Physiology (Ph.D.)
The mission of the Ph.D. program in the Department of Physiology is to provide an outstanding educational experience for future scientists, researchers, and academicians in one or more areas of cellular and organ system physiology or developmental biology and reproductive systems. By combining a contemporary curriculum with innovative research, our goal is to develop skilled investigators in the physiological sciences who, by utilizing their advanced problem solving and presentation skills, are qualified to succeed as educators, independent researchers, and as scientists in a wide variety of professional venues.
Admission to these programs is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School and the graduate programs of the School of Medicine, respectively. In addition, applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy degree are normally expected to have a personal interview with one or more members of the Departmental Graduate Committee.
All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School and the School of Medicine governing graduate scholarship and degrees.
Applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must complete a minimum of ninety credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least thirty credits must be in doctoral research and dissertation direction. For the remaining sixty credits, 3 courses must be physiology advanced courses (for the Reproductive Sciences concentration, a minimum of ten credits in required from the Physiology-Reproductive Sciences coursework) and six from multidisciplinary courses other than Physiology (minor). Ph.D. students holding IBS Fellowships are required to take additional credits from courses in the IBS curriculum. Remaining credits to obtain the required total are taken as electives in subjects pertinent to the student's chosen field of research. Requirements of the Department of Physiology Graduate Program must also be satisfied.
Reproductive Sciences Concentration
Students pursuing this concentration are expected to follow the requirements of the Physiology Ph.D. Program but their curriculum is oriented around courses in the reproductive sciences taught primarily by Obstetrics and Gynecology graduate teaching faculty. Students taking the Reproductive Sciences concentration will select dissertation mentors from the Obstetrics and Gynecology graduate teaching faculty and perform their dissertation research in the basic science facilities of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Physiology Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSL 5680 | Basic Endocrinology | 3 |
| PSL 6010 | Advanced Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| PSL 6300 | Biotechnology: Techniques and Applications | 2 |
| PSL 6310 | Biotechnology: Techniques and Applications Lab | 2-5 |
| PSL 7010 | Basic Graduate Physiology Lecture I | 4 |
| PSL 7011 | Basic Integrative Graduate Physiology I | 4 |
| PSL 7020 | Basic Graduate Physiology Laboratory I | 2 |
| PSL 7030 | Basic Graduate Physiology Lecture II | 4 |
| PSL 7031 | Basic Integrative Graduate Physiology II | 4 |
| PSL 7040 | Basic Graduate Physiology Laboratory II | 2 |
| PSL 7060 | Current Literature in Physiology | 1 |
| PSL 7215 | Nanobioscience | 3 |
| PSL 7400 | Sleep and Breathing in Health and Disease | 2 |
| PSL 7420 | Organizing and Communicating Hypothesis Testing in Physiology | 2 |
| PSL 7550 | Advanced Renal Physiology | 2 |
| PSL 7600 | Advanced Cardiovascular Physiology | 2 |
| PSL 7640 | Cell and Molecular Physiology | 3 |
| PSL 7685 | Reproductive Physiology Seminar | 1 |
| PSL 7660 | Advanced Neurophysiology | 3 |
| PSL 7680 | Endocrinology (RPS approved) | 4 |
| PSL 7690 | Principles and Techniques of Reproductive Biology (RPS approved) | 3 |
| PSL 7700 | Embryonic Stem Cell Biology (RPS approved) | 3 |
| PSL 7710 | Disease States and Reproductive Processes (RPS approved) | 1 |
| PSL 7730 | Reproductive Sciences: Teratology (RPS approved) | 3 |
| PSL 7775 | Current Research Topics in Reproductive Science (RPS approved) | 3 |
| PSL 7825 | Membrane Physiology: Protein Transport, Lipid Metabolism and Human Diseases | 2 |
| PSL 7880 | Special Problems in Physiology | 1-8 |
| PSL 7890 | Seminar | 1 |
| PSL 7996 | Arranged Research | 1-15 |
| PSL 8888 | Survey of Research at the Chemistry Biology Interface | 3 |