INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the web site of the Physiology Graduate Program at NC State University. This site will provide information about the program, the faculty and associated research areas. While this website is directed to prospective students that are considering applying to graduate school at NC State, it also contains information for current faculty and students. The NCSU Physiology Graduate Program is composed of over 40 faculty members primarily drawn from the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Degrees are offered through the NCSU Graduate School as an inter-college and inter-departmental graduate program. Hence, the program can accommodate students with a broad spectrum of interests. This diversity is reflected in the areas of specialization of our faculty which include reproductive physiology, cardiovascular physiology, gastrointestinal physiology, muscle physiology, neurophysiology, environmental and stress physiology, cellular physiology and development. Research is carried out using a variety of model organisms and agriculturally important species. This offers a unique opportunity for graduate students to customize their graduate training and become grounded in the fundamentals of physiology.

Physiology is a very practical science and has a long history. In the latter part of the nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century, physiology formed the scientific basis of clinical medicine, animal husbandry, and the biological basis of animal modeling. Physiology is also an integrative, multidisciplinary science. More than any other field, physiology incorporates knowledge and findings from molecular biology, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular genetics, pathology and other disciplines to develop a comprehensive understanding of the whole organism. Today, physiologists investigate how the coordinated interaction of molecules, organelles, and cells determines function at the cell, tissue, and organ level. As the twenty-first century progresses, particularly in the genomics and proteomic sciences, the well-trained physiologist will be equipped to assign function to the vast number of genes and proteins that make-up living organisms. Hence, the field of physiology is uniquely positioned among the biomedical sciences to span the gulf between scientists investigating the most fundamental aspects of biology and those interested in the most practical and applied problems of animal health and agricultural systems.

The NCSU Physiology Graduate Program offers students an outstanding opportunity for graduate training to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Our program offers a curriculum and outstanding research opportunities leading to a Master of Science (M.S.). and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. In addition, the program offers a Master of Physiology (M.O.P, non-thesis) that provides a terminal degree appropriate for pre-professional students desiring to improve their academic credentials or individuals desiring to improve their knowledge of advanced physiology.