At the end of October, DPAGs Anatomy and Technical teams, along with researchers, technicians and students from across the Medical Sciences division, hosted its second annual event to mark the celebration of World Anatomy Day with an exciting, hands-on event at the Museum of Natural History, Oxford. It was on this day in 1564 that Andreas Vesalius, the father of modern human anatomy, died and provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and share this fascinating discipline with the wider public.
The afternoon welcomed sixth form students from local Oxfordshire schools who are considering applying to university to study medicine, or anatomy-related disciplines. The workshop was hands-on and highly interactive, with four different activities run to help inspire curiosity and intrigue whilst also making learning fun! Attendees were fortunate to have many expert researchers and educators at hand to deliver the teaching and to answer any questions they had.
Attendees were fortunate to have many expert researchers and educators at hand to deliver the teaching and answer any questions they had. We were thrilled to have Professors Robert Wilkins and Helen Christian join us at the event! It was wonderful to see them there.
Activities and highlights
- Anatomy of facial expression
The event began by exploring facial expression and the neural and evolutionary mechanisms that shape this vital part of human communication. Attendees then examined different muscles involved in facial expression followed by an opportunity to get creative and sculpt these muscles onto plastic skulls.
- The brain and sensory mapping
The second activity followed sensory pathways from the body to the brain. Attendees measured their sensory receptor density across different parts of the body and then record these to map their somatosensory homunculi which is located in the postcentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex. They were then able to visualise what their homunculi would look like digitally on iPads and traced sensory pathways on a 3D model of the spinal cord and cerebral cortex using coloured wires.
- Digital anatomy
After a short break, attendees then got to immerse themselves into digital anatomy using some of the innovative technology that the department has been adopting in recent years – virtual reality headsets which show a human body. This allowed students to explore the human body in a fully immersive environment, creating new perspectives on anatomy.
- Microscopy
In the final activity put anatomy under the lens and allowed attendees to learn about the microscopic anatomy and how cellular structure of the skin & gut tube are essential for normal functioning in the human body.
More photos of the event:
Acknowledgements
A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who made this event possible, from the organising team to those delivering activities and helping set up on the day. Special thanks also go to The Anatomical Society and the Museum of Natural History, Oxford for their invaluable support, and also Louise Cotterell, Hannah Simm and Kiri Walden for help with co-ordinating and publicising the event.