Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology

JAMES M. ANDERSON, Chair

Professors

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

Richard E. Cheney (69) Motor Proteins, Cytoskeleton, Neuronal Cell Biology

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

Michael F. Goy (60) Biochemistry and Physiology of Excitable Cells, Second Messenger Mechanisms in Signal Transduction, Epithelial Biology, Natriuretic Peptides

Susan J. Henning (98), Intestinal Stem Cells - Biological Properties and Potential for Therapeutic Application

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

Roy C. Orlando (99) Ion transport and barrier function as mucosal defense in esophageal and Barrett's epithelium; mechanisms by which acid/pepsin injures squamous epithelium leading to esophagitis and alters Barrett's epithelium, promoting dysplasia and malignancy

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

Associate Professors

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, Signal Transduction, Synaptogenesis

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

Assistant Professors

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

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

Research Professor

C. William Davis (51) Airway Epithelial Cell Physiology

Research Associate Professor

Nicholas G. Moss (94) Biological Signal Transduction

Research Assistant Professor

Robert Tarran (87) Regulation of Airway Epithelial Ion and Mucus Transport

Professors Emeriti

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.

Curriculum

The Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology offers a program of study leading to the Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degree. The M.S. 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 Ph.D. program typically requires four to five years of study. The first two years of graduate study include core and elective course work, 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 typically take the following courses: PHYI 703, molecular and integrative physiology, one advanced physiology course plus three electives. Requirements may be waived for students with previous graduate-level course work.

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 mechanisms for students to develop research and analytical skills. Teaching experience is available in preprofessional courses, graduate school and medical school courses. The qualifying examination is scheduled during the second year. Students submit the dissertation proposal in year three and complete research and writing in years four and five.

Research Facilities

The department occupies 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 as well as a newly constructed zebrafish facility. 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.

Financial Aid

All students in good academic standing receive a stipend, tuition scholarship and health insurance. Many students compete successfully for individual predoctoral 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.

Placement of Graduates

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.

Requirements for Admission

Applications for all 12 School of Medicine basic science graduate programs are processed through the Biomedical and Biological Sciences Program and spend their first year in that program before transferring to a degree program. Majors in cell and molecular physiology typically have an undergraduate record that includes 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.

Courses for Graduate and Professional Students

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, CELLULAR AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY (1–4). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Molecular and cellular basis of organ system function; integration of systems to maintain the normal state. Understanding of normal physiology is amplified by examples from human disease and mouse models. 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 (BIOC 722A, NBIO 722A, PHCO 722A) (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: ELECTRICAL SIGNALING (BIOC 722B, NBIO 722B, PHCO 722B) (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.

722C [222B] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: RECEPTORS (BIOC 722C, NBIO 722C, PHCO 722C) (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.

723A [223A] CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY: Synaptic Mechanisms and Intracellular Signaling (BIOC 723A, NBIO 723A, PHCO 723A) (3). 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: Anatomy and Function of Sensory and Motor Systems (BIOC 723B, NBIO 723B, PHCO 723B) (3). 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. A survey of nervous system development emphasizing detailed analysis of selected research topics such as neuronal induction, neural crest development, neuronal differentiation, synapse formation, neurotrophic factors, glial development and the effects of experience. Fall. S. Crews, Polleux.

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.

775 STEM CELLS AND MATURATIONAL LINEAGE BIOLOGY (4). Biology 111; Chemistry 101, 102, 241 or equivalents. All tissues are organized with stem cell compartments giving rise to maturational cell lines with lineage-dependent phenotypic characteristics. Investigators discuss research in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Fall. Reid.

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.

832 RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY: DEFENSE MECHANISMS IN THE AIRWAYS (1–4). Prerequisite, PHYI 703 or equivalent. The integrated defense mechanisms that protect the airways and lung from inhaled allergens, irritants, particulates, and pathogens. Topics include transepithelial ion transport, mucociliary clearance, and innate immune responses. Spring. Davis, Tarran, Randell.

833 GASTROINTESTINAL PHYSIOLOGY: GROWTH, CANCER, INFLAMMATION AND THE MICROBIOME (1–3). Prerequisite, PHYI 703 or equivalent. Roles of growth factor and cytokine signaling, and the intestinal microbiome in normal intestinal growth, inflammation or colon cancer. Molecular, cellular, genomic, model organisms and translational medicine approaches. Spring. Lund, Rawls.

PHYI 835 (239C) CNS ORGANIZATION (1). Primary literature explores how the nervous system is organized, integrates information and adapts. Spring. Farel, Perl.

PHYI 836 (239B) EXCITABLE MEMBRANES, RECEPTORS, CHANNELS AND SYNAPSES (1–4). Basic neurophysiology of excitable membranes, channels and synapse as the basis of neuronal communication. Spring. Rosenberg, Sealock.

PHYI 839 Endothelial Cells in Health and Disease (1–4). Prerequisite, PHYI 703 or equivalent. Literature-based survey of endothelial cell biology including development, angiogenesis, environmental influences and disease models . Spring. Caron, Jin, Tzima.

PHYI 840 [240] RENAL/CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS (1–4). Prerequisites, PHYI 703 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.