An oral defense of the thesis is also required. Opportunities for research are determined largely by the current research interests of departmental staff members. Extensive laboratory facilities exist for these areas, which include the molecular biology of blood, the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic diseases, cardiovascular physiology, cellular physiology, renal physiology, neurobiology and neurochemistry, electrophysiology, molecular endocrinology, reproductive physiology, metabolism, blood protein derivatives, muscle physiology, biomathematics, neuroendocrinology, and the biophysics of macromolecules. Appointments are renewable for a total of three or four years for students in good academic standing. The Housing Information Office serves as a clearinghouse for information and assists students in finding accommodations.
Most students find rooms or apartments in private dwellings.
Currently there are 32 graduate students in the Department of Physiology. Approximately 8 new students enter each year. About 50 percent of the students are men. The students represent a wide geographical area. Located in the heart of a great metropolitan center, the University uses the vast social, cultural, and scientific resources of the entire area to enrich its programs and to spur its research.