Computer Data Acquisition Systems for a Research-Based Comparative Physiology Laboratory

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This project is establishing a research-based comparative physiology program with a focus on environmental and metabolic physiology. The goal of this project is to maintain a hands-on live-animal approach to studying physiology while introducing students to research-quality equipment and techniques. Newly purchased equipment is improving the technological scope of the affected courses and allowing students to conduct original or semioriginal directed research projects in an intermediate-level comparative physiology course. The new equipment includes a computerized, small-animal physiological data acquisition system that monitors metabolism, temperature, and other standard biosignals for extended periods of time; a clinical biochemistry analyzer which measures several blood/hemolymph metabolites; and a freezing point osmometer to determine accumulated blood/hemolymph antifreeze production. Students in this program are studying behavioral and physiological thermoregulation in animals in response to environmental and internal factors such as acclimation photoperiod and temperature and endogenous or exogenous fever-inducing pyrogens; physiological responses of animals to cold, i.e., production of antifreezes, cryoprotectants, and ice-nucleators; and metabolic rates of animals in response to a wide variety of factors such as activity, temperature, diet, hormones, circadian rhythms, and acclimatization conditions. Many of the students are continuing with the advanced-level Research in Physiology course in which they work in pairs on original research questions of their own design. These projects typically result in student presentations at local or national meetings, and they form components of a manuscript to be submitted to a refereed journal. Finally, students may opt to continue a study as an independent project or honors thesis.