Category: Kinesiology & Applied Physiology
A legacy in anatomy
April 27, 2026 Written by Amy Cherry | Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson
Barlow-Rose Center honors UD professors who shaped anatomy and physiology education
When David Barlow first arrived at the University of Delaware in 1973, there was no anatomy lab. He was teaching anatomy and physiology with plastic models.
“I knew that teaching anatomy would be more effective if we had the real thing,” he said.
He obtained a few cadavers from A.I. duPont Hospital for Children’s small anatomy lab. He moved them into the UD’s first anatomy lab – a former computer lab across from the pool in the Carpenter Sports Building.
Barlow never imagined that decades later he’d be teaching in what is now one of the country’s leading anatomy labs on UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus, and that in the years after retirement, a center for anatomy and physiology education would bear his name.
On Thursday, April 9, the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology (KAAP) unveiled a sign on the second floor of the Health Sciences Complex naming the Barlow-Rose Center for Anatomy & Physiology Education in honor of former Department Chair and Professor Emeritus Dave Barlow and Professor Emeritus William Rose.
Rose joined KAAP as the department expanded its undergraduate anatomy and physiology class to a two-semester course, serving as the primary instructor until his retirement. He transformed the courses and was beloved by students. Rose was dedicated to giving his students the best learning experience by integrating new activities into the lab, such as bovine heart dissections.
“We are pleased to name the Center for Anatomy and Physiology Education after Drs. Barlow and Rose. The Barlow-Rose Center will continue to support cutting-edge education for the next generation of health sciences professionals while honoring the important legacy that Dave Barlow and Bill Rose have left on the University and our students,” said Dave Edwards, professor and chair of the KAAP Department.
Edwards gathered with Interim Provost Bill Farquhar, College of Health Sciences (CHS) Interim Dean Jillian Trabulsi, faculty and alumni for the celebration.
“This naming recognizes decades of growth in UD’s anatomy and physiology courses, which Barlow and Rose helped build from humble beginnings using plastinated teaching models to today’s immersive, hands-on learning with cadaver dissection and advanced 3D virtual anatomy tables,” Trabulsi said.
Building on their legacy, KAAP’s A&P courses continue to prepare thousands of students for a wide range of health professions, including medicine, athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and dentistry.
“My goal was always to provide high-quality learning opportunities for students, and we have hundreds of graduates who are practicing medicine and other health professions in Delaware and beyond – and that’s the hallmark of a great program,” Barlow said.
Rose added, “It shows that I made a difference in my years of teaching and that I had an impact on a lot of students.”
Rose recognized Barlow as an innovator in the field for creating early plastinated models that advanced the profession and the quality of teaching. Barlow is also credited with creating the Functional Human Anatomy course, which gives undergraduate students a rare opportunity to learn in UD’s Human Anatomy Lab. The rigorous course always had a mile-long waiting list.
“We have a top-tier facility. UD students have sound preparation in anatomy, and it gives them a leg up in professional school,” Barlow said.
Another factor that sets UD’s anatomy and physiology program apart is its high-caliber educators.
With Barlow’s retirement, the Functional Human Anatomy course is now taught by Saskia Richter and Nikki Yates, whose backgrounds in athletic training and anatomy combine to provide students with a unique perspective.
“The students love it. UD has excelled at attracting excellent, energetic faculty who love the work. I loved it; Dave certainly loved it, and that tradition continues,” said Rose, who continues to help in KAAP labs even in retirement.
“I had a lot of opportunities to go elsewhere, but Delaware was always the best place to be – there’s no question about it,” said Barlow, who encouraged the next generation of health professionals to take advantage of UD’s facilities and opportunities.
He also hopes they’ll continue to give back.
“As our students grow and flourish in their careers and even approach retirement, hopefully, they’ll remember UD’s College of Health Sciences and their experiences in the Human Anatomy Lab as formative years that helped them prosper,” Barlow said.
This I Heart UD Giving Day, April 29, support cutting-edge anatomy and physiology education at the University of Delaware through the Barlow-Rose Center for Anatomy and Physiology Education, named in honor of Dr. David Barlow and Dr. William Rose.
