Scientific Foundations of Medicine (SFM) runs from the end of the Foundations of Human Anatomy course through early January after winter break. The purpose of this course is to present the language and principles of biomedical science that students will be using throughout their study of human health and disease. Course methods include lecture, readings, journal clubs, virtual microscopy, small-group problem-solving sessions and clinical correlations.

Course Goals

After the course, students will:

• Know the fundamental principles governing the assembly and function of macromolecules.
• Know the fundamental principles underlying gene expression in eukaryotes.
• Know the fundamental principles of cell physiology and histology.
• Know the fundamental principles of human metabolism.
• Know the fundamental principles of genetics.
• Know the fundamental principles underlying pharmacology.
• Know the fundamental principles of pathobiology.
• Know the fundamental principles of neoplasia.
• Begin to make the connections between basic scientific information and clinical medicine.

Course Director

Brendan P. Cormack, Ph.D.

Director, Infectious Disease, Translational Science Intersessions
Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics

 

SFM Macromolecules

Jie Xiao, Ph.D.

Professor of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry

 

SFM Cell Physiology

Takanari Inoue, Ph.D.

Professor of Cell Biology
Professor of Biological Chemistry
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences

 

SFM Histology/Pathobiology

Marc Kenneth Halushka, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology
Professor of Genetic Medicine
Professor of Oncology

 

Zahra Maleki, M.D.

Associate Professor of Pathology

 

SFM Genetics

Jeremy Nathans, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Professor of Neuroscience
Professor of Ophthalmology

 

SFM Metabolism

Michael J. Wolfgang, Ph.D.

Professor of Biological Chemistry
Joint Appointment in Medicine
Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences

 

SFM Pharmacology

Craig Walter Hendrix, M.D.

Wellcome Professor and Director, Division of Clinical Pharmacology
Director, Drug Development Unit
Deputy Director, Translational Science Core, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (CTSA)
Professor of Medicine
Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences

 

Ronald L. Schnaar, Ph.D.

John Jacob Abel Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
Professor of Neuroscience

 

SFM Neoplasia

Matthias Holdhoff, M.D., Ph.D.

Co-Director, Brain Cancer Disease Group, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Associate Professor of Oncology
Associate Professor of Neurology
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Joint Appointment in Medicine

 

Marissa Janine White, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Pathology

 

Contact

Natrell Miller Darden
Medical Training Program Administrator
Email: [email protected]

Time Commitment and Course Length

Course meets for seven weeks from October to early January. Usual weekly schedule runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. The course is broken into seven sections that reflect the learning goals above.

Typical weekly schedule of Scientific Foundations of Medicine: