How diverse is the field of comparative physiology and biochemistry?
The field ranges from ecology to molecular biology, including aspects of marine biology, freshwater and terrestrial ecology as well as morphology, cell biology and development. The emphasis is on the whole organism but the questions are often asked at the level of tissues and cells and molecules. Integrating several levels of investigation is a hallmark of many scientists in the field. How did you and other colleagues become interested in comparative physiology and biochemistry? In many cases, the interest stems from a natural curiosity about how living things work and how they interact with their physical environment. A broad interest in many different species underlies the experimental approach, with a belief that much can be learned from the less conspicuous species on this planet. Why is your field exciting? Like any field of science, the discovery of new information makes it especially exciting. But comparative physiology and biochemistry is unique in the sense that we can bring i
