Anatomy and Physiology
The Anatomy and Physiology team is responsible for the delivery of teaching Comparative Anatomy and Physiology into the degree programs B.Sc.(Animal Science) and the B.Sc.(PreVet). The team take an integrated approach to combine microanatomy, gross anatomy and physiology in the teaching of the body systems within an evolutionary context. Clinical case studies and examples from livestock production and wildlife management are used to illustrate and to integrate concepts.
The team comprises Prof Phil Hynd (nutritional physiology), Dr Rachel Norris (comparative anatomy), Dr Todd McWhorter (comparative physiology), Prof Gordon Howarth (gastrointestinal physiology), Dr Rebecca Forder (gastrointestinal physiology), Dr Natasha Speight (renal physiology), Dr Samantha Franklin (equine exercise physiology), and 2 technical support staff (Mr Anthony Wilkes and Ms Johanna Cool).
Research within the group focuses on comparative anatomy (shape analysis: morphometrics of primates and marsupials; intraspecific varation); comparative gastrointestinal and renal/osmoregulatory physiology; epithelial/mesenchymal interactions; fetal programming; the role of mucins in chicken health and production; oxalate-induced renal pathology in koalas; cardiorespiratory pathologies in exercising horses; and the use of naturally-occurring bioactives for protection against chemotherapy-induced mucositis.
