Overview

The Department of Pathophysiology was founded in the 1950s. In 1955, the Chinese government planned to adopt the Soviet medical education model and invited Soviet experts to set up the first pathophysiology training program in Beijing. Prof. Zongyi ZHANG (hematology) and Prof. Baomin DAI (pathology) from Sichuan University were appointed to attend the program. In 1956, the Department of Pathophysiology was founded. Pathophysiology is a core course of medical education that integrates basic and clinical research and reflects the pathogenesis, development and outcome of human diseases. The central task of pathophysiology is to explore the pathogenesis and inward nature of disease. The department of pathophysiology was approved as a master degree authorization discipline in 1979, a doctorate-authorizing discipline in 1981, and a discipline of basic medical post-doctoral research center in 1994.

Teaching

Before 1989, the teaching task of the Department of Pathophysiology mainly included the theoretical and experimental teaching for the undergraduates from all the colleges of West China Medical School. After 1989, the college established the functional laboratory to take up the pathophysiological experimental teaching work. Currently, the department is responsible for the teaching of undergraduate medical students from College of Basic and Forensic Medicine, College of Clinical Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Stomatological Medicine and College of Public Health.

Research

The early research directions of the Department of Pathophysiology were mainly focused on: (1) Thymus Immunity; (2) Bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of Acute Radiation Sickness; (3) Leptospira Infection; (4) Acute Hemorrhagic Necrotizing Pancreatitis; pathogenesis and mechanisms of Diabetes; (5) The functional role of GABA receptor in liver failure; (6) Innate immunity and Antibacterial peptide. Among them, the research of leptospirosis Infection from Professor Baomin DAI has a major impact in China, and thus he won State Science and Technology Awards. Currently, the Department of Pathophysiology are mainly focused on: (1) Innate Immunity and Signaling of Inflammatory gene regulation; (2) Identification of Drug targets and Drug Design; (3) Epigenetic regulation mechanism of Innate Immunity; (4) Innate immunity and Human Major Diseases; (5) Mechanism of Tumor resistance and targeted therapy; (6) Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Disease.