DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOPHYSICS
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WELCOME Dale J. Benos, Ph.D. |
Welcome to the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This department is one of several Joint Health Sciences departments administered by the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry at UAB. We are housed on the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors of the McCallum Building (formerly the Basic Health Sciences Building), 1918 University Boulevard.
Our primary faculty consists of 22 physiologists whose ranks span from Instructor to Distinguished Professor Emeritus and have been awarded numerous honors for their quality and innovation. Our secondary faculty, who assist the department with its education, training, and research missions, are 48 in number and include other departmental chairs, division directors, and faculty of all ranks. The source of our pride and strength are these faculty, both primary and secondary. It is they who define physiology, not as a specific department or discipline, but as a way of thinking about nature and biomedical science.
Our primary educational mission includes instruction to medical, dental, and graduate students at UAB. However, we also instruct optometry students and other health care professionals on campus. Many of our faculty have been recognized by the students for teaching awards every year since 1996. Our Medical Physiology course was given the Argus Award for best first year course every year from 2000-2006. We also offer a very unique and popular elective course designed for the graduate and medical students, namely, "Molecular Physiology and Medicine: Insights into Common Diseases". Our department has also been instrumental in formulating a new graduate curriculum called "Integrative Biomedical Sciences".
Our training mission is divided among our 9 international fellows and 10 research associates and our 29 graduate students. These postdocs are young biomedical scientists with various degrees who have recognized the excellence of our department and have come to UAB from all over the world to work alongside our faculty. Our graduate students are all seeking the Ph.D. degree, which averages about 5 years (range 3.5 to 6.0 years). These students are supported by research fellowships including tuition and health insurance.
Physiology and Biophysics are the cornerstones of modern biomedical science. Physiology is the study of function, not only how biological systems operate, but in what manner. Physiology spans all levels of organization: from the molecular to the whole-animal. Biophysics seeks to apply the precision of mathematics and physics to biology, in order to provide quantitation to an otherwise qualitative science. The Department of Physiology and Biophysics, as an integral component of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is dedicated to the university's tripartite mission of education, research, and service. The faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and staff all strive for prominence in biomedical research and education, in order to advance the health and welfare of all people. The department is committed to excellence and leadership in biomedical research, in order to extend the limits of knowledge. Because people are the department's most vital resource, we strive to develop the full potential of each individual.
Investigators in the department utilize state-of-the-art techniques of molecular biology, fluorescence imaging, electrophysiology, and neurochemistry, emphasizing the integration of cellular functions in multicellular tissues. Our department has been consistently ranked in the upper tier of such departments in terms of amount and research funding received, according to the Association of Chairmen of Departments of Physiology. Likewise, our Graduate Program is highly regarded compared all programs in physiology by the National Academy of Sciences. The departmental research efforts are organized around three main themes: epithelial transport, ion channel and transporter structure, function, and regulation, and neuroimmunoendocrinology. Research is also conducted in cardiovascular and central nervous system physiology. There is much interaction and collegiality within the department. This extends to other fruitful collaborations throughout the university and the world.
As Professor and Chair I invite you to browse the rest of this homepage and, if you have any questions about Physiology and Biophysics, please feel free to contact me at (205) 934-6220, (205) 934-2377 (Fax), mail: Room 704 MCLM, UAB, Birmingham, AL 35294-0005, or email: Benos@physiology.uab.edu.