A group of University of Chicago students participated in a hands-on learning experience as part of the "Metabolism and Exercise" course. This course, taught by instructional professors Mark Osadjan and Beatrice Fineschi within the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division, combines theoretical knowledge with practical laboratory experiments to explore how exercise affects the human body.
The class begins with lectures on metabolic rates and energy use, followed by lab sessions where students monitor their physiological responses to physical exertion. "We use exercise and fitness as a hook to teach them some really hard biology," explained Osadjan. Students engage in various experiments that help them understand bodily functions and make informed decisions about health.
Matthew Paraboschi, a first-year math major, shared his enthusiasm for the course: "I think that anatomy of the human body and how exercise impacts it is fascinating." Another student, Alejandro Garza, who also served as a teaching assistant, emphasized applying classroom skills in real-life scenarios: "What we are doing in the lab is basically putting the skills that the students learn in lecture to use."
Second-year student Ajer Sher found value in observing bodily reactions under stress: “As an athlete, it’s really cool to see how all of the body's mechanisms can come together.” Students design their own experiments towards the end of the course. Joaquin Parra's group examined water ingestion effects on heart rate during exercise. Although their hypothesis was inconclusive, Parra appreciated learning about neuroscience's role in bodily functions.
Osadjan noted that this unique approach allows students to discover personal insights about their bodies. Fineschi added: “It all appears in front of their eyes simply by looking at something like how much oxygen they consume.”
The course exemplifies UChicago's Core curriculum by encouraging critical thinking across disciplines. As Parra remarked: “This is definitely an experience I will always value.”