Department of Physiology

General Medicine

Department of Physiology

The Department of Physiology caters to the pre-clinical physiology requirements for medical, dental, physiotherapy, nursing students and allied health science courses like Biomedical Sciences, Medical laboratory technology, Medical Imaging Technology, Anesthesia & operation theatre technology, B. Sc. Renal dialysis technology and BSc Radiation Therapy Technology. It also offers MD and Ph.D. courses. The department has an excellent teaching-learning infrastructure including laboratories-Hematology, Human physiology, Clinical physiology, Amphibian physiology, Mammalian physiology and Research laboratories. The Hematology laboratory with facilities for training in Haemoglobinometry, Blood cell counts, Blood grouping and typing and Hemostasis tests. The Human Physiology Laboratory quipped with 8 Digital Data Acquisition work stations for performing lung function tests, autonomic function tests and demonstrating muscle fatigue in human subjects and the Clinical Physiology Laboratory for training in basics of clinical examination and BLS training. The Amphibian/Mammalian laboratories have facilities for both conventional and simulation experiments. There is also a departmental library, a seminar room and two demonstration rooms. The department is actively involved in initiation of innovative teaching-learning and assessment practices for implementation of CBME curriculum. The department also has an E-Learning Course Web-page on NUeLearn.

For any information regarding the admissions,mail us at: info@nitte.edu.in

Faculty

Research Thrust Areas

  • Autonomic Neurosciences
  • Biological Ageing
  • Psychophysiology
  • Medical Education
  • Cognitive function Studies

Physiology Research lab is equipped with 4-channel hi-resolution Digital Data Acquisition System to evaluate Cardiovascular Autonomic function testing including Heart Rate Variability. Psychophysiology studies facility including Sympathetic Skin Responses/Electro dermal Activity recorder and Stimulus Presentation System. Department research laboratory is also equipped with Anthropometry equipment – Body Fat Mass Analyzer, Skin-fold thickness calipers and hand dynamometer for evaluate the phenotypic biological biomarkers of ageing. Physiology department is carrying out collaborative research with clinical departments that include Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology and General Medicine. For Cognitive function studies using animal model, department collaborates with department of Pharmacology, Nitte University center for science education and research (NUCSER) and Mangalore University. The Department currently has ongoing extramural, intramural funded research projects and in last five years department has published 50 research papers in indexed journals.

List of related Research Projects (In last Five years)

Ongoing Research projects
Sl.No Title of the Project Funding agency
1 A novel dietary approach for foetal programming of major chronic disorders in adult life using albino wistar rats- a prospective case control study. ICMR-Adhoc
2 Evaluation of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors in Relation to Serum Vitamin D Levels: A Cross-Sectional Study Nitte University
3 Perinatal stress and dietary modulation on gut microbiota and their impact on cardio metabolic outcomes in Albino Wistar rats. Nitte University
Completed Research projects in the Department

Sl.No Title of the Project Funding agency
1 Electrophysiological and Biochemical Indicators in Autism spectrum Disorders ICMR-DHR
2 Correlation of salivary bio-markers with anthropometric indices for screening cardio metabolic risk in professional under graduates Nitte University
3 Perinatal programming of adult health-an observational study Nitte University

Number of Student short term projects funded by ICMR in last five years-11


Ph.D. Program

1. Number of Ph.D. awarded -03

2. Number of students pursuing Ph.D. - 05

Achievements

  • Dr. Damodara Gowda obtained in depth training on molecular techniques at Dr. Zhou’s lab, COP, University of Florida, USA
  • Dr. Damodara Gowda received best Research Paper Award, Nitte (Deemed to be University), 2019
  • Dr. Damodara Gowda received Best Paper Award, International Conference on Radiation Biology, 2018
  • Dr. Damodara Gowda, presented research paper entitled “Role of Maternal Astaxanthin Supplementation on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Spatial Learning Behavior in Wistar Rat Offspring’s” in the international conference conducted by the Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology at University Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, between Aug 18-19th 2017
  • Dr. Shailaja Moodithaya Awarded partial travel grant for the participation of 15th Australasian Menopause Society Congress at Brisbane, Australia, held on 9th to 11th 2011
  • Dr. Shailaja Moodithaya Awarded Observership at Sensory Integration Lab, College of Health Professions Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
  • Dr. Harsha H N Presented a paper entitled “A language-independent fMRI paradigm of prospective memory activates the bilateral rostral prefrontal cortices in healthy subjects” at the Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience – 2010 held between 13th Nov to 17th Nov at San Diego, USA. Paper was selected for the SfN Graduate Travel Award for the year 2010