Professor Frankie M MacMillan

Profile

I am the Admissions Tutor for the BSc and Msci programmes run in the School i.e. Physiological Science, Pharmacology and Neuroscience. As Senior Tutor in the School I oversee the personal tutorial system and am active in supporting undergraduate students during transition to University and helping those who may experience difficulties throughout their degree.

I am unit director for a first year unit in Physiology, which is taken by students on a variety of degree programmes including Physiological Science, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Functional Anatomy and Veterinary Nursing. I am also unit director for a first year unit in Physioogy taken by students on an MSc in Biomedical Imaging

I teach mostly on the Physiological science and Neuroscience BSc programmes as well as on Veterinary Science.  I cover topics which include Cell Biology, Renal Physiology, pH balance, Human Reproduction and Histology. I also run final year research projects in Physiology and Neuroscience.

I have an interest in developing new teaching activities, in particular interactive sessions and using 'gamification' to enhance learning. I am also continually working to develop and evaluate  histology teaching using the ‘virtual microscope’.  With colleagues  I have developed a range of 'programme Enhancement Activities' to engage and support students in wider learning around their main subject area.

Although I no longer undertake research my background is in immunocytochemical and tract tracing techniques. I used these in functional anatomical approaches to investigate differences in sensory input mediated by Aδ or C fibres and how these inputs may be modulated at the level of the spinal cord from higher brain centres