About Department of Physiology:

The Department of Physiology is one of the oldest and renowned departments of University of Calcutta. The subject is being taught at undergraduate level as well as in post graduate level for more than a century with innumerable number of pioneering and remarkable research works during this tenure. Most of these works have been published in peer-reviewed journals of international repute.

The subject had expanded steadily with time into different branches like biochemistry, sports physiology, ergonomics, endocrinology and reproductive physiology, nutrition and dietetics, electrophysiology, neurophysiology, immunology and microbiology. Since inception, the department had produced many brilliant students who in due course of time have established themselves as eminent teachers and researchers in various universities and academic institutions both within the country and abroad.

About Occupational Ergonomics Laboratory:

Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta took its first step towards the beginning of Ergonomics in the year 1971 when it launched the subject as a special paper in its Post Graduate Curriculum under the able guidance of Prof. Dr. Rabindra Nath Sen. This marked the birth of a new subject ERGONOMICS in India. Since its inception, the subject ergonomics has been able to generate a lot of interest among the students who have greatly benefited by studying ergonomics. Most of the past students have been successful in building their careers and are attached as faculty with some of the premier institutions of the country.

Many collaborative works with multinational companies and different industries, viz. jute industries, heavy engineering sectors, construction industries, cotton mills, foundries, paper mills and food processing industries have been successfully carried over the years. Apart from the organized sector, innumerable works have been done in the unorganized sector involving the porters in the central market areas, the mud workers, the weavers, the agricultural workers and the brick kiln workers of West Bengal. The results of such research projects have been able to find a niche in both national and international journals of repute. Almost every year at least two national and four international publications from this laboratory have become a regular trend. Personal protective shoes, shovel, improved harness for hand-cart pullers, hand gloves for jute mill workers, chopper for meat cutters, back pack, hand-saw for carpenters have been designed and awaiting to be patented.

Now a days extensive research work is being carried out in this laboratory in the field of musculoskeletal disorders affecting manual material handling workers, agricultural workers, potters etc. Special emphasis is given on cumulative trauma disorders, repetitive strain injuries among meat cutters, tailors, weavers, typists and VDT operators. Very recently this lab is envisaging research work based on certain biomechanical analysis in relation to varied working postures. In this manner the laboratory is continuing the good work carried out by the predecessors and striving further to attain the zenith of success and glory.