Integrating HumMod into Undergraduate Physiology Education and Research

In the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), Tom Coleman’s HumMod—a computational, mathematical model of the human body—has been incorporated into undergraduate teaching in Human Physiology for over a decade. Initially used as part of a semester-long project in a 3rd-year Human Physiology course to help students develop better understanding of the scientific method, its use has since expanded to include student-led physiological modeling using Coleman’s XML-based schema (HumMod Schema). We called this intra-disciplinary collective UTSC Computational Physiology Group (UTSC-CPG). This application of HumMod has enabled a dual-stream model for student engagement, in which students participate either through a HumMod-based research project or by joining the UTSC-CPG to contribute directly to model development for course credit. This structure provides a scalable approach to Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs) by reducing traditional barriers such as limited access to wet-lab space, funding constraints, and competitive entry. To better understand the effectiveness of the HumMod-based research project (‘Short Communication’) we recently conducted a survey of our 3rd-year students who had completed the Human Physiology course. Survey responses (n=128) indicated that students found the HumMod project as effective as traditional lab-based experiences in supporting the development of scientific skills—particularly in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing. Notably, self-reported confidence in scientific reasoning was significantly associated with prior research experience, underscoring the importance of accessible, course-integrated UREs. By leveraging open-access nature of HumMod models, accompanied with technical and instructional support, we have broadened research participation across a more diverse student body—contributing to inclusive training and addressing the growing need for equitable, cost-effective undergraduate research models. Rodenbusch et al. (2023) emphasized the necessity of alternative, scalable URE formats to increase participation beyond competitive or resource-intensive streams. With respect to the UTSC-CPG, we began with a pilot group of six students and have since expanded to nearly forty students recruited in-class, through individual inquiries, and via peer referral. Initially supported by an institutional teaching enhancement grant, we focused on targeted modifications addressing sex and ethnicity-related aspects of physiology but have since expanded our scope to include the addition of organs, drugs, and regulatory mechanisms. Implemented modifications include new physiological modules (e.g., vitamin D metabolism, circadian rhythm and melatonin regulation, nitric oxide signaling, ethanol metabolism) as well as structural and functional additions such as uterine physiology, bowel function, sexual activity, and ethnicity-related variability parameters.Through the process of learning to use HumMod, we developed video and written tutorials to support new users in learning model navigation, simulation control, and XML editing. This infrastructure further enables systematic evaluation of instructional effectiveness within UTSC-CPG, for which a targeted survey is currently under development. Collectively, this work highlights the potential for departments teaching human physiology to engage more students in computational research and to foster the development of quantitative reasoning at the undergraduate level. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2026 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.