This is a colourful, highly illustrated textbook of human physiology aimed at medical students. Organized by systems in the traditional approach used by many physiology texts, the book also offers additional features; the text is succinct, with emphasis on core knowledge, there are clinical application boxes throughout, and each section contains examples of applied physiology to show how systems interact and are dependent on each other. There are multiple choice questions (MCQs) with answers at the end of each section.

Author Biography

Andrew Davies

Born in South Wales, Andrew Davies is a physiologist who took his first degree at the University of London before joining the Scientific Staff of Medical Research Council's Pneumoconiosis Unit where hecompleted his PhD on Morphometry of the Bronchial Tree. He then moved to St.George's Hospital London where he spent several years studying neural controlof breathing.

Research appointments at University of Texas Medical Branch and the Cardiovascular Research Unit, University of California San Francisco, preceded a short spell at the Medical School Birmingham beforemoving to Massey University New Zealand. In New Zealand, Andrew learned to fly light aircraft and found plenty of opportunity to indulge his interest in SCUBA diving. He returned to Britain in 1986 to join the Department of Physiology, University Medical School Edinburgh, where he was a Deputy Director of the Biology Teaching Unit and Warden of University Hall for several years. Heleft Edinburgh to become Professor of Physiology at the University of Central England and then Professor of Physiology at the University of Glamorgan, ten miles from where he was born.

Joint author of a textbook onRespiratory Physiology and chapters in other textbooks, Andrew's interests also include architecture (he built himself a house while completing his PhD),opera, keeping ferrets and playing squash when he can find time. A picture of his only daughter Catherine appears on page 297 of Human Physiology.

Asa Blakeley

Asa Blakeley was a physiologist who graduated in Medicine and earned his PhD virtually simultaneously from the University of Oxford having worked in the Department of Physiology. He then moved to the Department of Pharmacology at Glasgow and then to Leicester as Foundation Professor of Human Physiology on the opening of the new Medical School. Hebecame Head of Department and eventually Pro-vice-Chancellor at Leicester.

Asa always had a strong interest in teaching physiology to medical and science students, and he was very good at it. He was the prime instigator and mover of Human Physiology until his recent and untimely death. He always had a clear vision of the effectiveness of physiology in the training ofmedical and paramedical professionals and did much joint teaching with clinical colleagues. His major research interests lay in understanding the mechanisms that underlie transmitter release and actions at sympathetic nerve terminals. He made significant contributions to our understanding of the quantal basis of the release of transmitters.

Gardening and shooting were non-scientific interests. He was very interested in old weaponry and created in his workshop, at home, a working full scale reproduction of a large English civil war cannon, which on occasion was made to produce very satisfying levels of smoke and thunder! He enjoyed good food and 'setting the world to rights' over a dram.

Cecil Kidd

Cecil Kidd is a physiologist trained at King's College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He moved to Leeds and after a time held a joint appointment between Departments of Physiologyand Cardiovascular Studies as Reader. He moved to Aberdeen as Regius Professor of Physiology, where he was head of department until his recent retirement.

Cec Kidd has taught at all levels and a wide range of students, including: medical students, physiology and other biomedical science undergraduates, physical therapists, etc. He had a special interest in developingnew forms of teaching, including computer-based technologies, and has a strong belief in the underlining role of physiology in understanding and treatment in clinical contexts.

Early research interests were in reflex control of GIT, but after moving to Leeds Cec also became interested in cardiac receptors and their central nervous connections and reflex responses. This has remained the major interest throughout his career. Now, he continues to unravel some of the potential roles of nitric oxide in the autonomic control mechanisms of the heart with colleagues in Ireland.

Cec has a long-standing interest in the history of physiology in the UK. Current interests, apart from physiology, are opera and operatic studies, gardening and two grandchildren, Sarah and Rachel. He enjoys trying out new recipes and cooking together with appropriate libations.