Overview

The Physiology PhD program at the Medical College of Wisconsin addresses the need to train integrative and systems physiologists. Indeed, research in physiology departments worldwide has changed from an emphasis on whole-animal studies to an orientation based on cellular and molecular research. Currently, few physiologists are being trained to conduct whole-animal research and to teach the traditional systems physiology required for the education of health professionals; our program considers this a high priority. 

This increased need for integrative physiology coincides with the explosion in the field of physiological genomics. As mammalian genomes are sequenced, the search for gene function will continue to accelerate. Attaching function to the identified genes and understanding how these genes work together at a systems level will occupy our students, trained in integrative physiology, for much of their careers. 

The Department of Physiology recognizes the importance of attracting and training highly qualified students into the field of integrative (cellular, molecular and whole animal) physiology. Our primary objective is to provide outstanding training across the broad discipline of physiology, by giving students an in-depth knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms and processes which underlie circulatory, renal, pulmonary, and smooth muscle function in wellness and in disease. The graduates of our program are prepared to contribute to achievement of the long-term goals of developing improved strategies for prevention and control of these diseases. Moreover, our graduates are trained for integrative physiology that includes whole animal, cellular, and molecular research; thus they are prepared to be leaders in physiology research in the 21st century, and to teach traditional systems physiology.