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New and Updated Course Descriptions

BIO 235 - Pathophysiology

3 Credits

An introductory course for students in health related disciplines designed to facilitate further learning in their areas of specialization and promote effective interactions as members of the health care team. The course provides an overview of human diseases, their frequency, significance, diagnosis and treatment. The course moves from basic pathological processes to diseases by organs or organ systems to multiple system diseases and associated processes.

Prerequisites: BIO 135, or BIO 143, or BIO 145 or permission of instructor

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Define basic terminology of pathology and discuss types of tests and procedures used to diagnose disease.
2. Discuss the basic categories of disease by general mechanism (e.g. genetic/ developmental, inflammatory/degenerative, hyperplastic/neoplastic) and specific cause (e.g. ischemic, infectious, immune, metabolic, trauma, idiopathic).
3. Describe various processes of altered cellular growth including hypertrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia and neoplasia.
4. Discuss the similarities and differences between the biological behaviors of benign versus malignant neoplasms.
5. Discuss the basic functions of the wound healing, tissue repair, the immune system and describe specific types of immune system diseases.
6. Discuss the causative agents and general mechanisms of infectious disease.
7. Distinguish between chromosomal abnormalities, single gene abnormalities and multifactorial inheritance as causes of disease.
8. Apply the following to selected organs or organ systems (heart, blood vessels, upper respiratory system, lung, gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, urinary system, male and female reproductive systems, breast, nervous system, musculoskeletal system);.(a) Name and list signs and symptoms of the most frequent and significant diseases of each organ or organ system; (b) Provide an example of each of the following categories of disease (if applicable): genetic/developmental, inflammatory/degenerative (including infectious), and hyperplastic/neoplastic (including cancer); (c) Describe the following aspects of the most frequent or significant diseases: incidence or prevalence, cause, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis.

Course Offered Fall

Use links below to see if this course is offered:
Fall Semester 2024
Spring Semester 2024
Summer Session 2024