"Amanda Richards," a 20-year-old junior in college, is majoring in biology and hopes to be a pediatrician one day. For about a month, she has been waking up frequently at night to go to the bathroom. Most recently, she has noticed that she needs to go to the bathroom during the day more often, almost houlyr. Students read about these symptoms and then answer a set of directed questions designed to teach facts and principles of physiology using reference books, textbooks, the Internet, and each other as sources of information. The case has been used in a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology as well as in senior-level course in general physiology.

Thirty-one-year-old Eric has begun to show signs of the debilitating and fatal neuromuscular disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Students follow Eric as he is examined by his physician and then a specialist, undergoes a series of tests, and eventually is given the devastating prognosis. He is also given the news that a group of prominent scientists has begun human trials with embryonic stem cell therapy, which may offer a possible cure for his condition, and that he can participate in the experiment if he wishes. Students research and then prepare oral presentations on the perspectives of a variety of experts Eric might wish to consult as he weighs the science and ethics of his decision.

"Dolores Welborn," a 28-year-old attorney, is pregnant with her first child. Lately she has been tiring easily and is often short of breath. She has also had periods of light-headedness, cramping in her legs, and a sore tongue. Students read a brief clinical history and a description of signs and symptoms, then answer a set of directed questions designed to probe the underlying anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the Dolores's condition. In the process, they learn about the human hemolymphatic system. The case has been used in a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology taught to pre-med and nursing students as well as in senior-level elective course in general physiology taken primarily by pre-med students.

This case illustrates concepts of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment within the context of a counseling relationship. Its primary purpose is to teach students about the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship, specifically that the relationship is one based on power. The case also covers depression, the diagnosis of psychological disorders, cross cultural issues in counseling, and treatment planning. It could be used in either an introductory psychology course or at a more advanced level such as in an upper-level abnormal psychology course.

This case explores the fundamental principles of memory, eyewitness accuracy, and police questioning techniques in witness identification in a criminal case. By studying the details of an actual series of attacks and the subsequent police investigation, students learn that memory is a reconstructive process rather than an accurate recording of events. The case has been used in an undergraduate introductory psychology course and in a course on psychology and the law. It could also be used in a cognitive psychology course.

"Allison Jacobson" is a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in pre-med. The past few weeks she has been studying for finals. She feels tired, even though she knows she has been getting enough sleep at night. She also has frequent headaches, and several times it has felt like her heart "missed a beat." Yesterday at lunch she fainted while waiting in line at the cafeteria. Students read a short description of the patient's history and symptoms, then answer a set of directed questions designed to probe their understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology underlying the Allison's condition. The case has been used in both a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology and a senior-level course in general physiology.

Seven-year-old "Jason Hornbuckle" has been complaining for the past 12 hours of pain when he swallows. He also has a headache and has vomited twice. His mother decides to take him to the pediatrician. Students read a brief clinical history of the patient and a description of the relevant signs and symptoms, then answer a set of directed questions designed to probe the underlying anatomy, physiology, and pathology underlying Jason's condition. The case has been used in a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology for pre-med and nursing students.

This clinical case study was developed to engage students by making connections between core concepts in chemistry and physiological processes in the body. The case pertains to medication-induced methemoglobinemia, its etiology, diagnosis, and treatments. Concepts taught by the case include the use of conversion factors, pH, buffering, Le Chatelier's principle, blood chemistry, and respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis. The case is suitable for use in a General, Organic, and Biological (GOB) Chemistry course or other introductory general chemistry course as well as undergraduate physiology courses. The case also could be adapted for use in undergraduate pharmacology and medicinal chemistry courses.

In this case, designed for beginning pharmacy students, an elderly woman apparently "in excellent health" suddenly becomes ill and health care practitioners must determine the cause. The case is written in a four-part progressive disclosure format with an acute care clinical context. Ideally, the case should be used early in a pharmacy curriculum in a course such as pharmacy orientation, introduction to pharmaceutical care, or a pharmacy practice laboratory.

"Melanie Johnson" is a 32-year-old accountant who has moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, from her hometown of Sarasota, Florida. For the first time in her life, she has been experiencing periods of depression, lethargy, and excessive sleeping. Students read about these symptoms then answer a set of directed questions designed to teach facts and principles of anatomy and physiology using reference books, textbooks, the Internet, and each other as sources of information. The case has been used in both a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology and a senior-level course in general physiology.

"Jason Hendrix," a 21-year-old student majoring in economics, is injured in a serious motorcycle accident while on spring break in Florida. Students read the short case scenario, which provides a brief clinical history of the patient and a description of his injury, then answer a set of directed questions designed to probe the students' knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology underlying the patient's condition. The case study has been used in both a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology and a senior-level course in general physiology.

"Carolyn Jones" is a 40-year-old professor of economics. The past week she has felt tried and weak. The past few days she has noticed small, red dots on her skin and gums. Even more upsetting, she cut herself while making dinner and the wound bled for a long time. Students read a brief clinical history of the patient and a description of the relevant signs and symptoms, then answer a set of directed questions that probe the underlying anatomy, physiology, and pathology of Carolyn's condition. The case study has been used in a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology taught to pre-med and nursing students as well asn a senior-level elective course in general physiology taken primarily by pre-med students.

Though a normal, full-term baby at birth, starting at about 10 months of age "Billy DeWitt" has suffered a series of infections, including sinusitis, otitis media, and pneumonia. Students read a brief clinical history of the patient and a description of the relevant signs and symptoms, then answer a set of directed questions designed to probe the underlying anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the disorder. In the process, they learn about the human hemolymphatic system. The case has been used in a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology for pre-med and nursing students as well as in a senior-level elective course in general physiology taken primarily by pre-med students.

"Rollie Hendrix," a 35-year-old husband and father of three children, has been experiencing headaches and palpitations of increasing frequency and severity over the past six months. In addition, he has had periods of intense anxiety and panic attacks. Students read about these symptoms and then answer a set of directed questions designed to teach facts and principles of anatomy and physiology using reference books, textbooks, the Internet, and each other as sources of information. The case has been used in both a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology and a senior-level course in general physiology.

This case study highlights the epidemiological and socioeconomic factors associated with a disease which plagues thousands of people in Central and South America. The case follows the story of Adrian, a banana plantation worker in southwestern Costa Rica who develops a mysterious illness. Students learn about infectious diseases, pathogens, and vectors endemic to the region, and are asked to diagnose Adrian's illness and consider his dilemma with respect to treatment options. The case is appropriate for courses with a component on health care, pharmacology, microbiology, medical anthropology, ethnobotany, or epidemiology. Instructors can choose to focus more on the biological components of the case or more on the socioeconomic and ethical aspects, depending on course goals and subject area.

The parents of a six-week-old baby girl know there is something seriously wrong with their child, but it takes a number of frustrating visits to the pediatrician before they finally get a correct diagnosis. Once they do, the parents must decide whether they want to seek a surgical solution or rely on a course of medical treatment for their daughter. Best suited for classes in pharmacology, nursing, or medicine, this case could also be used in a basic biology or anatomy course.

The Honorable Judge Cellular is presiding over the case of The State vs.Egg Cell Number 6624223. As the prosecuting attorney calls each witness to the stand and the courtroom drama unfolds, students learn about the stages of mitosis and meiosis and their particular characteristics, and how cell division in prokaryotes differs from that in eukaryotes. The case is suited to an introductory biology course and would also work well in high school biology classes.

This case is based on a lurid crime featured on the BBC program Crimewatch in December 2001 that was solved thanks to forensic DNA analysis. Students learn how the structure of DNA and the mechanism used by cells to duplicate DNA were critical to the forensic analysis. They then determine the statistical validity of the forensic data in the same way a prosecutor would prepare the case for a courtroom. Written for an introductory biology course of 300+ students, the teaching notes for the case describe how students work in permanent small groups in a lecture hall setting to collaboratively solve the case in class.

This "clicker case" is a modified version of another case in our collection by the same name. It uses a PowerPoint presentation (~3MB) to present the case, which is punctuated by multiple-choice questions that students answer in class using hand-held personal response systems ("clickers"). The story revolves around a murder committed in Wales that was solved through DNA analysis. Students learn about DNA structure and replication, and how scientists have adapted this process for use in experimentation and forensic analysis, including PCR analysis and DNA fingerprinting. The students then use this knowledge to identify possible suspects in the crime. The case is designed for use in an introductory biology course either for science majors or non-majors. It could be modified for use in upper level classes as well.