Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Dr. Matthew J. Mason: Departmental teaching

University Physiologist Tel: +44 (0)1223 333829, Fax: +44 (0)1223 333840, E-mail: mjm68@cam.ac.uk

 

As University Physiologist, I am involved in lecturing, running practicals, course organisation and research project supervision within my department. Some of what I do is outlined below. I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, and I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, the national body dedicated to enhancing the quality of education across UK universities.

Within the subject areas I teach, I have taken a lead in introducing 'flipped classroom' lectures to NST and M&VST courses, which has been featured in a University of Cambridge teaching case-study: click here to read more. I have also developed clinical linker lectures for medics and vets, introduced extension sessions and office hours into our second-year course and I am always working to improve background resources for practical classes. Recently, I have been creating online course structures for three physiology courses here in Cambridge, to allow for teaching to continue in a logical and structured way throughout the covid crisis. Some of my teaching publications are listed on my publications page.

In 2018, I won a Pilkington Prize for Teaching from the University of Cambridge. Click on this link to see a video about my teaching, and click here for my academic biography.

 

My YouTube channel

In collaboration with former Cambridge medical student Cong Cong Bo, I have been producing online, supervision-style teaching presentations on YouTube, covering some of the areas of physiology that students often have trouble with. Click on this link to see them!

 

Research projects for students

I supervise research projects for final-year undergraduate students reading part II PDN and occasionally other part II or part III courses. These are typically in my research area of the structure and function of the ear, but sometimes in other areas of comparative anatomy and physiology. The following prizes, publications and conference lectures have arisen from research projects undertaken by undergraduates working in my laboratory:

Santoni, C. & Mason, M.J. (2019) Turning points: cochlear development in the human embryo. Presented at the Anatomical Society Winter Meeting, December 2019. Runner-up, Young Investigator Oral Presentation Prize.

Mason, M.J., Wenger, L., Hammer, Ø. & Blix, A.S. (2018) Bearded seal maxilloturbinates. Joint runner-up, Anatomical Society Best Image Prize, October 2018.

Wenger, L. (2017) Nasal turbinate scaling in mammals. First place, John Ray Trust Science Prize.

Marway, P. (2017) Micro-CT scanning and reconstruction of the human inner ear: in search of clinically useful measurements. Presented at the Institute of Anatomical Sciences Spring Scientific Meeting, April 2017.

Mason, M.J., Cornwall, H.L. & Smith, E.S. (2016) Ear structures of the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber, and its relatives (Rodentia: Bathyergidae). PLoS ONE 11(12): e0167079.

Burford, C.M. & Mason, M.J. (2016) Early development of the malleus and incus in humans. Journal of Anatomy 229: 857-870.

Burford, C. (2015) Putting the handle back on the hammer: ossicle development in Professor Boyd’s embryos. Presented at the Anatomical Society Winter Meeting, December 2015. Joint winner, Young Investigator Oral Presentation Prize.

  

Lavender, D., Taraskin, S.N. & Mason, M.J. (2011) Mass distribution and rotational inertia of "microtype" and "freely mobile" middle ear ossicles in rodents. Hearing Research 282: 97-107.

Neary, M.T., Reid, D.G., Mason, M.J., Friščić, T., Duer, M.J. & Cusack, M. (2011) Contrasts between organic participation in apatite biomineralization in brachiopod shell and vertebrate bone identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 8: 282-288.

Mason, M.J., Lai, F.W.S., Li, J.-G. & Nevo, E. (2010) Middle ear structure and bone conduction in Spalax, Eospalax and Tachyoryctes mole-rats (Rodentia: Spalacidae). Journal of Morphology 271: 462-472.

Reid, D.G., Neary, M.T., Mason, M.J., Friščić, T., Duer, M.J. & Cusack, M. (2010) Calcium phosphate mineralization in phosphatic brachiopods, and vertebrates. European Cells and Materials 19, suppl. 1: 10.

Farr, M.R.B. & Mason, M.J. (2008) Middle ear morphology in dormice (Rodentia: Gliridae). Mammalian Biology 73: 330-334.

Argyle, E.C. & Mason, M.J. (2008) Middle ear structures of Octodon degus (Rodentia: Octodontidae), in comparison with those of subterranean caviomorphs. Journal of Mammalogy 89: 1447-1455.

Mason, M.J., Lucas, S.J., Wise, E.R., Stein, R.S. & Duer, M.J. (2006) Ossicular density in golden moles (Chrysochloridae). Journal of Comparative Physiology A 192: 1349-1357.

If you are a current Cambridge undergraduate interested in doing a part II research project, or a vacation research project, with me, please contact me!

 

Course organisation and examining

I have been the Course Organiser for NST 1A Physiology of Organisms and NST 1B Physiology. I am either Chair of Exams, Senior Examiner or Examiner in one of the university's physiological subjects (NST or M&VST) every year.

 

Lecture courses

I am teaching the following Natural Sciences Tripos (NST) and Medical/Veterinary Sciences Triposes (M&VST) lecture courses within the Department of PDN, in the current academic year (2019-20):

NST IA Physiology of Organisms

  • "Introduction to Physiology" (3 lectures)
  • "Communication between Cells" (5 lectures, including the introductory neuroscience component of the PoO course).

NST IB Physiology

  • "Endocrinology" (3 lectures)
  • "Digestion, Absorption & Storage" (7 lectures)
  • "Weight Regulation and Nutrition" (2 lectures)
  • "Arctic and Desert Physiology" (4 lectures)

M&VST IA Homeostasis

  • "Digestion, Absorption & Storage" (6 "flipped classroom" lectures)

 

Practical classes

I am lead demonstrator in all of the Medical and Veterinary 1A Homeostasis practical classes, as well as in eight of the Natural Sciences 1A Physiology of Organisms classes. I regularly update the classes, the notes that accompany them and the electronic resources, and so would welcome any suggestions for new experiments which might be interesting to explore or areas that might require more clarification.

 

Supervision liaison

I am Supervision Liaison Officer for the Department of PDN. Please see our supervisors' website for more information about this, or feel free to contact me directly.

 

College teaching

I am Fellow and Director of Studies in Physiology at St. Catharine's College. I supervise students from St. Catharine’s in NST IA Physiology of Organisms and NST IB Physiology, and I give occasional supervisions and seminars in MVST 1A Homeostasis and MVST IB Comparative Vertebrate Biology too. Please the look at the Physiology at Catz page for more information about my College teaching.

 

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