About “The Dissection Room” Substack

Human dissection is a strange gig.

No matter how you look at it, millions of years worth of evolution has taught us that dead humans are usually dead for a reason, and sticking around to discover why is a great way to join their ranks.

The first few times you take a scalpel to human tissue, the mind is racing with existential questions and moral quandaries.

Smells and strange sounds are everywhere, and at every turn you’re left asking yourself, “what the hell am I doing?”

Over time though, as unbelievable as it may seem, it becomes normal.

The smells aren’t nearly as smelly, and the sounds aren’t nearly as creepy as they once were.

Instead, you find yourself exploring a familiar yet unseen place. With every cut made, you can’t help but let your mind wander to unseen depths of its own.

This Substack is The Dissection Room of my mind. A place where I can put scalpel and scissors to things I find interesting.

About Justin Cottle

Since 2014, I’ve been teaching in both the classroom and lab with the help of fully embalmed (preserved) human cadavers. I’ve taught a wide variety of healthcare professionals, and assisted in some fascinating cadaveric surgeries.

In late 2019, with the blessing of the lab owners, I took the company online and began posting cadaveric based content on TikTok, of all places. It’s not an exaggeration to say that we were an overnight success.

Since then, I’ve helped build the Institute of Human Anatomy social media following to 20 million and growing.

I’m fascinated by creative processes, typically enjoying the story behind success and innovation more than the product or discovery themselves.

At the end of the day though, writing has always been, and always be my true love. While I’m no expert, it’s the one thing I see myself doing til the end of my days.