Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I'm very interested in neuroscience and I would like to have some kind of project that relates to it.
HOWEVER
at my school we are not allowed to do tests on humans, OR vertebrates... so I was wondering if it was possible to conduct an experiment on invertebrate neurophysiology?
I don't know what in that subject I could do but I was thinking like studying the senses of an aquatic invertebrate in different conditions? (i.e. water temperature/current of the water/other creatures in the water)?

Basically I want to know if it's possible to have a project that could relate to neuroscience without requiring testing on humans/vertebrates?

If not, what kind of project can I do!?
I need an idea by Friday

Thank you!!

Hi,
It appears that invertebrate models can be useful in the study ov vertebrate neurological disease. If you can locate a copy of this paper you might find it helpful:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/wg5478pr27n46326/

You may find this article to be of use(free to download):

http://www.frontiersin.org/neuroscience ... 9/abstract


I commend to you the Charlie Rose show series on the brain:

http://www.charlierose.com/guest/view/215

One of the guests in this program series is Nancy Bonini, whose research should be of great interest to you as she studies the fruit fly as a model for human neurodegenerative diseases. Her lab website may give you lots of ideas of research ideas using invertebrate models:

http://bonini.bio.upenn.edu/

Here is one of her overview articles that may be of use:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2820605/

If the study of fruit flies does not excite you, C. Elegans (a nematode) is another well studied system; Here is a site that will allow you to explore it:

http://www.neuroscience-gateway.org/sub ... 2008.shtml

You may also find soe ideas for projects in these old conversation threads:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentorin ... ans#p20582

You may also want to review the Science Buddies Project Idea Guide for other related ideas. I particularly recommend looking at the Zoology ideas:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... php?ia=Zoo

I hope this is enough to get you dreaming great thoughts about your perfect project.

Good luck and best wishes for a great project!

Barrett L Tomlinson

Another area of active neuroscience research is at the cellular level. If you cannot do experiments with human subject, perhaps you can use human or mouse cells in tissue culture. You will need a local adviser with a tissue culture lab - this may be easy to find at a local university.

Using cells, you could study cell signaling or effects of drugs on the cells, or many other things.