MSAE Philosophy

The structure/function relationship in anatomy is foundational to biological viability and thus critical to research, education, and clinical outcomes. The MSAE program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was developed to help promote the anatomical sciences, not as an alternative to more mechanistic pursuits in cellular and molecular biology, but rather as the focal point within a highly integrated vision of biological systems. Recent conceptual and technological innovations in ‘omics’ research have left the anatomical phenotype as a surprisingly weak link in our understanding of biological integration. In turn, the ongoing expansion of the biomedical community has not been met by an equivalent expansion of well-trained anatomists capable of filling much-needed educational, research, and leadership roles. Persons capable of understanding and communicating the complexity of anatomical systems through a synthetic lens are needed if anatomical education, research, and clinical application is to realize its full potential within the rapidly changing fields of biology, biomedicine, and patient care. 

To this end, the MSAE program seeks to provide students with a highly personalized, one-year experience that maximizes their individual potential for growth within the wealth of opportunities afforded by a top-ranked university and biomedical institution. Students will work closely with the program director and other program faculty in the Center for Functional Anatomy & Evolution (FAE) to mold a challenging, enriching, and exciting year at Johns Hopkins that will help them realize their intellectual and career goals – whether these goals involve education, medical school, research, or a wide range of other possibilities in academia and the health sciences.