The Shaw Lab

Courses taught by Dr. Shaw:

 

Mammalian Physiology (BIOL 4215)

This course meets 5 days per week for lecture and is designed specifically to prepare students for the

 rigors  of Medical Physiology during their first year of professional school.  We utilize clinical case scenarios every Friday to develop critical thinking skills necessary for understanding and applying physiological concepts in medicine.  Former Mamm Phys students currently in medical, veterinary, dental, PA and pharmacy school

regularly report back the value of this course during their graduate training.  This is a capstone course for 

Physiology majors.  There is a graduate section for this course as well.

     

Mammalian Physiology Laboratory (BIOL 4223)

This course meets 1 day for lecture and 1 day for lab exercises.  This is a follow up course to Mamm Phys

and affords the opportunity to apply physiological concepts in the lab, to develop and test hypotheses, to  

analyze and properly report scientific data.  This is a capstone course for Physiology majors.

 

Pharmacology (BIOL 4243)

This course meets 3 days per week and is designed to prepare students for Medical Pharmacology during

the first and second year of professional school.  We cover routes of drug administration; absorption,

distribution, metabolism & excretion of drugs; basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; drug classes

affecting the autonomic nervous system, the CNS, the electrical conductivity of the heart, respiration,

gastrointestinal tract as well as anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-hypertensive drugs.  Although Mamm Phys

is not a pre-requisite, a strong physiology background is helpful in navigating this course.  There is a

graduate section for this course as well.

 

Extreme Physiology (BIOL 5010)

This graduate course meets 1 day per week to appreciate the history of extreme physiology, understand the limits of physiology, and learn how exploration has impacted progress in basic science and medicine. Each week students present peer reviewed primary literature in assigned areas of extreme physiology (e.g., high altitude, hypothermia, space flight, deep sea diving, extremophiles) to further develop their presentation skills, engage in scientific discussion and enhance their critical thinking skills. Two books are used as the basis of this reading seminar: Life at the Extremes by Frances Ashcroft, PhD and Extreme Medicine by Kevein Fong, MD.

 

Introduction to Tissue Culture (BIOL 5020)

This course is for graduate students who are new to cell culture and wish to learn the history of cell culture

& basic aseptic technique.  We read & discuss The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  

Students culture human cells from frozen stocks, maintain cells, sub-culture cells, view cells by phase microscopy, and freeze stocks in liquid nitrogen.  In addition, a variety of invited guests speak on

microscopy basics, FACS, culturing frog and fish embryos for pharmacological and/or toxicological screening,

and culturing fish gill cells.  This course is conducted in the Shared Tissue Culture Facility managed by Dr.  

Shaw.    

 

 

Past courses taught (*as co-instructor):

 

Veterinary Physiology (VMED 7114)*

       This course is required for 1st year veterinary students.

 

Veterinary Pharmacology I (VMED 7333)*

       This course is required for 2nd year veterinary students.

 

Veterinary Pharmacology II (VMED 7432)*

       This course is required for 2nd year veterinary students.

 

Seminar in Physiology (ZOOL 4231)

       This course is for Physiology majors.  Students learn how to read, critique and present data from the

       primary literature focused on physiological concepts covered in Mammalian Physiology Laboratory.