Cell and Molecular Physiology
Illuminating the Mechanisms of Human Disease
Our students and faculty elucidate the molecular and physiological basis of health and human disease. Their discoveries are uncovering the causes and mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, cardiac arrhythmias, arthrosclerosis, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, kidney disease, 
infertility, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, and stroke. They are unraveling the mysteries of the heart beat, muscle contraction, cellular communication, hormone action, learning and memory, salt and water balance, and synaptic transmission.
The innovative program is specifically tailored to train the next generation of biomedical scientists to translate their molecular discoveries into broader, clinically relevant principles. Course work is designed to foster an integrative understanding of modern biomedical science. Thesis research projects combine modern tools of molecular and cellular biology with post-genomic strategies and state-of-the-art physiological techniques to illuminate key physiological or pathophysiological mechanisms. Our research programs are vertically integrated, offering opportunities to study how genes operate at molecular, cellular and organ-systems levels and elucidate how diseases are initiated and influenced by genetic variation and environmental stresses.
Unique features
Course of study
Our goal is to provide students with knowledge, research expertise and critical & creative thinking skills to solve the most important questions in modern physiology. Developing skills to integrate information from genetics, molecular-cell biology and physiology to elucidate the molecular basis of human disease is a unique characteristic of the program. After the first semester core class, Mechanisms in Biomedical Sciences, students take two additional courses, Physiological Basis of Molecular Medicine and Topics in Molecular Medicine. Here, they gain an advanced, up-to-date understanding of molecular cell biology, physiology and the molecular basis of human disease while becoming versed in modern methods of biomedical science. The focused nature of the required course work allows students to design a flexible, elective program of study that ideally matches their training needs and career goals.
Cell and Molecular Physiology Faculty
Our faculty represent a select group who operate especially strong research programs, have excellent track records as mentors, and offer vibrant laboratories for you to do your thesis work. Many are internationally recognized for their seminal contributions in their fields. The opportunity to investigate fundamental physiological processes at the cell and molecular level with state-of-art methodologies and, then, apply them to an understanding of human physiology and disease is a distinctive asset of the program.
Research Focus Areas
- Cardiac Biology, Heart Failure, Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration
- Membrane Biology
- Intracellular Calcium Signaling
- G.I. And Mucosal Biology, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Gene Regulation
- Hypertension
- Ion Channels in Arrhythmias & Disorders of Excitability and Salt Balance
- Kidney & Epithelial Biology and Pathophysiology
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- Metabolism and Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity
- Muscle Biology and Muscular Dystrophy
- Protein and Vesicle Trafficking
- Receptors, G-protein coupled and Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
- Reproductive Biology
- Signal Transduction Mechanisms
- Stroke
- Systems Biology and Integrative Physiology
- Synaptic transmission and epilepsy
- Transgenic models of human disease
- Vascular Biology, arthrosclerosis and stroke
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Cell and Molecular Physiology Track Faculty
Contact
Terez Shea-Donohue, Ph.D., Track Leader
Phone: 410-706-5503
HSF II - S349
tdonohue@mbrc.umaryland.edu
Sharron Graves, Program Coordinator
Bressler Research Building, Room 1-005
University of Maryland, Baltimore
655 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore MD 21201
Phone: 410-706-6044
Fax: 410-706-6040
sgraves@som.umaryland.edu