Centers and Programs

The department is the home of the University of Florida Hypertension Center, the American Heart Association Medical Student Research Fellowships, and the Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship Program. In addition, we are pleased to be affiliated with the Whitney Laboratory in St. Augustine, the Program in Schizophrenia and Related Conditions, and the Perinatal and Reproductive Biology Research Program.

UF Hypertension Center
Provides research interaction and education through seminars, teaching and scientific discussion on studies related to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Interdepartmental. Intercollegiate. Supported by NIH grants of members, Merck and Hoechst Marion Merril-Dow. Director: Chris Baylis, Ph.D.

Medical Sciences Research Program
The College of Medicine Medical Sciences Research Program (MSRP) is directed by Colin Sumners, Ph.D. The goal of the MSRP is to facilitate and coordinate research activities of Medical Students within the College. Activities of the MSRP include:

• Administration of the College of Medicine Honors Research Track, an optional program for medical students who wish to perform research.
• Provision of funding, in the form of Fellowship stipends, to support short-term research experiences for medical students. Stipends are derived from a T35 Training Grant from the National Institutes of Health, a Health Sciences Student Training Grant from the American Heart Association Florida/Puerto Rico Affiliate, from the Lawrence M. Goodman Trust and from donor organizations.
• Organization of Medical Student Research Day.
• Selection of Medical Students for Graduation with Honors in Research, and the Faculty Prize for Research

Details of the above can be found by accessing the MSRP web page at http://msrp.med.ufl.edu/

Whitney Laboratory
The Whitney Laboratory is a marine biomedical research center of the University of Florida. Research at the Whitney Laboratory uses marine organisms to address questions in the physiology and biochemistry of vision and olfaction; neurotransmitter physiology, pharmacology and evolution; the structure, function and evolution of ion channels; parasitology; the developmental biology of vertebrates; signal transduction of osmoregulatory responses; membrane transport systems; and gene regulation. The Laboratory is fully equipped for modern cell and molecular biology, and has space available for visitors.

Program in Schizophrenia and Related Conditions

Perinatal and Reproductive Biology Research Program

Facilities

The multidisciplinary faculty of The Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics actively pursue nationally funded research programs in the areas of cell physiology, vascular biology, membrane transport, electrophysiology and ion channels, neuroendocrinology, general endocrinology, reproductive physiology, neonatal physiology, respiration, circulation, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, muscle, and exercise physiology. Students can gather data for their Ph.D. dissertation by utilizing a wide variety of techniques involving cell and tissue cultures, molecular biology, membrane techniques, electrophysiology, organ and tissue perfusion, specialized surgical procedures, and computer modeling.