Unit information: Physiology 2 : From Genes to Whole Body in Health and Disease in 2012/13

Unit name	Physiology 2 : From Genes to Whole Body in Health and Disease
Unit code	PHPH20002
Credit points	40
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Dave Bates
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	PHYY10100
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The unit comprises three themes:

The first theme is the physiology of the mammalian (including human) peripheral and central nervous systems including motor control; somatic and special senses and higher mental functions. Associated practical classes examine human neuromuscular & sensory function. The second theme introduces the relationship between genes and function in health and disease, and covers cellular and molecular physiology, an area that forms the basis of much research within physiology. The third theme highlights aspects of integrative (or systems) physiology, eg. exercise, stress, foetal physiology, ageing and temperature control.

During themes 2 and 3 a four week extended research practical project is undertaken as well as a four week library project.

The unit includes teaching and learning related to the development of concepts and skills, including data analysis, report writing, literature review and understanding the experimental basis of science. This is carried out as directed self education, large group tutorials and is linked to 6 small group tutorials.

Summative assessment comprises an end of year exam, library project, and research practical write-up.

Aims:

• To provide a link between first year and third year, in content, in the development of experimental methods and transferrable and scientific skills and in offering choice to follow your own interests in library and practical projects.

• To provide a systematic coverage of central nervous system function, cellular physiology and special topics in integrative physiology.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the second year course you should:

• be able to describe fundamental aspects of the central nervous system function;

• be able to give accounts of somatic senses, motor system, special senses (hearing, vision, taste, olfaction) and higher order nervous function;

• appreciate how the clinical symptoms of some neurological conditions relate to the pathology of the physiological processes involved;

• be able to discuss ion channel structure-function, key aspects of cell signalling and molecular physiology and how physiologists can use these tools to study function;

• be able to discuss how different systems are integrated into whole body responses - as in body temperature regulation; exercise; foetal physiology - and to appreciate the physiological effects of ageing;

• have an understanding of scientific method

• be able to design, plan and carry out physiological experiments and extended research practicals, analyse the data and present scientific reports;

• be able to carry out literature searches on scientific topics and produce a scientific essay or report in your own words.

Assessment Information

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Components:

(i) Coursework Library project, 7.5% Research Practical write-up,7.5% eBiolabs related assessments (unless shown as formative or ‘must complete only’) 5%

(ii) Examinations Summer examinations (2 x 40%), 80%

Reading and References

There are no-set texts for Physiology level 2 because of the diversity of topics taught. At level 2 you will be expected to draw on information from a number of sources for any one topic, using multiple textbooks. Individual lecturers are likely to make recommendations of useful information sources, both textbooks and reports in scientific journals. Some may recommend web -based materials.

In this context useful textbooks include:

• Berne and Levy Physiology, 6th Ed
• Berne and Levy Principles of Physiology, 4th Ed or any more recent.
• Kandel, Schwartz & Jessell: Principles of Neural Function ISBN 0071120009, 2000 Ed.
• Cooper, G.M: The Cell: A Molecular Approach, 3rd Ed. 2004, ASM Press ISBN 0878932143
• Bear, Connors & Paradiso: Neuroscience Exploring the Brain 2nd Ed., 2001. Lippincott

• Alternative treatments of neurophysiology (but at a lower level then Kandel, Schwartz & Jessel)
• Nicholls, Martin & Wallace: From Neuron to Brain, 4th Ed. 2001, ISBN 087934391
• Shepherd: Neurobiology, 3rd Ed. 1994, ISBN 0195088433
• Carpenter: Neurophysiology, 4th Ed. 2002, ISBN 0340808721

Useful for experimental data analysis:

• Popular and simple but adequate for most problems you will encounter
• Medical Statistics at a Glance, Blackwell, A. Petrie & C. Sabin
• Simple and adequate for most problems you will encounter:
• An Introduction to Medical Statistics, Oxford, M.Bland

A good general reference text:

• Statistical Methods in Medical Research, 2nd ed. Blackwell, P.Armitage and G.Berry
• Brilliant and by the author/designer of Graphpad Prism
• Intuitive Biostatistics, Oxford, Harvey Motulsky

Useful resources for numeracy and writing skills:

• Maths skills for advanced sciences, by Ken Price, Oxford University Press, ISBN 019914740X
• The Complete Plain Words, Ernest Gowers, Penguin.
• Eats Shoots and leaves: the zero tolerance approach to punctuation. Lynn Truss, Profile Books.

Key/study skills training sessions are provided by the Student Development Unit, based in the Students’ Union. Topics include ‘Better Essay Writing’, ‘Critical Thinking’; ‘Report Writing’; ‘Presentation Skills’ and Study Skills for International Students’. Further information is available at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/studentskills/cobs/course_list