Department of Anatomy

Anatomy Otago: A world of choice!

Think you know what Anatomy is? Think again!

Like the proverbial iceberg, Anatomy at Otago is about more than just bones and muscles, it's about people: How we begin life and how we develop, how we move and how we function, how we remember and how we forget...

It's about the various journeys we have taken from our ancient past, and the issues we face as individuals and populations today.

It's about us. Our story.

Research

The Department has five main research areas that explore different aspects of our story...

• The Anatomical Sciences Education Research Team (ASERT) studies best practice in anatomy teaching and learning - examining how we teach the health sciences, and understand our anatomy.
• The Biological Anthropology Group study human populations of today and the past to answer questions about who we are and where we come from.
• The Clinical Anatomy Group study structures within the body to better understand the anatomy of healthy individuals and factors that contribute to disease or dysfunction within these structures.
• The Neuroscience Group study brain health, disease and repair to help find answers to some of the most important issues in neuroscience today...especially in relation to aging!
• The Reproduction, Genomics and Development Group study how life begins and the processes that affect how those first cells differentiate and grow into a fully functioning adult.

Study with us

The Department doesn't just research these topics, we also teach them: from first year papers that cover basic human biology through to highly specialised 400 level papers and beyond.

Our degrees are designed in such a way that students can choose papers that play to their strengths and really interest them... whether they are doing our BSc in Anatomy or one of our many postgraduate degrees.

Our lectures and labs are as interesting as they are diverse and our lecturers consistently win awards for their teaching.

Our researchers and students collaborate with leading institutions and universities all around the world, and our alumni end up in diverse careers all over the globe. Some even change our lives!

Welcome to our world