Doctor looking at microscope.
Keck School of Medicine of USC

Department of Physiology & Neuroscience

Explore our Graduate Programs

Discovering the Mechanisms Driving
Healthy Brain Function and Disease

The Department of Physiology and Neuroscience ranks #5 nationally in NIH funding in its field (2025 Blue Ridge) and contributes to the Keck School’s standing as #1 in NIH funding per investigator.

Our research is based at the USC Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute. Faculty study the mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, sensory systems and circuits, renal physiology, and the kidney-brain axis.

Graduate education includes a two-year MS in Medical Physiology, with a progressive degree pathway for undergraduates, and PhD programs in Medical Biophysics and in Neuromedicine.

Research

Based at the interdisciplinary hub that is the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, our top-ranked research program thrives on collaboration. Ranked #5 nationally in NIH funding in its field in federal fiscal year 2025, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, we study the brain and the body’s systems in the quest to improve health. This distinction contributes to the Keck School of Medicine of USC ranking #1 in NIH funding per investigator.

Learn about our Research
Graphic indicating the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience ranks #5 nationally in NIH funding in 2025, according to Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings.

Training & Education

Our programs offer a gateway to understanding and transforming healthcare. From the MS in Medical Physiology, where you’ll master translating science into treatment strategies, to the Progressive MS driving Alzheimer’s breakthroughs, and the PhD options in cutting-edge fields like Medical Biophysics and Neuromedicine, you’ll learn by doing alongside renowned faculty. Join us in shaping the future of medical science and practice.

Learn about our graduate programs

PhD in Medical Biophysics

Learn by doing, investigating side-by-side with renowned Keck School of Medicine faculty mentors. We equip you to push the frontiers of discovery in structural biology and biophysics.

PhD in Neuromedicine

Join us and train to be part of the next generation of investigators leading interdisciplinary research and development programs in neuromedicine.

Alzheimer’s Research

Our investigators at the USC Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute are developing ways to understand Alzheimer’s disease and develop new treatments to slow it down and eventually arrest it altogether.

brain scan

Facts & Figures

No.3

in NIH research funding

146

peer-reviewed publications in fiscal 2022

100%

increase in high-impact publications, year over year

2023 Annual Report

At the USC Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, we are at the forefront of groundbreaking research and innovative treatments for neurogenetic disorders. Our Annual Report highlights our key achievements, ongoing projects, and the incredible progress we’ve made over the past year. Dive into the details of our pioneering work and see how we’re transforming the landscape of neurogenetic research.

Download our Annual Report to learn more about our mission, our team, and the scientific discoveries that are shaping the future of neuroscience.

Download our 2023 Annual Report

Support Us

Easing the suffering of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and neurological disorders is among the most urgent challenges of our time. We work on the leading edge of neuroscience and physiology to make possible the breakthroughs society needs. None of this would be possible without our generous supporters.

Learn about our Giving Opportunities