Teaching

The Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics organizes and teaches five major courses each academic year. These courses provide various students with fundamental principles and concepts about the normal function of the major human organ systems both the cellular and organ system levels. These courses are outlined below. Additionally, faculty organize and teach various advanced level graduate courses within the IDP program each Fall and Spring.

Fall

PAS 5025 - Human Physiology
The goal of the Physicians Assistant Program is to prepare physician assistants who are well trained in a broad range of medical and surgical knowledge and skills who are qualified to provide comprehensive health care under the supervision of a licensed physician. This course provides a broad overview of the physiological systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems. Dr. George Gerencser, Course Director. 4 credits.

BME 5001 - Biomedical Engineering Physiology
Physiology of cells, bones, and circulatory system from a biomaterials, biomechanics, cellular, and tissue engineering perspective. Intellectual property and technology transfer included. Goals: The course will study the physiology of the human body, imaging techniques, and subsequent processing. Various imaging modalities will be discussed along with the appropriate processing methods to reveal details of the physiology and diagnosis. Hands-on image processing with actual images will be part of this class. Dr. Bruce Stevens, Course Director. 3 credits.

Spring

DEN 5120 - Structure and Function of Body Systems
This course is designed to provide an in-depth overview of the normal structure and function of body systems, which includes the cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal neurological, endocrine and gastrointestinal systems. Both systemic health and disease of the body and the relationship of the biology of the whole body to that of the oral-facial complex will be emphasized. Dr. George Gerencser, Course Director. 7 credits.

BMS 6500 - Principles of Medical Physiology
Learned material covers normal physiology, as well as selected diseases and pathophysiological conditions. Concepts are organized by systems: Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Respiratory, Renal and Acid/Base, and Gastrointestinal. A thread of functional genomics ties much of the information. The course consists of didactic lectures covering basic science and clinical correlations, quiz conferences, small group discussions, student presentations to the class, quantitative and demonstration workshops, laboratory exercises, review sessions, web-based instruction, and exams. Dr. Bruce Steven, Course Director. 6 credits.

GMS 6008 - Fundamentals of Physiology & Functional Genomics
The overall objective of this course is to provide the student with fundamental concepts in muscle, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal and renal physiology. This course will emphasize the advances made, following the advent of functional genomics, in understanding basic physiological processes and selected disease processes that are associated with these areas. Dr. Pushpa Kalra, Course Director. 2 credits.