PLTW - Principles of Biomedical Science

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the biomedical sciences through exciting hands-on projects and problems.  Students investigate concepts of biology and medicine as they explore health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases.  They will determine the factors that led to the death of a fictional woman as they sequentially piece together evidence found in her medical history and her autopsy report.  Students will investigate lifestyle choices and medical treatments that might have prolonged the woman’s life and demonstrate how the development of disease is related to changes in human body systems.  The activities and projects introduce students to human physiology, basic biology, medicine, and research processes and allow students to design experiments to solve problems.  Key biological concepts including maintenance of homeostasis in the body, metabolism, inheritance of traits, and defense against disease are embedded in the curriculum.