This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
John Grider, Ph.D.
Professor and interim chair
The Department of Physiology and Biophysics brings a long tradition to the study of physiology that spans the entire spectrum from molecules to man. Strong research programs exist in molecular biophysics, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal physiology as well as in chemical senses. Faculty recruitments are ongoing in two areas: structural biology, which aims to understand function in terms of structure, and systems physiology, which aims to elucidate fundamental ways of communication within and between physiological systems. Biophysical approaches serve as the common language used at all levels of scientific inquiry. The department offers a strong collegial atmosphere where faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows and administrators work together to promote and share in the discovery of fundamental principles governing life processes.