www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/physiolo
JAMES M. ANDERSON, Chair
James M. Anderson (78) Epithelial Cell Biology, Tight Junction Structure and Function and the Physiologic Implications of Paracellular Selectivity.
William J. Arendshorst (25) Cell and Integrative Biology of Vascular and Nephron Function, Interactions of Endothelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Receptors and Signal Transduction, Regulation of Cytosolic Calcium Concentration, Pathogenic Mechanisms of Hypertension
James E. Faber (49) Vascular Physiology, Signal Transduction of Vascular Smooth Muscle and Fibroblast Cells, Atherosclerosis, Adrenergic Receptors
Paul B. Farel (5) Regulation of Neuron Number, Development of Specific Neural Connections, Regeneration
Pauline K. Lund (50) Growth Factors, Cytokines, Gastrointestinal Growth, Molecular Biology, Signal Transduction, Aging and Memory Loss
Anthony-Samuel LaMantia (73) Induction and Patterning of the Mammalian Forebrain, Inductive Signaling Mechanisms in the Developing and Regenerating Nervous System, Function of Genes Associated with Human Developmental Disorders
Paul Manis (81) Cellular Mechanisms of Auditory Information Processing, Synaptic Plasticity, Ion Channels
Gerhard W. D. Meissner (26) Mechanisms in Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Muscle, Ion Channels
Edward R. Perl (18) Physiological and Molecular Bases for Pain and Other Somatic Sensations, Spinal Cord Synaptic Mechanisms
Daniel N. Pomp (89) Genetics of Growth, Obesity, and Body Weight Regulation in Animal Models
Lola M. Reid (67) Hepatic Stem Cell and Maturational Lineage Biology, Synergies between Extracellular Matrix and Hormones in the Regulation of Gene Expression
Robert L. Rosenberg (63) Regulation of Ion Channels
Aldo Rustioni (30) Somatosensory System; Connections, Neurotransmitters, and Interneuronal Integration
Robert Sealock (32) Cell Biology and Biochemistry of the Neuromuscular Junction, Proteins Involved in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
William Snider (74) Developmental Regulation by Neuronal Growth Factors
Ann E. Stuart (41) Aspects of Synaptic Transmission from Photoreceptors, Histaminergic Synapses
Tony G. Waldrop (77) Genetic Aspects of Hypertension, Developmental Neurobiology, Effects of Hypoxia on Brainstem Neurons
Barry L. Whitsel (23) Neuronal Mechanisms of Somatic Sensation
Eva Anton (76) Molecular Analysis of Neuronal Migration and Development of the Cerebral Cortex
Manzoor Bhat (79) Cell Adhesion, Axon-Glial Interactions, Blood-Nerve Barrier, Synaptogenesis, Signal Transduction
Richard E. Cheney (69) Motor Proteins, Cytoskeleton, Neuronal Cell Biology
Michael F. Goy (60) Biochemistry and Physiology of Excitable Cells, Second Messenger Mechanisms in Signal Transduction, Epithelial Biology, Natriuretic Peptides
Carol A. Otey (72) Mechanisms of Cell Adhesion, Cell Migration and Cytoskeletal Organization, and Neuronal Cell Biology
Scott Randell (75) Airway Epithelial Cell Biology-Stem Cells, Host Defense and Response to Injury
Kathleen Caron (80) Gene Targeted Models of Human Disease, Reproductive Biology, Cardiovascular Biology, G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling
Suk-Won Jin (92) Endothelial Cell Specification and Vascular Tube Morphogenesis
Jeffrey M. MacDonald (93) Metabolomics and Its Applications to Physiology
Benjamin Philpot(82) Mechanisms of Experience-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in Visual Cortex
John F. Rawls (91) Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Host-Microbial Interactions in the Vertebrate Digestive Tract
Nobuyuki Takahashi (84) Mechanism of Hypertension, Diabetic Complications, and Obesity Using Genetically Engineered Animals
Eleni Tzima (88) Mechanisms of Vascular Endothelial Cell Signaling and Angiogenesis in Response to Hemodynamic Stimuli
Mark J. Zylka (90) Molecules and Mechanisms for Pain
C. William Davis (51) Airway Epithelial Cell Physiology
Nicholas G. Moss (94) Biological Signal Transduction
Robert Tarran (87) Regulation of Airway Epithelial Ion and Mucus Transport
Robert G. Faust
Enid R. Kafer
Alan Light
David L. McIlwain
Joseph H. Perlmutt
Lloyd R. Yonce
Physiology is the study of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that underlie the functions of living cells and organs. Research in physiology uses tools from chemistry, mathematics, molecular biology, and physics to identify regulatory mechanisms that operate at levels of complexity ranging from the subcellular to the organismic.
The Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology offers a program of study leading to the PhD or MD/PhD degree. The MS degree is offered only under special circumstances. Research opportunities cover molecular, cellular, and systems physiology with an emphasis on mechanisms of disease. Faculty specialties include: neurophysiology; endocrinology; and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal physiology. The PhD program typically requires four to five years of study. The first two years of graduate study include core and elective coursework, laboratory rotations, seminar courses, and research. The curriculum is individualized to develop the analytical, research, and communication skills necessary to carry out successful dissertation research. All students are required to take the following courses: cell biology plus PHYI 703, molecular and integrative physiology; PHYI 710 and 720, human physiology and neurobiology; and one advanced physiology course plus three electives. Requirements may be waived for students with previous graduate-level coursework.
Research rotations introduce students to faculty laboratories and develop and broaden research experience. Students join the lab of the research adviser within the first year of the program. Journal clubs, a class in oral and written communication, the seminar program, and a research-in-progress series provide a less formal way for students to develop research and analytical skills. Teaching experience is available in pre-professional courses, graduate school, and medical school courses. The qualifying examination is scheduled at the end of the first year. Students submit the dissertation proposal in year three and complete research and writing in years four and five.
In May 2003, the department moved into the newly completed Medical Biomolecular Research Building and the adjoining Neuroscience Research Center. Faculty laboratories are equipped for research and training in all methods of biological research, including biophysics, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunochemistry, and whole-animal studies. UNC-Chapel Hill has outstanding centers for the development and breeding of transgenic and gene-knockout mice for molecular biology/recombinant DNA-related research, cardiovascular biology, and cystic fibrosis and pulmonary medicine. Construction of a zebrafish facility is underway. Researchers in the department routinely collaborate with members of other School of Medicine departments and centers, with laboratories at Duke University, and with researchers at NIEHS in nearby Research Triangle Park.
All students in good academic standing receive a stipend, tuition scholarship, and health insurance. Many students compete successfully for individual pre-doctoral fellowships from the AHA, NIH, and NSF, and for competitive awards from The Graduate School. Interdisciplinary training grants in vascular biology, nutrition, cell and molecular biology, and integrative medicine support students across the campus. In addition, the department and individual labs provide funds for students to attend national and international research meetings and specialty courses on- and off-campus.
Recent graduates are working as postdoctoral fellows and faculty members at colleges and universities, as bench scientists in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, and as scientific advisers in both clinical and basic research settings.
Applicants to the program must have a strong undergraduate record, including course work in organic chemistry and biochemistry, two semesters of calculus and physics, and appropriate course work in the biological sciences, typically including zoology, genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology. All applicants are required to submit scores on the GRE aptitude test, a written statement, transcripts, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation. Applications are welcome at any time, but should be received by January 1 to receive priority consideration for financial support. A personal interview is highly recommended.
701 [210] PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY ROTATION (1-6). Prerequisite, permission of the director of graduate studies. Rotations in faculty laboratories introduce methods and techniques in physiology. Individual projects provide an opportunity to explore potential dissertation topics. Fall, spring, and summer. Staff.
703 [125] MOLECULAR AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY (1-4). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Introduction to current areas of genomic, cellular, and integrative physiological research and methodology. Topics include: cell-to-cell and intracellular signaling, growth, and differentiation; physiological regulation; mechanisms of disease. Fall. Sealock, staff.
705 [205] COMMUNICATING SCIENTIFIC RESULTS (1). Practice in oral and written communication evaluated by peers and faculty. Includes delivery of coached presentations on topics in physiology and preparation of writing assignments typically encountered in scientific life. Fall. Stuart.
706 [206] COMMUNICATING SCIENTIFIC RESULTS (1). Practice in oral and written communication evaluated by peers and faculty. Includes delivery of coached presentations on topics in physiology and preparation of writing assignments typically encountered in scientific life. Spring. Stuart.
710 [201] MEDICAL NEUROBIOLOGY (NBIO 710) (1-3). Prerequisite, permission of the course director. A special section (for physiology graduate students only) of the neurobiology course for medical students. Structural and functional organization is analyzed at the level of the cell membrane, the neuron, and integrated neuronal systems. Spring. Goy, staff.
714 [114] PHYSIOLOGY (DENT 114) (4). This basic physiology course introduces students to the functions of and interactions between the various systems of the body. Particular emphasis is placed on those concepts of specific relevance for students and practitioners of dentistry. The course also provides students with a solid physiological background for subsequent courses within the dentistry curriculum. Spring. Moss, staff.
720 [200] HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY (1-5). Prerequisite, permission of the course director. A special section (for physiology graduate students only) of the course for medical students. The course provides a general consideration of cell function and systemic physiology. Six lecture hours per week. Spring. Goy, staff.
722A [222A] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: INTRODUCTION (BIOC722A) (NBIO722A) (PHCO722A) (2). Prerequisite, permission of course director. Introductory section covers basic neurobiology, including neuronal cell biology, action potentials, synaptic potentials, molecular biology, and neuroanatomy. Course meets three weeks with six lecture hours per week. Fall. Stuart.
722B [222B] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: RECEPTORS (BIOC722B) (NBIO722B) (PHCO722B) (2). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Consideration of membrane receptor molecules activated by neurotransmitters in the nervous system with emphasis on ligand binding behavior and molecular and functional properties of different classes of receptors. Course meets for five weeks with six lecture hours per week. Fall. Stuart.
722C [222C] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: ELECTRICAL SIGNALING (BIOC722C) (NBIO722C) (PHCO722C) (2). Prerequisite, permission of course director. The genesis of electrical impulses in the nervous system is considered with an emphasis on membrane potentials, voltage-gated ion channels, and structural features of neurons that influence coding. Course meets for six weeks with six lecture hours per week. Fall. Stuart.
723A [223A] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: POSTSYNAPTIC MECHANISMS-INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING (BIOC723A) (NBIO723A) (PHCO723A) (2). Prerequisite, permission of the course director. Explores biochemical signal transduction events following activation of neurotransmitter receptors including G-protein coupling, desensitization, signaling specificity, downstream effectors, calcium signaling and tyrosine kinases. Course meets for five weeks with six lecture hours per week. Spring. Stuart.
723B [223B] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: PRESYNAPTIC MECHANISMS (BIOC723B) (NBIO723B) (PHCO723B) (2). Prerequisite, permission of course director. Explores the mechanisms regulating the release of neurotransmitters from nerve terminals, including quantal release, vesicle and terminal membrane proteins, neurotransmitter transporters, and plasticity of synaptic transmission. Course meets for five weeks with six lecture hours per week. Spring. Stuart and faculty.
724 [122] DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY (NBIO 724) (3). Prerequisites, NBIO 722 and permission of the instructor. Principles of developmental biology applied to the nervous system. Mechanisms that guide differentiation of neurons and circuits. Development of distinct neural systems including the visual, auditory, and somatosensory systems. Fall. LaMantia and faculty.
751 [220] SEMINAR IN PHYSIOLOGY (1). Prerequisite, permission of the director of graduate studies. Fall. Staff.
752 [221] SEMINAR IN PHYSIOLOGY (1). Prerequisite, permission of the director of graduate studies. Spring. Staff.
800 [300] TEACHING PHYSIOLOGY (1-3). Prerequisite, permission of the course director. Introduces the principles of teaching physiology. Provides students the opportunity to plan instruction and to teach with increasing degrees of responsibility. The teaching internship is under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor. Fall and spring. Faculty.
824 [224] PAIN AND SOMATIC SENSATION (NBIO 824) (2). Prerequisites, PHYI 720 or equivalent and permission of the instructor. Consideration of peripheral and central neural mechanisms for somatic sensation with particular emphasis on pain. Spring. Perl.
PHYI 837 [239A] EPITHELIAL BIOLOGY (1). Biology of epithelia from cells to organs, focusing on the airway, gastrointestinal tract and disease. Spring. Anderson, Davis, Randell, Tarran.
PHYI 838 (239B) EXCITABLE MEMBRANES, RECEPTORS, CHANNELS AND SYNAPSES (1). Basic neurophysiology of excitable membranes, channels and synapse as the basis of neuronal communication. Spring. Rosenberg, Sealock.
PHYI 839 (239C) CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ORGANIZATION, INTEGRATION, AND PLASTICITY (1). Primary literature explores how the nervous system is organized, integrates information and adapts. Spring. Farel, Perl.
PHYI 840 [240] RENAL/CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS (3). Prerequisites, PHYI 720 and permission of the instructor. Blood pressure control in normal, diseased, and genetically modified animals. Physiology and pathophysiology of the renal and cardiovascular systems. Fall. Arendshorst, Faber, Goy, staff.
850 [290] SEMINAR IN NEUROBIOLOGY (BIOC 850) (NBIO 850) (PHCO 850) (3). Prerequisite, permission of the director of the Neurobiology Curriculum. An intensive consideration of selected topics and problems. The course focuses on the development of presentation and evaluation skills of the trainees. Spring. Faculty of the Neurobiology Curriculum.
891 [211] SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSIOLOGY (NBIO 791) (1-5). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Individually arranged in-depth programs of study of selected topics such as membrane function, transport physiology, renal physiology, etc. Fall. Staff.
892 [212] SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSIOLOGY (NBIO 792) (1-5). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Individually arranged in-depth programs of study of selected topics such as membrane function, transport physiology, renal physiology, etc. Spring. Staff.
901 [301] RESEARCH IN PHYSIOLOGY (3-10). Fall. Staff.
902 [302] RESEARCH IN PHYSIOLOGY (3-10). Spring. Staff.
903 [303] RESEARCH IN PHYSIOLOGY (3-10). Summer. Staff.
993 [393] MASTER'S THESIS (3 or more). Fall and spring. Staff.
994 [394] DOCTORAL DISSERTATION (3 or more). Fall and spring. Staff.