Description: PSL 374S is an advanced lecture and laboratory course designed for Physiology specialist students. Students will take this course concurrently with PSL304H & 305H and PSL 372H. The laboratory exercises are built on the foundations laid in PSL 372H.
The course is designed to foster an understanding of functional interactions between organ systems. The students achieve this by themselves participating as laboratory subjects and performing surgery on experimental animals. The students are taught to develop an ability to solve problems of an integrative physiological nature through "take home problem-sets", and through examinations and tutorials. Wherever possible, clinical case studies will be included to make physiology relevant and exciting.
The laboratory exercises focus on the integration of organ systems to understand the control mechanisms of the body function. Some endocrine molecular experiments will be performed. The lab exercises include a wide array of topics in physiology such as:
Surgery and Liver Blood Flow
Surgery and Cardiorespiratory Control
Endocrine Molecular Biology
Electrophysiological principles on classical invertebrate preparations
Biochemical and bioinformatic analysis of cultured cell lines
Objectives:
1. To demonstrate a theoretical and practical knowledge of bioinformatics and research in neurophysiology, metabolism, and cardiovascular physiology
2. To write laboratory reports in short manuscript style, including the ability:
a. To collect and analyze data in physiology
b. To integrate findings in the context of published literature
c. To apply critical thinking skills
3. To use team-based learning by performing experiments in pairs
4. To interact with experts in physiology
Evaluation: Evaluation is by a written examination (25%), 3 lab reports (75%).
