Physiology

Physiology is an integrative study of the control of normal body function. The specialised organ systems to be studied include the nervous, cardiovascular, muscular, respiratory, kidney and digestive systems. During this subject students will learn that physiology is an experimental science with many key concepts arising from qualitative and quantitative observation and analysis of living organisms. The lectures will incorporate active interaction between students and lecturers using live polling software to answer questions during lectures.

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Students will develop an understanding of the principles of experimental design appropriate for investigating underlying mechanisms of physiological responses. They will also undertake a research project completed over several weeks, which will require them to formulate a suitable hypothesis to investigate a physiological problem, select and test suitable techniques, design appropriate experimental protocols to test their hypothesis, collect and analyse their data, and write a scientific report on their findings.

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Advanced Human Physiology builds on foundations of second-year Physiology to provide students with a more robust understanding of some key body systems and physiological concepts. The subject will focus on integrating concepts and synthesizing ideas to tackle challenging Physiological questions related to various clinical and functional scenarios. Students are encouraged to work in self-organised groups to complete progressively through semester questions that aid in conceptual understanding and that contribute to the foundation for assessment components of the subject.

This subject will provide the foundation for other third-year offerings in Physiology including pre-requisite content requirements for Clinical and Translational Physiology. Face-to-face learning and teaching sessions represent a blend of traditional information presentation, polling with formative feedback and discussion, and workshop and other active-learning activities.

View detailed information in the Handbook

By the conclusion of this subject, students will have explored the nexus between clinical condition and bench research. Students will be presented with a series of clinical cases or physiological challenges and will examine the underlying physiological dysregulation in each scenario. Working in teams, students will develop a set of questions about the clinical presentation, will draw on their collective existing knowledge of human physiology, examine the limits of existing contemporary research to formulate their own explanation of the underlying pathophysiology, and propose novel research approaches to better understand the mechanisms physiological regulation and dysregulation.

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Physiology examines how body systems function and adapt to maintain balance in a constantly changing internal and external environment. In this subject, students will explore a range of physiological principles that underpin human health and performance, with an emphasis on the body’s capacity to respond to challenge and change.

Through selected case studies and thematic examples, the subject considers adaptive processes across physiological systems and contexts, highlighting how these responses support everyday function as well as more demanding conditions. Students will investigate how physiological adaptation can occur across different life stages, lifestyles, and environmental situations, drawing on contemporary research to illustrate variation and complexity in human physiology.

Students will engage with areas of study that reflect the dynamic and evolving nature of physiological research and practice, and will be introduced to modern experimental and analytical approaches used in the field. Lectures are supported by interactive workshops in which students work collaboratively on a research-based project integrating theoretical and applied physiology. This project is designed to develop teamwork, critical reading, and the ability to evaluate and communicate scientific information to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides an overview of human anatomy. We expect that a student who completes this subject should be able to comprehend the terminology of human topographic and developmental anatomy; the principles relating to each type of anatomical structure (skin, fascia and skeletal muscle, bones and joints, vessels and nerves, visceral structures); the essential factual information regarding the specific anatomical structures forming the body's major organ systems (musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiorespiratory, digestive, genitourinary); the boundaries and contents of clinically important regions; and the appearance of normal anatomical structures via modern imaging techniques. Lectures on anatomy will be supplemented by online learning material, and practical classes that incorporate use of prosected cadaveric specimens and modern imaging.

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Each cell in our body and, indeed, in all multicellular organisms has a particular structure and many important functions. This subject explores the complex cellular structure and molecular functions of general and specialised human, animal and plant cells. It also explores the internal and external signals that can lead to changes in cell behaviour, gene expression, protein synthesis and cell replication in both healthy and disrupted or diseased states.

In this subject students will build on foundational knowledge and skills obtained in first year biology. Learning activities will prepare students for further study within cell and developmental biology and future study and career pathways in many other relevant areas of biological and biomedical sciences.

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The subject will provide students with a general introduction to the study of the nervous system. It will allow students to gain an understanding of brain and nerve structure, the cellular elements that make up the nervous system and how these work together to receive, process and transmit information.

Students will learn about human neuroanatomy and take an in-depth look the different types of nerve cells and how they communicate. Students will explore how the firing properties of nerve cells can change and how this influences the function of other tissues to elicit different physiological functions to maintain homeostasis. This subject will provide foundational knowledge for those wishing to develop a greater understanding of neuroscience and related fields.

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Pharmacology is an exciting discipline that provides insight into the mechanisms of action and beneficial and unwanted effects of drugs in the body. This is achieved by integrating knowledge from a range of biosciences including how the body works in health and disease. This subject uses specific examples of instantly recognizable and newly developed drugs to demonstrate how pharmacologists identify drug targets, design new drugs and test their therapeutic effectiveness.

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This subject is designed for students interested in becoming career researchers. Students will work in groups of 10-12 individuals. Each group will select one project from a list of available research questions, research appropriate background information, formulate hypotheses/aims, design an experiment to test those hypotheses/aims, carry out the experiment over a 4 week experimental period, and ultimately write up their findings in the format of a peer-reviewed journal article. This subject will allow more independence in conceptualisation and execution of the research questions than the second-year subject Research-Based Physiology (PHYS20009).

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This subject aims to give students of science and biomedical science a solid foundation in human and animal reproductive biology and its applications. Students will be provided with a curriculum informed by current research and addressing an understanding of the principles and processes of reproductive biology, the biological bases of reproductive disorders and diseases, assisted reproductive technologies and reproduction in a global context. Students will gain experience in learning how to search the primary scientific literature.

Topics will include structure, function, and development of the reproductive organs; endocrine and neuroendocrine and environmental control of reproduction, fertilisation, pregnancy, parturition and lactation in humans and other animals; reproductive diseases and disorders; assisted reproductive technologies; and reproduction in a community and global perspective.

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The working of the brain and nervous system is an important frontier of modern medicine and nerves are the target for many important drugs. This subject will address how drugs modulate the processes of neuronal communication and survival in the context of the management of mood and emotional disorders, addictive behaviours, neuro-degenerative diseases, pain and epilepsy. This subject will also discuss strategies for the development of future therapeutics. Students will gain an appreciation of how a detailed understanding of pathophysiological processes is important for the rational development of new therapeutics.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Advanced Human Physiology builds on foundations of second-year Physiology to provide students with a more robust understanding of some key body systems and physiological concepts. The subject will focus on integrating concepts and synthesizing ideas to tackle challenging Physiological questions related to various clinical and functional scenarios. Students are encouraged to work in self-organised groups to complete progressively through semester questions that aid in conceptual understanding and that contribute to the foundation for assessment components of the subject.

This subject will provide the foundation for other third-year offerings in Physiology including pre-requisite content requirements for Clinical and Translational Physiology. Face-to-face learning and teaching sessions represent a blend of traditional information presentation, polling with formative feedback and discussion, and workshop and other active-learning activities.

View detailed information in the Handbook

By the conclusion of this subject, students will have explored the nexus between clinical condition and bench research. Students will be presented with a series of clinical cases or physiological challenges and will examine the underlying physiological dysregulation in each scenario. Working in teams, students will develop a set of questions about the clinical presentation, will draw on their collective existing knowledge of human physiology, examine the limits of existing contemporary research to formulate their own explanation of the underlying pathophysiology, and propose novel research approaches to better understand the mechanisms physiological regulation and dysregulation.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Physiology examines how body systems function and adapt to maintain balance in a constantly changing internal and external environment. In this subject, students will explore a range of physiological principles that underpin human health and performance, with an emphasis on the body’s capacity to respond to challenge and change.

Through selected case studies and thematic examples, the subject considers adaptive processes across physiological systems and contexts, highlighting how these responses support everyday function as well as more demanding conditions. Students will investigate how physiological adaptation can occur across different life stages, lifestyles, and environmental situations, drawing on contemporary research to illustrate variation and complexity in human physiology.

Students will engage with areas of study that reflect the dynamic and evolving nature of physiological research and practice, and will be introduced to modern experimental and analytical approaches used in the field. Lectures are supported by interactive workshops in which students work collaboratively on a research-based project integrating theoretical and applied physiology. This project is designed to develop teamwork, critical reading, and the ability to evaluate and communicate scientific information to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed for students interested in becoming career researchers. Students will work in groups of 10-12 individuals. Each group will select one project from a list of available research questions, research appropriate background information, formulate hypotheses/aims, design an experiment to test those hypotheses/aims, carry out the experiment over a 4 week experimental period, and ultimately write up their findings in the format of a peer-reviewed journal article. This subject will allow more independence in conceptualisation and execution of the research questions than the second-year subject Research-Based Physiology (PHYS20009).

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject aims to give students of science and biomedical science a solid foundation in human and animal reproductive biology and its applications. Students will be provided with a curriculum informed by current research and addressing an understanding of the principles and processes of reproductive biology, the biological bases of reproductive disorders and diseases, assisted reproductive technologies and reproduction in a global context. Students will gain experience in learning how to search the primary scientific literature.

Topics will include structure, function, and development of the reproductive organs; endocrine and neuroendocrine and environmental control of reproduction, fertilisation, pregnancy, parturition and lactation in humans and other animals; reproductive diseases and disorders; assisted reproductive technologies; and reproduction in a community and global perspective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The working of the brain and nervous system is an important frontier of modern medicine and nerves are the target for many important drugs. This subject will address how drugs modulate the processes of neuronal communication and survival in the context of the management of mood and emotional disorders, addictive behaviours, neuro-degenerative diseases, pain and epilepsy. This subject will also discuss strategies for the development of future therapeutics. Students will gain an appreciation of how a detailed understanding of pathophysiological processes is important for the rational development of new therapeutics.

View detailed information in the Handbook