Structure and Function of Polarized Epithelial Cells

A one-week laboratory short course in comparative physiology for first year medical students from Yale University School of Medicine

Overview

The course will utilize marine animal models to elucidate mechanisms of human physiology through a variety of biomedical research techniques. It will consist of both lectures and hands-on training in the laboratory.

Intensive one-week course in biomedical research protocols and techniques is open to first-year medical students from Yale University School of Medicine. Four biomedical research topics are the focus of this course:

1. physiological studies of chloride transport in an intact epithelial organ from Squalus acanthias;
2. ion channel gene expression in a heterologous expression system (Xenopus oocytes);
3. studies in isolated tubule preparations, including immunocytochemistry of phosphorylated vs. non-phosphorylated co-transporters, tissue processing, confocal microscopy, Western blots, and antibody design;
4. molecular biology of membrane proteins and transporters in shark salt gland, including methods in RNA, cDNA, PCR, cloning, and sequencing.

John N. Forrest, Jr., M.D., Course Director
Professor of Medicine
Director, Office of Student Research
Yale University School of Medicine

Peter Aronson, M.D.
C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Yale University School of Medicine

Biff Forbush, Ph.D.
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Yale University School of Medicine

Ray Frizzell, Ph.D., Course Director
Professor and Chair, Cell Biology and Physiology
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Housing: Medical students will be assigned to a room in either Spruce or Birch Hall.

Travel: Travel is coordinated through the Yale University School of Medicine.

Driving directions and a campus map are available on the MDIBL Travel Information page.

The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce has information regarding local attractions, including Acadia National Park.