Courses

Courses

Physiology offers graduate Ph.D. degree, supported by outstanding infrastructure and a dynamic research environment. Both local and international students are drawn to our programs, benefiting from the expertise of our professional staff and engaging with cutting-edge technologies. Graduate students have numerous opportunities to collaborate with faculty and visiting scientists. Students join either the Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program, working towards a general degree without specific specialization. They conduct supervised research, culminating in a thesis reviewed by a Board of Examiners, and must also complete required coursework.

Prospective students can explore more details about the graduate programs at: Division of Graduate Studies, NUS Medicine

Specifically, Physiology anchors the following graduate level coursework:

MDG5223 Stem Cells And Regenerative Medicine

Course Description

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine aims to deliver in-depth understanding of embryonic and adult stem cells in development and regenerative medicine. This course is designed to introduce students to the biology of stem cells, their origins, properties, and function in tissue regeneration/repair. In addition, students will be introduced to the principles of regenerative medicine. The hope and the hype of stem cell-based therapies in human disease will be discussed.

Course Coordinator

Tee Wee Wei

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MDG5224 Animal Models of Human Diseases

Course Description

This 2 Units course is designed to introduce students to commonly-used animal replica of key human diseases including cancer, muscular diseases, neurological and immune disorders. Major topics to be covered include non-mammalian models as well as rodent and non-human primate models of human diseases, with an emphasis of mammalian disease models, including iPSCs derived from human patients, and how animal disease models are used in drug discovery.

Course Coordinator

Ling Shuo-Chien

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MDG5243 Biology of Disease

Course Description

To deliver an understanding of human disease from a bench to bedside perspective. To introduce students to the basic biology and clinical pathology underlying human disease. The discussion of each disease will be led by two faculty members, highlighting the fundamental molecular basis of cellular function, followed by a clinical perspective.

Course Coordinator

Derrick Ong Sek Tong

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MDG5244 Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience

Course Description

In this course , we take multidisciplinary approach to understand the cellular and the neural basis of cognition. We will discuss: 1. The encoding of noxious stimuli and the neural basis of the affective-motivational and cognitive effects linked to pain, 2. Reinforcement learning: modulation of synaptic plasticity, prediction errors, comparison of machine learning algorithms and biologically plausible models, 3. Approaches to studying cognition in healthy humans and current insights into how cognitive processes are represented in the brain from synaptic to behavioural level, 4. Animal models of cognitive and behavioural abnormalities associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.

Course Coordinator

Sanjay Khanna

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MDG5245 Neuronal Signaling and Mechanisms of Effective Learning

Course Description

This is a foundational course and the knowledge learned will enable students to appreciate the fundamental processes underlying brain function. To reinforce learning, current technologies will be introduced to emphasize the need for multidisciplinary approaches to understand how the brain works. Principles of neuronal signalling will be applied to understand how we learn and remember and to understand neurological disorders that arise from dysfunctions in signalling processes. We will cover the following topics in detail:

(1) Structure and functions of neuron

(2) The ionic basis of membrane excitability

(3) Basic mechanisms of synaptic transmission

(4) Pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms of neurotransmission

(5) Classifications of memory

(6) Neural integration

(7) Mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and their implications for learning and memory.

Course Coordinator

Sajikumar Sreedharan

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MDG5251 The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching in Higher Education

Course Description

This course serves as an introduction to teaching in higher education, aiming to equip graduate students with foundational knowledge and skills for effective instruction. It meaningfully combines workshops that cover various aspects of education (including contemporary teaching pedagogies, education principles and best practices, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) alongside practicums offering unique opportunities to apply these concepts. Through this course, students will discuss key learning principles underpinning successful teaching, apply contemporary educational theories to their teaching practices, and critically reflect on their experiences.

Course Coordinators

Amanda Wong, Wong Lik Wei

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