Interdisciplinary Research
Our faculty members work on research teams within the School of Medicine, the University of South Carolina system and beyond. These relationships give us access to best-in-class technology and diverse areas of research. The partnerships have proved effective; our students and faculty have won numerous awards to support their research.
Areas of Research Interest
Despite advances in our understanding of cardiovascular development, congenital defects in this system remain the leading forms of birth defects in humans. Studies are aimed at elucidating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular development to enable better methods of detecting and treating congenital defects in this system. A variety of cutting-edge cell culture and animal models are being used in conjunction with microscopic, biochemical and molecular analyses.
Faculty:
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and includes a number of conditions such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction (heart attack), hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and others. Studies in the department are aimed at advancing our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of heart disease and how these translate to alterations in organ function. This research requires an integrated approach across multiple disciplines and departmental faculty have formed numerous collaborations with researchers within the University of South Carolina and at other institutions. The ultimate goal of this area of research is to develop better strategies for treatment of heart disease.
Faculty:
Normal function of blood vessels is critical to delivery of oxygen, nutrients and other materials to tissues of the body. Diseases of the vasculature, including atherosclerosis and aneurysms, are common, particularly in South Carolina. Research in the department is focused on elucidating the mechanisms of vascular diseases and development of more effective detection and treatment strategies for these diseases. This research includes innovative in vitro and animal models as well as examination of patient specimens. This research is performed in collaboration with investigators in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and well as clinical faculty in the Department of Surgery.
Faculty:
Reproductive biology research in the department is focused on developmental processes of the male and female reproductive systems during postnatal development and control mechanisms in adulthood. These studies aim to understand mechanisms of infertility, endocrine disruption by environmental contaminants and the basic science of hypothalamic, anterior pituitary gland and gonadal function.
Faculty:
Biomedical Engineering is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field which involves application of engineering concepts and analytical approaches to a wide range of health-related problems, from predicting blood flow patterns in tumors to design of orthopedic devices, such as knee and hip joint replacements. The field draws on tools and conceptual frameworks, such as fluid mechanics and signal processing, from a wide spectrum of traditional engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. A number of faculty at the School of Medicine apply biomedical engineering approaches to a broad variety of medical problems and issues, which include developing new ways to repair abdominal hernias, understanding how fluid flow affects heart valve development and creating mathematical models to predict atherosclerotic plaque rupture.
Regenerative Medicine is a rapidly evolving field that encompasses a variety of disciplines aimed at replacing, repairing or regenerating human tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function. Millions of people suffer from a vast assortment of diseases and complications that are now treated with new regenerative medicine therapies. The goal of research from a group of faculty at the School of Medicine is to develop biocompatible tissues and treatments for numerous diseases and pathologies. Heart valves, cartilage, bone, cornea and wound healing are examples of the tissues and diseases these labs study. Furthermore, many have incorporated the use of stem cells, which provide the necessary cellular component to create these in vitro constructs. As a result, the development of biocompatible tissues using the host’s owns cells have the potential to alleviate the problem of the shortage of organs available for donation.
The development and application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has led evolutionary progress in cell biology, disease pathophysiology, and regenerative medicine. iPSCs and their derived cells and organoids have become a cornerstone in disease modeling, drug discovery, and cell replacement therapies. Particularly, organoids—three-dimensional culture systems derived from stem cells such as iPSCs that recapitulate organ-like structure and function in vitro— can model key biological processes such as developmental differentiation, homeostatic self-renewal, and tissue regeneration after injury. Thus, they have emerged as powerful tools for uncovering disease pathophysiological mechanisms and developing novel therapeutics.
Education
The Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy plays a vital role in the educational mission of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. Our faculty are dedicated educators who teach across the medical and graduate curricula, bringing expertise, enthusiasm, and innovation to the classroom and laboratory. Recognized for their excellence in teaching, our faculty help prepare the next generation of physicians, scientists, and health professionals through the following academic courses.
Medical Students
A twelve-hour, fall semester, first-year medical course involving the combined comprehensive study of human gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, microscopic anatomy, and developmental anatomy. The macro and micro structure of cells, tissues, organs, and systems are studied through an integrated and regional approach, and the functional significance of their morphological features are presented. The course is presented and taught in a collaborative, learning atmosphere by which students learn the names, relationships, and basic functions of body structures. The course relies significantly on a commitment to rigorous independent study.
Primary methods of instruction include lecture; case-based discussion/presentation; ultrasonography; cadaveric laboratory dissections; microscopic laboratory experiences through slides, digitized images, and electron micrographs; and independent learning experiences. Students integrate basic concepts and principles of structures as they pertain to clinical medicine. Web-based instructional methods and videodisc databases are used to present human anatomy and other supporting information relating to overall course content, primarily during laboratory sessions. The goal of laboratory sessions is to facilitate critical thinking skills and correlation of basic science information with clinical problems. Modes of assessment include departmental written multiple choice/essay examination, laboratory practical examination, oral assessment/presentation, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).
An eight-hour, spring semester course designed for first-year medical students incorporating biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics. With a focus on connecting fundamental biological processes to human pathologies, the course explores properties and functions of nucleic acids, mechanisms of inheritance, structure and function of proteins and enzymes, and cellular metabolism and bioenergetics. Examples of pathological changes at the molecular level will be used to illustrate how normal processes can be altered to induce a disease state.
While the primary mode of instruction is lecture-based, incorporation of clinical correlation presentations and pathology perspectives will solidify the connections between basic processes and human diseases. Student mastery of course content will be assessed using department developed multiple choice exams and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) biochemistry exam.
This elective is designed to meet the specific needs or interests of individual students. A program is proposed by the student for faculty approval which normally includes the completion of a number of cadaver dissections. Normal gross anatomy is presented and integrated with relevant clinical material during oral presentations. Clinical faculty are involved whenever possible.
Each 3 hour session is designed to teach fourth year medical students how to prepare nutritious and affordable meals and to effectively prescribe healthier foods and lifestyles to their patients. Students move between discussions of clinical literature, patient scenarios, and preparing dishes aligned with the day’s theme. Chronic diseases, specific patient populations, and fad diets are all incorporated into the course.
Graduate Students
An intensive consideration of topics of current interest in female reproduction. Student presentation and small group discussion formats.
An intensive consideration of topics of current interest in male reproduction. Student presentation and small group discussion formats.
An intensive consideration of topics of current interest in the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. Student presentation and small group discussion formats.
Histology to confocal microscopy. Through the combination of lecture and laboratory learning, students will leave this class understanding the scientific principles underlying the techniques as well as hands-on training for sample preparation, histology, confocal microscopy, and image analysis.
Electron microscopy. Through the combination of lecture and laboratory learning, students will leave this class understanding the scientific principles underlying the techniques as well as hands-on training for transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy sample preparation and imaging.
First of a two-semester sequence covering the major areas of biochemistry in a biomedical context. Chemistry of amino acids and proteins, enzymology, metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. Emphasis is on biomedical research applications. Four lecture hours per week.
Anatomy, pathology, pharmacology and physiology of the cardiovascular system taught from a research-oriented perspective.
This journal club style course will critically assess and evaluate cutting-edge literature in the cardiovascular field. Analysis of articles from high-impact journals are encouraged with weekly presentations with active discussion.
Instruction in normal human anatomy and embryology, as well as pathological variations during disease states, to include advanced anatomical imaging techniques such as radiography and ultrasonography.
Lecture devoted to light microscopic and ultrastructural features of human cells, tissues, and organs. The correlations between structure and function are emphasized as well as the intimate relation of microscopic anatomy to biochemistry, physiology, and pathology.
Mammalian reproductive systems at organismic, cellular, and molecular levels. Emphases on the structural, functional, and developmental aspects of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, testis, and ovaries.
The structure and assembly of eucaryotic cells, mechanisms of gene expression, and the cell biology of the immune system. Methods in cell biology are also discussed.
Molecular methods. Students will be introduced to and trained in molecular techniques that could be utilized in a proteomics or genomics laboratory, including cell culture, RNA isolation and quantification, cDNA synthesis, PCR (quantitative, real-time, and endpoint), in situ hybridization, and molecular cloning.
Advanced molecular methods. Students will be introduced to and trained in advanced molecular techniques that could be utilized in a proteomics or genomics laboratory, including SDS PAGE, Western blot, ELISA, and Flow Cytometry.
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