Education Overview

Fall Semester (4 credits); Course Director: Mike Previs 

This one-semester course will examine the underlying mechanisms of cardiovascular system function, disease, and pharmacological intervention. Topics include membrane structure and function, pharmacokinetics, receptor/drug interactions, ion channels, excitable membranes, muscle contraction, control by the autonomic nervous system, cardiac function, and mechanics/regulation of vascular blood flow. Fundamental physiological principles will be interwoven with discussion of related pathologic conditions and the pharmacological basis of therapeutic intervention. An emphasis will be placed on reading primary literature to develop both a historical and contemporary framework about our understanding of the physiological basis of cardiovascular function.

Fall semester; Course directors:  Jason Stumpff and Kathy Trybus

Molecular Control of the Cell provides an in-depth understanding of the fundamental molecular mechanisms that underly a diverse set of cell functions? The class will discuss advanced topics in cell biology from the single molecule to the whole tissue level, with an emphasis on how complex molecular systems are coordinated. Critical evaluation and interpretation of primary data will be a focus of the course, and grading is based on class discussion and presentation.

Course director:  Chris Berger

This one-semester Medical Masters Capstone course will examine the underlying mechanisms of function, disease, and pharmacological intervention in the respiratory, renal, endocrine, reproductive, and gastrointestinal systems of the human body. Fundamental physiologic principles will be interwoven with discussion of related pathologic conditions and the pharmacological basis of therapeutic intervention. An emphasis will be placed on reading primary literature to develop both a historical and contemporary framework about our understanding of the physiological basis of these organ systems.

Course directors:  Matt Caporizzo and John Salogiannis

Presentation and discussion by advanced students, staff, and invited speakers, of current topics in physiology.