From body snatchers to human plastination: Anatomy education through the ages
Anatomy education dates back centuries to the ancient Greeks and ‘Herophilus’, the so-called ‘father of anatomy’. As scientists and doctors wanted to better understand the workings and structure of the human body in relation to illness during the 13th and early 14th centuries, anatomists found themselves battling against religious and legal consideration. Contrast this with the later resurgence of dissection in the form of public events, aimed at educating the general public and demystifying the process, and the current preoccupation with augmented and virtual reality, and we can see how the fascination with the human body extends far beyond the practice of medicine. This lecture explores the role of anatomy and dissection as a teaching tool and its evolution through the ages, from the challenges of cadaver procurement and ‘body snatching’ in the 18th and 19th centuries, when full body dissection was the primary way in which medical students learned about the body, to contemporary medical education which focusses on all scientific knowledge and understanding being ‘clinically relevant’ and the increased use of technologies. You can see and hear about how we provide ‘applied’ anatomy education, including the use of 3D virtual dissection and 3D printing, and the use of plastinated specimens and radiological imaging.
COST – All CSRKEI public lectures are free to attend and currently advertised through Ticket Tailor
Any access restrictions (i.e. minimum age) – no minimum age
Speaker: Professor Lauren Fisher (Professor of Art and Design)
Date: Wednesday, 14 May 2025, 6:30pm
Venue: School of Education, University of Chester, Exton Park, Chester, CH1 4BJ
Professor Lauren Fisher
Professor Lauren Fisher
Head of Applied Medicine
How to get there
Exton Park is centrally located in Chester, and accessible via the M53, A483, A41, A56, and public transport from the city centre.
Find your way around Exton Park
Address
University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ
Cycling
The Greenway Gate, accessible between 7am – 9pm with your University pass, is located at the back of the overflow car park and is the nearest point of access to the Millennium Greenway cycle path that connects to routes throughout the city.
Public Transport
Bache train station is a 15-minute walk from Exton Park and Chester railway station is a 20-minute walk. Arriva 1A and Arriva 1 run frequent services that stop with a short walk to Exton Park. All three Park and Ride routes, PR1, PR2 and PR3 have connections within walking distance to Exton Park.
Parking
Parking on campus is limited, so we recommend using public transport and/or walking if possible.