The Institute of Veterinary Physiology dedicates its research and teaching to the recognition and description of life processes in animal species relevant to veterinary medicine.

Physiology, as a branch of medicine, deals with the physical and biochemical processes in cells, tissues and organs with special consideration of the interaction in the organism as a whole. An understanding of the diversity of these life processes in different domestic animals is also important for the future veterinarian. For example, dogs, cattle, pigs and chickens sometimes differ considerably in sub-processes of respiration, digestion or reproduction.

For modern veterinary medicine, it is increasingly important to be able to precisely assign the functions and malfunctions of life processes to individual molecules - such as transport or receptor proteins. This knowledge forms the basis for new approaches in the feeding, breeding or therapy of pets. For example, the pharmacological modulation of relevant molecules by certain feed additives or drugs can influence their function in such a way that diseases can be prevented, cured or pain can be alleviated.

At the Institute of Veterinary Physiology, the molecular basis of epithelial transport, digestion and metabolism is studied in particular.