The team behind this book were brought together by their connection to a single remarkable place the dissection facilities of the Human Anatomy Teaching Group at the Department of Physiology Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Here anatomy is taught through human cadaveric dissection & applied anatomy sessions to first & second year medical students Today's undergraduates benefit from a rich heritage of anatomical teaching & learning in Cambridge 2016 marks the 300th anniversary of the establishment of the first Anatomical School at the University whilst dissection within the Cambridge colleges dates back to the first half of the sixteenth century Cambridge is one of a decreasing number of medical schools where undergraduates learn anatomy primarily through hands-on dissection Our programme would not be possible without the unparalleled generosity of those who donate their bodies for anatomical teaching & research Students' experiences of dissection remain with them throughout their medical careers shaping their interactions with patients Not only do they acquire a detailed understanding of the structure of the human body along with anatomical variations but a dissection-based teaching programme also encourages the development of other key professional skills such as respect & empathy teamwork & communication haptic discrimination & manual dexterity This book is therefore both a tribute both to the remarkable altruism of our donors to whom we are indebted & to the significant difference that good anatomical knowledge makes to patient care This book was originally conceived to help students navigate the perplexing language of anatomy especially for those who have not previously studied Latin or Greek However we quickly realised the potential of an illustrated guide as an aid for all students learning the structure & function of the human body as well as its likely appeal to a wider public Together the authors bring to the project a range of expertise in fields encompassing surgery history linguistics medical illustration & of course human anatomy