CAPS Undergraduate Courses
Fall/Winter
200 Level
CAPS 200 – Biomedical Research: Essential Skills and Concepts (3 credits)
**NOT OFFERED IN 2024W**
Analysis of the underlying questions and assumptions, experimental approach, results and significance and work described in selected biomedical research presentations.
| Prerequisite | BIOL 200. This course is designed for students in second year. Upper level students are not admitted. |
| Lectures and Labs | Tuesday and Thursday, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | |
| Course Description | This challenging elective course is designed to transform your understanding of scientific research and the underlying process that allows us to create new knowledge. We will deconstruct 2 research seminars given in class by CPS research scientists. This class uses a flipped-participatory discussion model. You will be guided to think critically and creatively using mini journals, problem sets, seminar summaries and online resources related to the seminar topics. You will have didactic lessons on researching scientific literature using the UBC library e-tools, giving scientific talks and preparing brief research proposals. In lieu of a final examination, you will be expected to craft a research proposal based on one of the seminar speaker’s topics and present it to the class and research scientists. |
CAPS 210 – Human Health Literacy (3 credits)
Term I
The course will be module-driven with each of the eight modules representing separate systems including the heart/circulatory system, the respiratory system, the immune system, the kidney, the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system, and the senses.
| Prerequisite | None. This course is designed as an elective course for Faculty of Arts students. Not open to students who have credit for Biology 12, Anatomy and Physiology 12, or in the Faculties of Science, Land and Food Systems, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or School of Kinesiology. |
| Lectures and Labs | Online (no face-to-face lectures or labs) |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | Each Friday from 12:00 to 1:00pm Dr. Mason will attend a zoom link in order to answer questions about previous week’s module. |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Barry Mason |
| barry.mason@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | Living through the COVID pandemic and ensuing avalanche of online health misinformation, highlighted the need for individuals who have not received a science education to be able to access, and understand, reliable and trustworthy information about their health. Those with a science education take for granted the ability to easily navigate health information sites that include dense anatomy/pathophysiology images and vocabulary. CAPS 210 is designed to bridge that gap for Faculty of Arts students, whose science training may be sparse, or earlier, in their education journey. CAPS 210 students will be introduced to a series of diagnosis and/or health scenarios, all of which have been carefully selected to be separate systems including the heart/circulatory system, the immune system, the kidney, the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system, and the senses. Within each module the students will be introduced to a scenario that describing a specific diagnosis or health consideration. With each diagnosis the students will be guided to conduct online searches that address anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology relevant to the diagnosis. In addition, student will use ChatGPT to answer questions about the various diagnoses and then critique the quality of the answers provided by the AI system. Each module will be supported by a relevant supporting information provided on the CAPS 210 Canvas Page. |
300 Level
CAPS 301 – Human Physiology (6 credits)
Terms I and II
STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE BOTH TERMS 1 & 2 DURING THE SAME ACADEMIC YEAR
| Prerequisite | Either (a) SCIE 001 or (b) all of BIOL 112, BIOL 121 and one of MATH 101, MATH 103, MATH 105, MATH 121 and one of PHYS 100, PHYS 101, PHYS 107, PHYS 117 and one of CHEM 203, CHEM 233 |
| Lectures and Lab | Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Barry Mason |
| barry.mason@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | Organ systems function with particular reference to mammalian and human physiology. |
CAPS 303 – Human Physiology Laboratory: Honours (3 credits)
Terms I and II
Restricted to students in Honours Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences and students in Honours Pharmacology.
| Co-requisites | One of CAPS 301, CAPS 305 |
| Lectures and Lab | Thursdays 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Online Thursdays 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM PST |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Christina Hull |
| christina.hull@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | Laboratory sessions in human physiology designed to provide enriched learning aligned with lectures in CAPS 301. |
CAPS 390 – Introduction to Microscopic Human Anatomy (3 credits)
Terms I
| Prerequisite | One of BIOL 121, SCIE 001. (BIOL 200 recommended) |
| Lectures and Lab | |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Guy Tanentzapf and Dr. Tim O’Connor |
| Course Description | Examining the microscopic structure and function of cells, tissues and organs (histology). |
CAPS 391 – Introduction to Gross Human Anatomy (3 credits)
Term II
| Prerequisite | One of BIOL 121, SCIE 001, KIN 190, KIN 191 |
| Lectures and Lab | Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Majid Alimohammadi |
| majid.alimohammadi@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | This course will introduce students to the basic structure of the human body systems at the macroscopic level (aka Gross Anatomy). There are different approaches in studying gross anatomy including systemic approach, regional approach and surface anatomy. In this course we study the human anatomy using the systemic approach. This approach provides a better understanding of the continuity of the systems of the human body and is more suitable in certain learning situations (e.g. if a human cadaver is not available for dissection). |
400 Level
CAPS 421 – Advanced Cellular & Molecular Physiology (3 credits)
Term I
| Prerequisite | Either (a) all of CAPS 306, CAPS 310 or (b) one of CAPS 301, NSCI 300 |
| Lectures and Lab | Monday & Wednesday 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. I. Robert Nabi & Dr. T. Michael Underhill |
| Ivan.robert.nabi@ubc.ca; tunderhi@brc.ubc.ca | |
| Course Description |
CAPS 422 – Mammalian Cardiovascular & Respiratory Physiology (3 credits)
Term I
| Prerequisite | A cumulative average of 75% over at least 90 credits attempted in the first three years of a student’s program and a minimum mark of 75% in CAPS 301 or PHYL 301 or its equivalent. Permission of the course director is also required. |
| Lectures and Lab | Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Sally Osborne (respiratory section) and Dr. Ed Moore (cardiovascular section) |
| sally.osborne@ubc.ca; edmoore@mail.ubc.ca | |
| Course Description |
CAPS 423 – Mammalian Renal & Gastrointestinal Physiology (3 credits)
Term I
| Prerequisite | Either (a) all of CAPS 305, 306 or (b) CAPS 301 |
| Lectures and Lab | Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Eric Accili, PhD |
| eric.@accili@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description |
CAPS 424 – Mammalian Endocrinology (3 credits)
Term II
This course is intended for Honours students in Physiology or other life sciences.This course is eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.You must register in the course before you can select the Credit/D/Fail grading option.
Registered students will have access to a CAPS 424 web site on UBC Connect as of January 1 preceding the course. This is used for the posting of lecture notes and other relevant course material.
In addition to attending lectures, students will also participate in group-based mini-presentations of selected topics.
| Prerequisite | A cumulative average of 75% over at least 90 credits attempted in the first three years of a student’s program and a minimum mark of 75% in CAPS 301 or its equivalent. Permission of the course director is also required. |
| Lectures and Lab | Tuesday, Thursday 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Victor Viau |
| Dr. Victor Viau | |
| Course Description | Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases – will examine how cells, tissues, organs and organ systems communicate with each other using hormones. We will study the types of hormones, how they signal within tissues, and the roles of various hormones in regulating processes including metabolism, growth, stress, and reproduction. We will also examine how endocrine alterations can lead to disease states, along with approaches for disease diagnosis and treatment. Each topic in the course is taught by experts in that area including clinician scientists and industry leaders who are developing innovative new diagnostics and therapies.ide hormone biosynthesis/processing; Receptors; Intracellular Signalling Pathways 1 & 2; Endocrine control of transcription and development; Pancreas I & II & III; Adipose tissue and Adipokines I; Regulation of energy balance & body weight; Adipokines II |
CAPS 426 – Physiological Basis of Central Nervous System Functions (3 credits)
Term II
| Prerequisite | One of CAPS 305, CAPS 301, NSCI 300 |
| Lectures and Lab | Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Kurt Haas |
| kurt.haas@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | An integrated study of the theory and experimental findings of neuronal synaptic plasticity, including underlying molecular mechanisms and their role in cellular systems, cognitive biology and disease. |
CAPS 431 – Advanced Laboratory in the Physiology of Human Health and Disease (3 credits)
Term II
| Prerequisite | CAPS 303 |
| Lectures and Lab | Fridays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | TBD |
| Course Coordinator | Dr. Douglas Allan |
| doug.allan@ubc.ca | |
| Course Description | This is a 3-credit Laboratory Course for 4th Year Honours CAPS Students*, replacing CAPS 430. |
CAPS 448 – Directed Studies in Physiology (3-6 credits)
CAPS 448A – Directed Studies in Physiology (Term I)
CAPS 448B – Directed Studies in Physiology (Term II)
CAPS 448C – Directed Studies in Physiology (Terms I and II)
Course Coordinator: Dr. Guy Tanentzapf
Email: guy.tanentzapf@ubc.ca
| Prerequisite | |
| Lectures and Lab | |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | |
| Course Coordinator | |
| Course Description |
CAPS 449 – Graduating Essay (6 credits)
Course Coordinator: Dr. Chris Loewen
Office: Life Sciences Center 2403
Email: cloewen@mail.ubc.ca
Telephone: 604.827.5961
| Prerequisite | |
| Lectures and Lab | |
| Online Synchronous Office Hours | |
| Course Coordinator | |
| Course Description |
Summer
300 Level
CAPS 391 – Introduction to Gross Human Anatomy Summer (3 credits)
Summer Term 1
Analysis of the underlying questions and assumptions, experimental approach, results and significance and work described in selected biomedical research presentations.
| Prerequisite | One of BIOL 121, SCIE 001, KIN 190, KIN 191 |
| Lectures and Labs | Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. |
| Location | IRC 2 |
| Instructor | Dr. Majid Doroudi |
| Office | Life Sciences Centre 1380 |
| Telephone | 604.822.7224 |
| Email: | mdoroudi@mail.ubc.ca |
| Required Textbooks: | M & M Essentia Anatomy, M. Alimohammadi, M. Doroudi, Pearson Publishing Company, 4th. Edition (2017). |