Phylosophy

Physiology The Science of Life [Add Your Institution Logo and Name Here]

©2005 The American Physiological Society. Permission granted for workshop use.

What is Physiology?  Physiology is the study of life processes  How living systems work at many levels:  Molecular level  Organ and systems levels  Whole organism level

 How living systems respond to physical activity  How living systems respond to environmental conditions  How the genome translates into function at different

Why is Physiology Important?

Physiology expands our Understanding of… What “life” is How life processes work and are regulated Diseases and how to treat them How living organisms cope with or adapt to different environments

What Do Physiologists Study? Plants Vertebrates, such as:  Humans and other mammals  Birds  Reptiles  Amphibians  Fish

Invertebrates, such as:  Insects  Worms  Mollusks

What Do Physiologists Study?

Physiologists follow the ABC rules for use of living organisms:

Appropriate Beneficial Caring

What Kinds of Questions Do Physiologists Ask? Example: How do mutations in genes affect cellular, organ and bodily function in health and disease? Tools, Techniques and Models: – Use molecular biology techniques to study DNA, RNA, and cell proteins in cells in culture – Measure organ function in rat and mouse strains with single gene mutations or gene “knock-outs”

What Kinds of Questions Do Physiologists Ask? Example: Can exercise decrease the loss of calcium from the bones that occurs when a person is exposed to microgravity (space)? Tools, Techniques and Models: Use a specialized X-ray machine to measure bone density before and after space flight in those who did and did not exercise on a treadmill while in microgravity.

What Kinds of Questions Do Physiologists Ask? Example: Why do some persons with diabetes have depressed heart pump function? Tools, Techniques and Models: Use heart cells isolated from normal rats and rats with diabetes Use electrophysiological, biochemical, pharmacological, and molecular biology techniques to study why diabetic heart cells work differently than normal heart cells

What Kinds of Questions Do Physiologists Ask? Example: [Insert your research question here] Tools, Techniques and Models: [Insert the techniques and models you use here]

Meet a Physiologist [Add your picture] [Add a few points on how you got interested and what your work is]

Meet a Physiologist: Evangeline Motley

Evangeline Motley, Ph.D. Meharry Medical College Nashville, Tennessee

Making a tough decision: Medicine or research? Developing new medicines Researching cardiovascular functions and hypertension Teaching future physiologists and physicians

Meet Physiologists: Michael Romero and Caroline Sussman Michael Romero, Ph.D. and Caroline Sussman, Ph.D. Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio

Becoming interested in “how living things work” Research on the kidney and the brain Successfully balancing careers and family

Meet a Physiologist: Magdalena Alonso-Galicia Magdalena Alonso-Galicia, Ph.D. Merck Research Laboratories West Point, Pennsylvania

Wanting to help make people healthy Research labs win over hospital labs Opportunities in industry Cardiovascular research Discovering new drugs to prevent or cure disease

Meet a Physiologist: Thomas Herzig Lieutenant Thomas Herzig, Ph.D. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory Groton, Connecticut

Taking an interest in exercise Choosing a military career Researching exercise in extreme environments Teaching future doctors

What Do Physiologists Do Every Day?

– Investigate questions in physiology that most interest them – Decide what work they are going to do each day – Often work longer hours, but typically can be very flexible

What Do Physiologists Do Every Day?

Many different tasks…never boring! Teaching Formulating new hypotheses to investigate Designing and performing experiments and gathering data Troubleshooting laboratory methods and learning new techniques Analyzing data and drawing conclusions Writing papers and grants Training a new generation of scientists Presenting at national and international meetings Collaborating with other scientists nationally and internationally

Where Do Physiologists Work?

Universities and colleges Medical and dental schools Drug and biotech companies Government and military labs

Would You Like to Be a Physiologist? Which Degree? Bachelor’s? Master’s? Doctoral?

College Education With a Major in a Life Science Degree

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Bachelor of Science (BS) (4 yrs) Masters (MS) in Physiology (2 yr) Doctorate (PhD) in Physiology (4-5 yr) (2-3 yr) Postdoctoral Training (2-3 yr)

Possible Jobs

Lab Technician (University) Assistant Scientist (Industry) (with experience) Lab Manager (University) Associate Scientist (Industry)

Assistant Professor (University) Scientist (Industry)

Salary Expectations • Bachelors degree – University - $30,000 – Industry - $50,000

• Masters degree – University - $35,000 – Industry - $56,000

• Stipends – Graduate student - $20,772 (set by NIH) – Postdocs - $35,568-51,036 (depending on years of experience)

• Salaries – Assistant Professor at Medical School - $71,000 – Industry Senior Scientist (with postdoc exp.) - $78,000

Typical Salaries for BS/MS Scientists 60,000 50,000

56,000 50,000

Pharmaceutical Co

40,000 $ 30,000

Academic

35,000 30,000

20,000 10,000 0

Lab Technician (BS) Lab GManager (MS)

21

Stipends for Pre- & Postdoctoral Trainees 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 $ 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

43,428 35,568

20,772

Graduate Student

Postdoc Yr 0

NIH Stipends FY2003 G

Postdoc Yr 3 22

Ph.D. Physiologist Salaries in Academia and Industry 78,000

78,000 76,000

Pharmaceutical Industry

74,000 $ 72,000 70,000 68,000 66,000

(entry level)

71,000 Medical School (average)

Assistant Professor

Senior Scientist

Average Faculty Salaries in Physiology Departments 119762

120,000 100,000

86567

80,000 $

60,000

71400 46549

40,000 20,000 0

Instructor

Assistant

Associate

Full Professor

Academic Rank

ACDP 2003 Survey Results

G

24

Physiology Training Opens Doors to Many Careers! Law and Legal Writing

Business Management

Because scientific training emphasizes: – Creativity and analytical thinking skills

needed to solve problems

Physiology

Scientific & Medical Writing

Science Policy

– Facility with mathematical concepts and

their applications (e.g., data analysis and statistics) that can be applied in many different fields – Well-developed skills in oral and written

communication of ideas and data; and – In-depth understanding of the biological,

chemical and physical principles that underlie life processes

Physiology Training Opens Doors to Many Careers! Law and Legal Writing

Business Management

Physiology

Scientific & Medical Writing

Science Policy

It opens the doors to other fields, such as: Law and legal writing Business management and administration Policy, especially science policy Scientific and medical writing

Physiology… A Good Choice for Me? Physiology is an Excellent Career Choice – Want to…  understand how living processes and systems work  help others live longer and better lives through biomedical research

– Are creative – Are self-motivated and an independent worker – Like to work with others on a shared problem – Enjoy writing and communicating with others

Preparing for a Career in Physiology – Take

relevant science courses to be ready for graduate coursework

– Practice your writing and speaking skills – Get

research experience in a lab (APS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship)

– Talk to scientists in fields that you find interesting – Try

to attend a local scientific meeting if possible

Learn More About Physiology The American Physiological Society Careers Website

www.the-aps.org Click on “Careers”

The American Physiological Society Association of physiologists Started in 1887 Research journals Education programs and materials Awards Meetings