The focus of Physiology is on understanding how organisms tackle the physical challenges of life on Earth. This course will provide an overview of animal physiology and teach an understanding of how organisms maintain homeostasis, respond to environmental cues, and coordinate behaviors across multiple tissues and organ systems. We will examine the structure and function of organs and organ systems and how those systems are controlled and regulated to maintain homeostasis. Control and regulation requires information as does the ability to respond to environmental stimuli, so we will give special consideration to hormonal and neural information systems. We will also be concerned with the interactions and integration of the activities of the different organ systems we study. Prerequisites: none. Lecture attendance as well as discussion section attendance is mandatory. Please only enroll in the lecture section (section BIO 01) on Axess. Discussion section enrollment will be handled on Canvas. As long as you sign up for the lecture section on Axess, you will receive an e-mail a week before classes begin to guide you on how to sign up for a section on Canvas. For logistical questions about the course, please contact Waheeda Khalfan at wkhalfan@stanford.edu.
4 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit · GER: WAY-SMA
The focus of Physiology is on understanding how organisms tackle the physical challenges of life on Earth. This course will provide an overview of animal physiology and teach an understanding of how organisms maintain homeostasis, respond to environmental cues, and coordinate behaviors across multiple tissues and organ systems. We will examine the structure and function of organs and organ systems and how those systems are controlled and regulated to maintain homeostasis. Control and regulation requires information as does the ability to respond to environmental stimuli, so we will give special consideration to hormonal and neural information systems. We will also be concerned with the interactions and integration of the activities of the different organ systems we study. Prerequisites: none. Lecture attendance as well as discussion section attendance is mandatory. Please only enroll in the lecture section (section 01) on Axess. Discussion section enrollment will be handled on Canvas. As long as you sign up for the lecture section on Axess, you will receive an e-mail a week before classes begin to guide you on how to sign up for a section on Canvas. For logistical questions about the course, please contact Waheeda Khalfan at wkhalfan@stanford.edu.
Offered in Winter 2026 at Stanford University.