Physiological Sciences

Why study Physiological Sciences at Dundee?

The School of Life Sciences consistently achieves high rankings for both its teaching and research, and our Physiological Sciences course was ranked No. 1 in Scotland by the Times Good University Guide 2012.

We are committed to delivering excellent physiology teaching and have been active in developing teaching software to help deliver both lecture and practical material.

What exactly is Physiology?

Physiology is about the functions of living organisms, such as the circulation and function of the heart, food and digestion and the energetics of muscle contraction. Its scope ranges from understanding events at the molecular level (e.g. how cells sense nutrients) to the integrative physiology of organs and systems and how they are regulated and adjust to change (e.g. in response to exercise and to environmental extremes such as the microgravity of space flight).

On a molecular level, understanding ion channel properties and what controls where and when they are placed in the body brings us closer to developing novel therapeutic strategies for pain control and the treatment of life threatening conditions such as cystic fibrosis.

Nutrient (glucose, amino acids and lactate) transport across membranes of tissues plays a key role in whole body fuel metabolism. Integrative physiology shows how whole body metabolism is regulated and how the body adapts to altered fuel intake and use, and how muscle can adapt to changes throughout life e.g. growth, ageing and functional alterations such as exercise.

Physiologists haved helped in the development of treatments such as cardiac pacemakers and artificial joints, which are of benefit to animals as well as humans.

Physiology at Dundee was ranked 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2010. 97% of our students were satisfied with the teaching on their course.

Ruth Binns graduated in BSc (Hons) Anatomical & Physiological Sciences and is presently studying for a PhD at the University of Leeds. She says, "Physiology helps you answer those nagging questions about how we all work."

Flexible course pathways

Physiological Sciences is available as a single Honours degree programme and can also be combined with several other disciplines, in the Anatomical & Physiological Sciences degree, or combined with another subject e.g. pharmacology, in a Biomedical Sciences degree.

• BSc Physiological Sciences
• BSc Physiological and Anatomical Sciences

The study of the Physiological Sciences can be combined with other life science disciplines in a more broadly-based Biomedical Sciences degree:

• BSc Biomedical Sciences

• Anatomical Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery
• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Forensic Anthropology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Molecular Genetics
• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Sports Biomedicine