Aims

1. To provide a course of basic comparative physiology, introducing students to the principles of normal biological function in a wide range of organisms;
2. To prepare students for subsequent biological courses that require an understanding of the physiology of organisms;
3. To show how animals and plants maintain an internal steady state, how they acquire and dispose of nutrients and how they detect and respond to changes in their environments;
4. To outline the physiology of bacteria and fungi;
5. To investigate the evolution of physiological mechanisms in vertebrates, and the influence that body size has on physiology;
6. To develop practical biological skills.

Objectives

At the end of the course students should:

1. Have an enhanced knowledge and appreciation of the physiology of organisms;
2. Be able to develop cogent and critical arguments based on the course material;
3. Be able to perform, analyse and report on experiments and observations in physiology;
4. Be able to integrate related topics from separate parts of the course.