduate program in physiology in Honduras. Funded by a Fulbright
lectureship grant, the shoe-string budget was augmented by donations of
equipment by colleagues. This first-hand account describes the planning and
implementation of the project, covering both expected and unexpected
problems and successes. An update on the progress of the lab after two years
of independent operation is also described.
Received 6 March 1995; accepted in final form 13 September 1995.
APS Manuscript Number S005-5.
Article publication pending Advances in Physiology Education.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 20 March 96