Welcome to the School of Medicine basic sciences web site. In addition to teaching medical and dental students basic science knowledge that is clinically applicable, School of Medicine faculty members perform research to improve our knowledge of human disease and work to develop cures. This web site provides information about basic science graduate training programs and ongoing research activities.
Recognizing the need to integrate diverse disciples to solve the biomedical problems of the future, graduate students study an integrated curriculum in their first year, which focuses on research methods and clinical connections. Students then pursue focused work towards a doctoral or master’s degree in anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, or physiology. A combined degree program that enables students to earn both the PhD and the MD degree is also available.
Environment and lifestyle choices influence the odds of acquiring common human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Basic scientists at LLU are discovering mechanisms leading to disease and suggesting approaches to improve prevention. The odds of successful clinical treatment of human health problems greatly improves if detected early enough. Some graduate students and faculty are using the sensitivity and power of mass spectrometry to identify markers of health problems to improve clinical outcomes.
Areas of research emphasis at Loma Linda University include perinatal biology, neuroscience research, and cancer. Researchers in the Center for Perinatal Biology focus on the causes and/or consequences of oxygen deprivation in the developing fetus and during the birth process. Neuroscience researchers are studying the mechanisms of brain damage cause by different types of stroke and physical trauma to the brain as well as methods to minimize the extent of damage. Other basic science researchers are focused on the battle against cancer working to understand the mechanism of cancer formation, developing drugs to kill cancer, and learning what is required to selectively kill a cancer cell. In addition, Loma Linda University is funded by the NIH to investigate these and other health problems commonly seen in the large minority population found in Southern California.
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Last Revised: Mon, Aug 13, 2007