Integrative Biology 135 Comparative and Human Biomechanics
Description: Humans and other animals, along with plants and fungi, are constrained by mechanical principles and by the fundamental laws of physics. Structural and functional design of organisms at different levels of structural organization can thus be constrained by the basics of solid and fluid mechanics. In this course, we will elucidate mechanical design in biology and the dynamic interactions between organisms and their environments, from molecules and tissues to whole organisms. We will also present ecological contexts of biomechanical design, along with the evolutionary background to organismal design. Each lecture will include a detailed human example to illustrate the relevance of biomechanical and physical concepts to the human condition.
Prerequisites: Introductory physics and biology recommended.