This case study uses a PowerPoint (~1MB) combined with role-playing to present the epidemiology and pathophysiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Students learn about the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease, and then argue different health professionals' perspectives on a plan of action for dealing with its consequences. Developed for a pathophysiology course for undergraduates, the case could also be used in a microbiology course or in a course in public or international health.

Renowned virologist and member of the prestigious National Academy of Science, Peter Duesberg has argued that AIDS is not caused by HIV, but is the result of recreational and anti-HIV drugs. In this PBL case, students read Duesberg's 1999 article in Science magazine titled "HIV is Not the Cause of AIDS" as well as a response to it titled "HIV Causes AIDS" by medical researchers Dr. William A. Blattner and colleagues. Students work in groups to identify the issues as well as any terms or concepts they don't understand, then research these out of class to pool their information as they learn about AIDS and HIV.

This "clicker case" follows Susan, an intern at a local hospital, who has admitted a patient she discovers has used the drug Ecstasy. The girl becomes delirious, and Susan begins to suspect that she may be suffering from water intoxication. The case is designed for an introductory biology course for either science or non-science majors, though it could be adapted for upper level courses. It uses an example of water intoxication to introduce membrane structure and function, osmosis, and electrolyte balance in the body. The case itself is a PowerPoint presentation (~800KB) shown in class that is punctuated by multiple-choice questions students answer using clickers. It could be adapted for use without these technologies.

This problem-based case focuses on the female menstrual cycle and early stages of pregnancy of an unwed teenager. Working in small groups, students identify the learning issues for each part of the story and research answers to their questions. They are then given more of the case to evaluate. The cycle of analysis, information seeking, and sharing is repeated for each stage of the case. The case can be used in numerous settings including general health, biology, and sociology classes or in more specialized courses such as physiology, endocrinology, nursing, medicine, human development, social services, or counseling.

In chronicling the life and death of a woman who developed diabetes as a teenager, this case study explores such basic science topics as metabolism, hormones, cell receptors, eye anatomy, and immunology as well as issues in nutrition, exercise, stem cell research, transplantation, drug delivery systems, genetic engineering, and health care. The case has been used in a physiology course as part of a unit on metabolism and hormonal control.

After undergoing a fertility procedure, a 37-year-old woman and her husband are expecting twins. The delivery goes smoothly, but it soon becomes apparent that, while the baby boy appears normal, the baby girl has a heart problem and is cyanotic. In this interrupted case study, students diagnose the problem based on the babies' signs and symptoms as well as on their knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and the changes that occur in the heart after birth. The case was developed for use in a one-semester animal physiology course taken by sophomore and junior science majors. It could also be used in a freshman general biology course or in an anatomy and physiology course.

In this fictionalized story, John and Jane, whose new baby is born with Down syndrome, are suing the prenatal clinic where Jane received her care, blaming the clinic for the baby's condition. Designed for an introductory biology course, this "clicker case" has students assume the role of an expert witness hired by a law firm to give evidence in the case. To help determine the cause of "Baby Doe's" condition and whether anyone can be held responsible for it, students need to help the jury understand the process of cell division. In particular, they must explain the behavior of the chromosomes during cell division and how errors in this process can result in conditions such as Down syndrome. The case is presented in class using PowerPoint slides (~1.8 MB) that are punctuated by multiple-choice questions the students respond to using hand-held personal response systems, or clickers. It could be adapted for use without these technologies.

The ethics of human experimentation are explored in this case about the infamous syphilis studies performed at the Tuskegee Institute from the 1930s to the 1960s. Sponosred by the U.S. Public Health Service, 399 African American men with syphilis were recruited for a research study on the progression of the disease when left untreated. The case examines the science underlying the experiment as well as the ethical and racial issues. One of its goals is to help students understand the evolution in our thinking on issues of science, human experimentation, and race, and how they are conditioned by our culture. The case could be used in any course that explores the ethics of science.

This case involves the transfer of a food allergy to a patient who received a combined kidney and liver transplant from a donor who died as the result of an allergic reaction. In addition to learning about the various roles of immune cells, the physiology of anaphylaxis, and the function of antibodies in immune physiology, students explore concepts related to histocompatibilities, organ donation, and organ rejection. The case is appropriate for use in a course in human physiology, a combined course in human anatomy and physiology, or an introductory course in immunology.

Blake is sick. With his background in the sciences and a little help from the Internet, he should be able to do a self-diagnosis. Or can he? As this case study unfolds, we follow the course of Blake's illness and the eventual diagnosis of his disorder. The case works well as an interrupted case that can be assigned to individual students or student teams. It was written for a School of Pharmacy microbiology course, but could easily be used in a medical microbiology or infectious diseases course.

In this "clicker" case, based on a TV drama about a family secret that only knowledge of genetics can solve, students apply what they have read and heard about genetic diseases to determine familial relationships and predict the chance that a family member has inherited a genetic condition. The case is designed for use in a one-semester introductory biology course taken primarily by freshmen and sophomores to fulfill a general education requirement, but it could be used in any introductory biology course to help students understand and practice applying concepts related to human genetics. In addition, the case could be expanded or modified for use in a genetics or anatomy and physiology class in which human genetics and pedigrees are taught. The case is presented in class using a PowerPoint presentation (~1MB) punctuated by questions that students respond using "clickers" before moving on to the next slide. It could be adapted for use without these technologies.

In this case study, students read about the injuries sustained by a young man hurt in a serious diving accident. To solve the case, they must determine the type of central nervous system injury described using their knowledge of the differences between symptoms and signs of brain and spinal cord injury. The case was developed for upper-level neuroscience courses and rehabilitation courses that cover the neuroanatomy of the central nervous system and the symptoms of different types of central nervous system injury.

In this "clicker case," students are introduced to Abby, a college student who has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. As they follow Abby's plight, students learn about basic cellular and genetic mechanisms that are responsible for cancer formation, gaining a general understanding of how cells become cancerous through genetic mutations, how cancers can spread throughout the body by metastasizing, and how modern medicine is currently treating patients diagnosed with cancer through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Developed for use in a large introductory biology course, the case consists of a PowerPoint (~2MB) presented in class that is punctuated by multiple-choice questions the students answer using "clickers." The case can be adapted for use without these technologies.

In this discussion case, parents must decide whether or not to enroll their sons in an experimental treatment program designed to alleviate the symptoms of muscular dystrophy. The case explores the genetics and physiology of the disease as well as the issues involved with pharmaceutical research. The case has been used in both majors' and non-majors' biology courses, where it is introduced during a unit on the cardiovascular and muscular systems.

This interrupted case study presents a discussion about the benefits of the influenza vaccine between Mary, a nursing student, and her coworker, Karen. Karen is not convinced by Mary's arguments in favor of vaccination, and she counters with several common rationalizations for not getting the vaccine. Students work in small groups to evaluate the arguments for and against vaccination from the perspective of each woman. In addressing the questions in the case, students learn about the general biology of viral infections, treatment of infections, and immunity. The case was designed for use in an entry-level course in microbiology for nursing students or a first-year biology course for majors.

This discussion case explores the scientific process involved in implementing an animal model in the study of Alzheimer's disease. Students read a short paragraph describing a study in which the brains of "trained" mice were injected with beta-amyloid fragments, which subsequently caused them to forget their tasks. The paragraph is a very short New York Times story reporting on an experimental study originally published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Based on the short description provided, students are asked to identify relevant components of the scientific method (problem, method, results, and conclusions). The case is suitable for a wide variety of science majors and non-majors courses.

This interrupted case study follows the declining health of an infant who suffers from recurrent infections and finally is diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The case was developed for use in an undergraduate upper-level immunology course to supplement discussion of B and T cell development and the generation of antibody diversity. It could also be modified for use in a genetics class, with emphasis on the molecular aspects of RAG-mediated recombination and inheritance patterns of the disease, or a pathophysiology class, with emphasis on the physiology underlying the symptoms.

"Samuel Dexter" is 52 years old, overweight, and a heavy smoker. He wakes one morning with weakness on his right side. When he attempts to walk to the bathroom, he stumbles and then falls. His wife, who suspects he has suffered a stroke, calls 911. Students read the short case scenario, including a brief clinical history of the patient and 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 has been used in both a sophomore-level course in human anatomy and physiology and a senior-level course in general physiology.

"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.