IHBS 630 introduces students to integrated respiratory health and clinical sciences with emphasis on the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, clinical reasoning, and prevention foundations of the respiratory system. Students examine thoracic architecture, upper and lower airway anatomy, mucosal defense, pleural organization, pulmonary ventilation, respiratory mechanics, alveolar gas exchange, pulmonary perfusion, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, hemoglobin physiology, acid-base balance, neural control of breathing, fetal lung development, airway hypersensitivity, asthma, obstructive and restrictive lung disorders, infections, global respiratory viruses, hypoxia, hypercapnia, pneumothorax, and lung cancer. The course connects foundational biomedical knowledge with applied interpretation through case studies, respiratory pathway maps, symptom-red-flag analysis, pulmonary function interpretation, peer-reviewed literature review, and patient-centered education activities. Special attention is given to dyspnea, wheeze, cough, abnormal sputum, oxygenation, ventilatory failure, respiratory emergencies, smoking-related disease, infectious risk, environmental exposures, and referral urgency. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to apply respiratory science in advanced clinical sciences, integrative health assessment, evidence-informed patient education, and interdisciplinary care contexts.

1.      Explain the structural organization, tissue layers, thoracic cage mechanics, airway divisions, pulmonary circulation, pleurae, and major functions of the respiratory system.

2.      Differentiate ventilation, perfusion, diffusion, gas transport, acid-base buffering, respiratory control, and developmental adaptations across respiratory physiology.

3.      Analyze neural, mechanical, vascular, hematologic, immune, infectious, environmental, and inflammatory mechanisms that regulate respiratory health and disease.

4.      Interpret common respiratory presentations using anatomy, physiology, red flags, pulmonary function patterns, oxygenation status, and evidence-based clinical reasoning.

5.      Compare upper respiratory tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, asthma, COPD, restrictive lung disease, pneumothorax, hypoxia, hypercapnia, and lung cancer using mechanism, presentation, investigation, and referral urgency.

6.      Apply principles of respiratory prevention, smoking exposure assessment, environmental risk reduction, vaccination awareness, airway hygiene, and patient education to case scenarios.

7.      Evaluate respiratory cases for acute distress, abnormal breathing patterns, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, infection risk, malignancy concern, occupational exposure, and emergency referral indications.

8.      Communicate integrated respiratory reasoning clearly through quizzes, case write-ups, concept maps, discussion posts, and a final capstone case.