Biology 251: Human Physiology
Lecture: MWF, 9:00 – 9:50 am, Kunkel Hall 117
Lab: Tu, 8:00 – 10:50 am OR 1:10 – 4:00 pm, Oechsle 107

Welcome to Biology 251, Human Physiology! Within this course, we will explore human physiology by concentrating on organ systems, including their anatomical structure and physiological function. This course represents an opportunity to understand how the human body works, and the knowledge that you develop here can apply to sports nutrition, disease etiology, and even human mating patterns. Learning is more fun (and more effective) in inquiry-based learning environments, so expect to interact with your classmates on a regular basis. The more actively you participate, the more successful you will be!

Instructor: Dr./Prof. Mike Butler
Office: Kunkel 213
Email: butlermw@lafayette.edu (preferred contact method)
Phone: (610) 330-5762
Meeting time and place:
Lecture: MWF, 9:00 – 9:50 am, Kunkel Hall 117
Lab: Tu, 8:00 – 10:50 am or 1:10 – 4:00 pm, Oechsle 107
Office Hours: MWF 10-11 and by appointment (I prioritize working with motivated students, and will happily meet up with you for any question, big or small)

Pre-requisites:
BIOL 101-102, or by permission

Student Learning Outcomes:
Successful completion of this course will result in your being able to:
• Identify structural components of all major organ systems, organs, tissues, and cells within the human body, and describe how these structures contribute to function
• Illustrate how the human body uses anatomical and physiological characters to maintain homeostasis
• Describe how internal and external stimuli can affect human physiology, with an emphasis on the interdependence of organ systems
• Discuss how cell- and organ-level metabolic processes influence organismal function
• Address natural phenomena using the skills and viewpoints from multiple disciplines

Exemplary completion of this course will additionally result in your being able to:
• Evaluate the quality of physiological experiments and data
• Devise and carry out physiological experiments using a hypothesis-driven framework
• Communicate scientific findings to peers

Course Materials:
We will use the textbook (required) Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function, 12th Edition (E.P. Widmaier, H. Raff, K.T. Strang) for the class. I will put a copy of this textbook on reserve at the library. Additionally, I may occasionally send out required reading assignments using Moodle.

Course Requirements and Grading:
This course will utilize a variety of traditional and non-traditional assessments, and many of these activities require frequent interactions with your classmates. I understand that a number of students prefer to work entirely independently; however, many careers (especially science-oriented careers) require collaboration and teamwork to achieve a goal, so we will develop both independent and team-based skills in this course in addition to becoming familiar with content (e.g., terminology, labels, etc.) and concepts (e.g., how kidneys can create hypertonic solutions) related to human physiology. Thus, attendance is critical, and unless you have a Dean’s Excuse or contact me in advance, you will earn a zero on any missed quizzes/exams/etc. In general, grades will be determined based on the following, with detailed item descriptions below:

I. Lecture component: 450 points
a) Exams (2 per semester): 100 points each
b) Quizzes (8 per semester): 10 points each
c) Short writing assignments (3 per semester): 15 points each
d) Final exam: 125 points

II. Laboratory component: 150 points
e) Attendance AND participation (20 points total)
f) Experiment proposal (30 points)
g) Poster and presentation (100 points)

Course total: 600 points

Further detail:
a) Exams – Exams will contain true/false, multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions, among others. Questions regarding exercises completed in the laboratory section ARE fair game. Start time will be at 7:30 pm on the date listed.

b) Quizzes – These quizzes will rarely be announced in advance. In general, they are designed to 1) make sure you’ve completed any assigned readings, 2) have you utilize the content and concepts from very recent lessons, and 3) provide me with regular feedback regarding the class’s understanding of the material. Quiz formats will be similar to those of the exams, although material that is based on the reading (i.e., material we haven’t gone over in class yet), will tend to be assessed via true/false and multiple choice formats. Questions regarding exercises completed in the laboratory section ARE fair game on quizzes, too.

c) Short writing assignments – At multiple points throughout the semester, I will provide short writing assignments, which you will have one week to complete. In response to the question or writing topic that is provided, you will write a 1-page, open-ended response (more specific details will be provided with each topic). The goal of this exercise is to probe your conceptual understanding at a deeper level than is expected on a quiz.

d) Final exam – The final exam will consist of two parts. The first 100 points will be an exam that is based on the material covered since the second exam. The last 25 points will be cumulative in nature, and essay-based. Specifically, this cumulative section will be focused on making sure you leave the course with both a robust recall of specific content (e.g., terminology, specific facts), as well as a thorough conceptual understanding of how the human body works at a physiological level, including how different organ systems interact with one another. Further information will be provided during the last weeks of the semester.

e) Attendance and participation – The majority of your laboratory grade is derived from your experiment (see below), as there are no lab reports or pre-lab quizzes. This model allows you to use lab time to concentrate on your learning, rather than on focusing on your grade. However, in order for you to receive the educational value of a laboratory section, you will need to be an active participant. This means that you will need to show up – on time – to every single lab section, be helpful to your lab partners, and do the required reading in advance so that you can use your time in lab to complete the exercises. I will pay attention to all of these things to evaluate your participation grade. Note that while missing even one lab will definitely result in a loss of points, just showing up is not a guarantee of full attendance and participation credit for the semester. You will need to be an active, helpful, productive, and engaged participant throughout the semester to receive full credit.
As you will soon see, the laboratory section will frequently involve the collection of data using human subjects – namely, you and your lab partners. Such metrics include, but are not limited to, pulse rate, ECG measurements, lung volume, grip strength, etc. If you are going to be uncomfortable participating in the majority of these exercises, I recommend that you consider taking another course, as lack of participation in these activities may reduce your ability to learn. However, I also understand that there may be specific activities in which you may not feel comfortable participating. For these instances, you will be allowed to opt out of providing data for your lab group without having it negatively affect your grade. However, you will still be required to be an active participant in all other respects of the laboratory exercise.

f) Experiment proposal – During the first half of the semester, you will learn a variety of techniques that evaluate multiple metrics of human physiology. In the second half of the semester, you and your lab partners will design and carry out an experiment that investigates how factors of your choosing affect some aspect of human physiology. The first step in this process is to design and describe your experiment. Know now that when designing your experiment, you will need to ensure that the risk of harm posed by your experimental design is no greater than that encountered in daily life or during performance of routine physical or psychological tests; in other words, nothing dangerous. Further details will be provided during the semester regarding the specific formatting of the proposal.

g) Poster and presentation – After your experimental design has been approved, you will carry out your experiment, collect the data, analyze it, and present your findings to the class using a scientific poster that will be viewed by your peers, the laboratory TAs, and myself. This exercise counts as much as a lecture exam, so take it seriously. Your grade will be based on your experimental design, the quality of your data, and your ability to communicate your science via both the printed poster and during in-person discussions during the poster session. A more detailed description will be handed out during the semester.

Classroom policies:
• Arrive on time and stay for the entire time. It is disrespectful to your classmates (and me) for you to arrive late or start packing up early. Doing so will negatively affect your grade.
• If you know you will miss class due to sickness or family obligations, e-mail me BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. I will do my best to accommodate those with well-founded, non-habitual reasons for absences. Those without will not be given the opportunity to make up assignments. In the vast majority of cases, a Dean’s Excuse will be required.
• Respect one another’s ideas and sensitivities. For collaborative environments to be successful, all individuals must feel comfortable participating.
• No cell phone or non-class-related internet use.
• Cheating will NOT BE TOLERATED. I will aggressively pursue the maximum penalty allowable under the Lafayette Student Handbook regarding academic dishonesty. You are responsible for reading and abiding by the College’s “Principles of Intellectual Honesty” in your student handbook.
• Grades will be discussed during office hours or by appointment only, NOT during class. Please be sure to meet with me regarding a particular grade within one week. If you would like to dispute a grade, you will need to do so in writing, and with references to reputable sources.
• Please see me immediately if you have a diagnosed learning disability or suspect that you have one.
• I am not an M.D., and therefore it would be unethical for me to provide any guidance regarding the medical implications of any data you collect on yourself in lab or to provide medical advice in general. If you have any concerns after a laboratory exercise, you are encouraged to seek the opinion of a medical doctor to address these concerns. The phone number for Bailey Health Center is (610) 330-5001.
• The student work in this course is in full compliance with the federal definition of a four credit hour course. Please see the Lafayette College Compliance webpage (http://registrar.lafayette.edu/files/2012/07/Federal-Credit-Hour-Policy-Web-Statement.doc) for the full policy and practice statement.
• Your continued presence in the course after the second week of classes constitutes an agreement on your part to abide by the policies and guidelines set forth in this syllabus.

How to be a Successful Human Physiology Student:
• Make sure you can hear and see well during lecture.
• If you have questions, ask IMMEDIATELY. Don’t wait until the next class.
• Everything in your written materials or that is discussed during lecture, as well as all components of lab, are fair game for exams, etc.
• Attend all classes.
• Study with your classmates. One of the best ways to ensure that you really understand the material is to try teaching it to someone else.
• Make sure you understand missed questions.
• Take advantage of office hours to go over material one-on-one.
• I genuinely want you to succeed. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns regarding course content or my instructional practices. The more information I have from you, the more I can assist you in your learning.

LECTURE SCHEDULE FOR BIOL 251, HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
FALL 2014
WEEK OF TOPICS NOTES/READING
Aug 25 Biological molecules, biochemistry, homeostasis 1.4-1.7;4.1-4.3
Sept 1 Membrane dynamics, action potentials 6.B;6.C Intro-6C.4
Sept 8 Nerve impulses (electrical and chemical),central nervous system 6.A;6D Intro,6D.2-6D.5
Sept 15 Peripheral nervous system, muscle types 9A.1, 9A.2 9A.4,9A.5; 9B
Sept 22 Cellular and tissue organization of muscles, contraction, feedback 12A,12B1,12B2
Sept 29 Biomechanics of circulation
Exam #1 on Oct. 2nd 12B.3-12B.5, 12A.2; 12C.1, C.2
Oct 6 Blood pressure, flow, and chemistry 12C.3-12C.5; 12D.Intro, 12E.1-12E.3;12F.1-F.2
Oct 13 Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport/delivery, endocrine glands, target tissues 13.1, 13.3;13.4, 13.5
Oct 20 Endocrine mechanisms of action 11A.1-11A.5;11B, 11C, 11D Intro, D.1, D.2
Oct 27 Female and male reproduction, puberty, fetal and neonatal development 17C.1-4, D.1-4;17D.8-9
Nov 3 Food catabolism, nutrient assimilation, nutrient transport and storage, waste removal
Exam #2 on Nov. 6th 15.1, 15.3;
Nov 10 Nutrient catabolism and anabolism, energetics of metabolism, regulation of temperature 15.4 (starting page 531); 16A.1-3;16B1-3
Nov 17 Metabolic waste production 16B.2; 14A.1-3
Nov 24 Concentration of metabolic waste, water balance, excretion of metabolic waste 14B.1-2; 14B.3, 4, 9
Dec 1 Immune system 18.1, 18.2 (stop at Complement); 18.3 (stop at NK cells)

Note: Check final exam schedule for date and time of final exam. Except for EXTREME circumstances, all students will take the final exam during the scheduled time. Booking a flight home prior to the final exam (or anything similar) is not a valid reason for rescheduling the exam. WAIT TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS until you know your schedule!

LABORATORY SCHEDULE FOR BIOL 251, HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
FALL 2014

LAB DATE TOPICS NOTES
Aug 26 NO LAB
Sept 2 Biochemistry basis of physiology, receptors, experimental design
Sept 9 Introduction to laboratory software, earthworm action potentials
Sept 16 Muscle and electromyography
Sept 23 Earthworm smooth muscle, begin project design
Sept 30 Physiology of human mate choice, experimental design
Oct 7 ECG, blood pressure, finish project design Project proposal due by NOON, Friday October 10th
Oct 14 FALL BREAK, NO LAB
Oct 21 Diving response, breathing, (respiratory) air flow, and mechanics of ventilation,
Oct 28 Work on individual projects
Nov 4 Poster critique, work on individual projects
Nov 11 Finish data collection on individual projects, work on data analysis and poster
Nov 18 Finalize poster See handout for timeline regarding poster printing
Nov 25 THANKSGIVING BREAK, NO LAB
Dec 2 Present posters on projects