Outline

Overview

The aim of this unit is to provide students with advanced knowledge of the physiological processes that regulate normal and how these may go awry leading to significant human conditions or even disease. Lectures will focus on; male and female reproductive physiology, endocrinology of reproduction, physiology of fertilisation, cell cycle control and apoptosis, mechanisms of differentiation, gastrulation, cardiovascular development, tissue formation and organogenesis, stem cell biology and the link between developmental processes and cancer. Problem-based learning will focus on reproductive physiology and re-activation of developmental processes in adult disease. Practical classes will examine the processes regulating reproductive physiology, sexual dimorphism and human pathophysiology.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Department of Medical Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	(PHSI2X05 and PHSI2X06) or (PHSI2X07 or MEDS2001) or [BMED2401 and an additional 12cp from (BMED2402 or BMED2403 or BMED2405 or BMED2406)] or [12cp from (BCMB2X02 or BIOL2X29 or GEGE2X01)]
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PHSI3910
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Natalie Kwai, natalie.kwai@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Anna Waterhouse, anna.waterhouse@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Mathias Francois, mathias.francois@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Module quizzes x 3 Online quiz for each module WEEKS 4, 8, 12	36%	Multiple weeks	30minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Reflection Reflect on learning activities throughout the semester and set goals	4%	STUVAC	max 300 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Module 1: Muscle and Nerve - Clinical Education Clinician education material on pathophysiology of a neuromuscular disease	20%	Week 05	500-1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Module 2: Cardiovascular Physiology: stakeholder education Podcast educating the community about the outcomes of a CV trial	20%	Week 09	max 15 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Module 3: Developmental Biology - research proposal Interpret existing data and use this to design a research proposal	20%	Week 13	Max 1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

The assessments in this unit are designed to help you recieve feedback on your progress througout the semester. There will be 1 module test per module (x3), 1 hand in assessment per module (x3) and 1 final reflection submission at the end of semester.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Work of exceptional standard: Mastery of topics showing extensive integration and ability to transfer knowledge to novel contexts; treatment of tasks shows an advanced synthesis of ideas; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is very well presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an outstanding level.
Distinction	75 - 84	Work of superior standard: Excellent achievement, consistent evidence of deep understanding and application of knowledge in medical science; treatment of tasks shows advanced understanding of topics; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is well-presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a superior level.
Credit	65 - 74	Competent work demonstrating potential for higher study: Confident in explaining medical science processes, with evidence of solid understanding and achievement; occasional lapses indicative of unresolved issues; treatment of tasks shows a good understanding of topic; work is well-presented with a minimum of errors; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a high level.
Pass	50 - 64	Work of acceptable standard: Satisfactory level of engagement with and understanding of topic; some inconsistencies in understanding and knowledge of medical science; work is adequately presented, with some errors or omissions, most criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an adequate level.
Fail	0 - 49	Work not of acceptable standard: Unsatisfactory achievement and engagement with the discipline; inadequate understanding or fundamental misunderstanding of topics; most criteria and learning outcomes not clearly or adequately addressed or achieved; lack of effort/involvement in the unit.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and quizzes and exams attended when they are scheduled. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement form or request will incur penalties. Failure to meet assessment deadlines will incur mark deductions of 5% of the maximum awardable mark available for every day past the due date (for electronic submissions, days late includes Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days, until the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, submitted after the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students, the final mark will be 0/100.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Muscle and Nerve: 1. Overview 2. Motor Control and learning 3. Development of Motor control - walking	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 02	Muscle and Nerve: 4. Walking and Balance 5. Walking and Balance 6 Disease	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 03	Muscle and Nerve: 7. ANS intro and organ control 8. Ingest and digest 9. Excretion: defecation and micturition 10. Disease	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 03	Muscle and Motor: Clinical testing	Practical (3 hr)
Week 04	Muscle and Nerve: 10. Clinical Case/Guest 11. Clinical Case/Guest 12. Overview	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 04	Muscle and Nerve: Tutorial	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 05	Cardiovascular Physiology: 1. Heart cells and structure 2. Cardiomyocytes 3. Heart Contractility: drugs and disease	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 06	Cardiovascular Physiology: 4. Vessel structure 5. ECs 6. SMCs and pericytes	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	Cardiovascular Physiology: 7. Vessel Contractility 8. Revision 9. Workshop 1	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	Cardiovascular Physiology: contraction of SMCs (wet lab)	Practical (3 hr)
Week 08	Cardiovascular Physiology: 10. Workshop 2 11. Workshop 3 12. Workshop 4	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 08	Cardiovascular Physiology: Tutorial	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 09	Developmental Biology: 1. Introduction to Developmental Biology 2. Cellular and molecular basis of vascular development. 3. Transcriptional regulation and endothelial cell specification	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 10	Developmental Biology: 4. TBA 5.TBA 6.TBA	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 11	Developmental Biology: 7. TBA 8. TBA 9. TBA	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 11	Developmental Biology: Data Analysis, interpretation and designing an investigation	Practical (3 hr)
Week 12	Developmental Biology: 10. TBA 11. TBA 12. TBA	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 12	Developmental Biology: Tutorial	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 13	Overview week	Lecture (3 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand and communicate effectively key physiological principles relating to muscles, nerves, the cardiovascular system and reproduction/development
LO2. Describe key physiological principles involved in maintenance of effective motor control, cardiovascular physiology and reproduction/development
LO3. Compare and contrast pathological data to data taken from a healthy population
LO4. Apply physiology knowledge to understand diseases of the muscles, nerves, cardiovascular system and in reproduction/development
LO5. Collaborate with peers to understand and communicate with stakeholders (community, clinical populations and researchers) about physiological principles pertaining to muscles, nerve, cardiovascular physiology and reproduction/development.
LO6. Interpret research data and develop research inquiry skills in relation to systems physiology
LO7. Reflect on activities, learning and outcomes to formulate a plan for future studies

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes in response to student feedback have been necessary.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PHSI3010: Systems Physiology

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect