503184 - APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

courses

ID:

503184

Duration (hours):

23

CFU:

SSD:

FISIOLOGIA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 16/01/2026)

Course Objectives

The course aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the fundamental physiological mechanisms at the cellular level, as well as of the sensory and motor systems, with a particular focus on applications relevant to bioengineering. In particular, students will acquire: an integrated view of cellular functions (excitability, membrane transport, action potentials) and their technological and clinical implications; knowledge of the main sensory and motor systems, with a focus on sensory transduction, motor control, and physiological signals; skills in the analysis and modeling of physiological processes, useful for the design of biomedical devices and monitoring systems; the ability to correlate physiological phenomena with measurement methods and the acquisition of biological signals (e.g., electrophysiology, biomechanics, sensors).

Course Prerequisites

An adequate knowledge of general physiology, biochemistry, physics and mathematics is required.

Teaching Methods

Frontal lecture for students who regularly attend the course. Inclusive teaching (e.g. private lectures) will be exploited for all the eligible students.

Assessment Methods

Oral examination that will deal on all the topics addressed by the program according to the classic model "question answer".

Texts

Fisiologia e Biofisica delle Cellule - Taglietti e Casella, più materiale fornito dal docente. Fisiologia - C.L Stanfield

1. Introduction to Applied Physiology Basic concepts of physiology and biophysics. Structure and functional organization of the human body with a focus on systems of bioengineering interest. Methods for measuring and acquiring biological signals: principles of electrophysiology and sensors. 2. Cellular Physiology Structure and function of the cell membrane: passive and active transport, ion pumps. Membrane potential and action potential: generation, propagation, and modulation. Cell communication: electrical and chemical synapses, neurotransmitters. Excitability of nerve and muscle cells. Overview of biophysical membrane models (e.g., Hodgkin-Huxley, simplified models). 3. Sensory Systems General organization and principles of sensory transduction. Visual system: retinal receptors, visual signal processing. Auditory and vestibular systems: mechanical transduction and frequency coding. Somatosensory system: touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. Integration and coding of sensory information. 4. Motor System Functional anatomy of the motor system: cortex, brainstem, spinal cord. Motor control and descending pathways. Physiology of muscle contraction: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Mechanisms of movement regulation and coordination. Basics of biomechanics and electromyographic signals (EMG). 5. Bioengineering Applications Principles of acquisition and analysis of bioelectrical signals (EEG, EMG, ECG). Sensors and biomedical devices for monitoring sensory and motor function. Physiological modeling for the design of diagnostic and therapeutic support systems. Introduction to human-machine interfaces (brain-computer interfaces, intelligent prostheses).