Research Guides: Biomedical and Basic Sciences Research: Anatomy & Neurobiology

Key Resources for Your Department

American Association of Anatomists
The American Association of Anatomists was founded by Joseph Leidy in Washington, D.C. in 1888 for the “advancement of anatomical science.” Today, via research, education, and professional development activities, AAA serves as the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on the structural foundation of health and disease.
American Society for Neurochemistry (ASN)
The latest molecular and cellular neurobiology in the Americas.
Central Virginia Chapter Society for Neuroscience (CVCSN)
VCU participates in this regional group of the SfN.
International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN)
The first and only global society focused on neurochemistry. This society publishes the Journal for Neurochemistry.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NINDS is the division of the NIH that conducts and supports research on brain and nervous system disorders.
Society for Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology
A division of the American Psychiatric Association, this group is responsible for publishing the journals: Behavioral Neuroscience and the Journal of Comparative Psychology
Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
SfN is the world's largest, most prestigious professional organization representing scientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. SfN publishes JNeurosci, the Journal of Neuroscience.

Popular resources for experimental protocols:

Springer Nature Experiments
This collection of over 20,000 life sciences and biomedical protocols includes 3800+ protocols related to neuroscience. Because of its size, we recommend searching this collection first for protocols.
Current Protocols in Neuroscience
This publication includes protocols for behavioral experiments, cell culture, and pre-clinical models of psychiatric disorders.
Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE)
Peer-reviewed scientific video journal. Searching for specific technologies (RNASeq, siRNA transfection, etc.) may yield useful results.
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Try our research guide for experimental protocols

The following are instructional videos that you may find helpful. Please note that the resources provided on this page are not a substitute for speaking with a trained scientist on how to properly perform these procedures.

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)
Short video showing the FISH process. See this short animation for a basic overview on how FISH works.
Electrophoresis Basics
This video shows provides a basic overview of gel electrophoresis for separation of DNA or RNA (horizontal apparatus).
Using a micropipette
This video offers a basic introduction to using micropipettes. It covers accurate delivery ranges for common micropipettes, as well as when to use the first or second stop positions.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
How to set up, run, and troubleshoot basic PCR reactions. See this animated video for a quick explanation of how PCR works.
Transfection Basics
This video provides a basic overview of the different types of transfection, and the process of lipid based transfection.
Volume Transfers with Serological Pipettes and Micropipettors (Aseptic Technique)
Minimize contamination when transferring cultures and reagents.

The following are a selection of e-books available through VCU Libraries. Unless otherwise noted, e-books are restricted to 1 user at a time.

Conn's Translational Neuroscience by P. Michael Conn (Editor); Saurabh Jha (Editor)
ISBN: 9780128025963
Publication Date: 2016-09-28
Conn's Translational Neuroscience provides a comprehensive overview reflecting the depth and breadth of the field of translational neuroscience, with input from a distinguished panel of basic and clinical investigators.
Computational Glioscience by Maurizio De Pittà (Editor); Hugues Berry (Editor)
ISBN: 9783030008154
Publication Date: 2019-01-31
This book aims to address modeling and characterization of astrocyte function, providing the first systematic computational approach to the complex, wide subject of neuron-glia interactions.
Joint Models of Neural and Behavioral Data by Brandon M. Turner; Birte U. Forstmann; Mark Steyvers
ISBN: 9783030036874
Publication Date: 2019-01-17
This book presents a flexible Bayesian framework for combining neural and cognitive models.
Co-Immunoprecipitation Methods for Brain Tissue by Yuji Odagaki (Editor); Dasiel O. Borroto Escuela (Editor)
ISBN: 9781493989843
Publication Date: 2018-12-14
This volume covers various aspects of co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) methods and its relevant use in studying protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in health and diseases of the Central Nervous System.

To browse neuroscience books available at the Health Sciences Library, visit the "RC", "QH", and "QP" sections on the 2nd floor. The following is a selection of neuroscience books that are part of VCU Libraries' physical collection. If there is a book that you love, that is not in our collection, please email Stacey Wahl, Ph.D. to inquire about adding it to the collection at TML.

Neuroscience for the Study of Communicative Disorders by Subhash Bhatnagar
Call Number: Health Sciences Library General Collection RC423 .B53 2018
ISBN: 9781496331519
Publication Date: 2017-10-03
Develop an understanding of neuroscience as it relates to your future career as a clinician, researcher, or instructor with this revised best-seller.
Gap Junctions in the Brain by Ekrem Dere (Editor)
Call Number: Health Sciences Library General Collection QH603.C4 G3645 2013
ISBN: 9780124159013
Publication Date: 2012-10-03
This volume provides neuroscience researchers and students with a single source for information covering the physiological, behavioral and pathophysiological roles of gap junctions in the brain.
Basic Neurochemistry by George Siegel (Editor); R. Wayne Albers (Editor); Donald Price (Editor); Scott Brady (Editor)
Call Number: Health Sciences Library General Collection QP356.3 .B27 2012
ISBN: 9780123749475
Publication Date: 2011-12-14
Basic Neurochemistry, Eighth Edition, is the updated version of the outstanding and comprehensive classic text on neurochemistry.
Neuroscience by Mark F. Bear; Barry W. Connors; Michael A. Paradiso
Call Number: Health Sciences Library General Collection QP355.2 .B42 2016
ISBN: 9780781778176
Publication Date: 2015-02-11
Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, 4e takes a fresh, contemporary approach to the study of neuroscience, emphasizing the biological basis of behavior.

These resources provide helpful information for neuroscience researchers:

Allen Brain Atlas
Includes mouse, developing mouse, non-human primate and human cortex, all with links to genes.
BrainMaps.org
An interactive multiresolution next-generation brain atlas covering multiple species.
Neuroscience Information Framework (NIF)
An initiative of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, the Neuroscience Information Framework advances neuroscience research by enabling discovery and access to public research data and tools worldwide through an open source, networked environment.