American Physiological Society
Encyclopedia
The American Physiological Society (APS; www.the-aps.org) was founded in 1887 with 28 members. Of them, 21 were graduates of medical school
s, but only 12 had studied in schools that had a professor of physiology
. Today, the APS has 10,500 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine
, physiology or other health professions. APS's mission then, as now, is to support research
, education
, and circulation of information in the physiological sciences.
The American Physiological Society was founded at a time when very few physiological laboratories existed in America
and there were few investigators. The newly established society was one of the earliest national disciplinary societies in the sciences, the first society in the biomedical sciences, and the first to require its members to publish original research. The stated object of the Society was to promote the advancement of physiology and to facilitate discourse among American physiologists. Even in 1887 there was a conscious effort to ensure representation of all areas within physiology, encompassing topics as diverse as neurology
, psychology
, ophthalmology
, pathology
and therapeutics, as well as plant physiology
and animal biology
. Today there are a variety of membership categories for those at all interest levels and ages.
, Rochester, MN
. During a similar period, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
has recognized scientists in the field of physiology by awarding the Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine. The first physiologist to receive the award was the Russian Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, who won the coveted award in 1904 "in recognition of his work on the physiology of digestion
, through which knowledge on vital aspects of the subject has been transformed and enlarged."
Americans first won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934. It was for a dazzling cure based on luck and error. Harvard
clinicians George R. Minot and William P. Murphy joined George Whipple
, a Rochester pathologist and, using the wrong animal model, found a cure for pernicious anemia
. Since then, an additional 29 physiologists, 7 of whom were American physiologists, have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on 24 distinct achievements in the field.
(FASEB) in Bethesda, Maryland
. The Society conducts its operations based on a Constitution and Bylaws, as given in the Society's Operational Guide. As a nonprofit
scientific organization, the Society holds tax-exempt status. The organization is managed by Executive Director Martin Frank, PhD., a physiologist by training.
The first 25 years of the APS’s existence were dedicated to the organized effort to advance teaching and research via mutual cooperation. These efforts resulted in a comprehensive textbook
of physiology, authored by 10 members of the APS, as well as the first publication of the American Journal of Physiology
in 1898.
Over the next 25 years, physiology became an established profession. Full-time physiologists were at last considered important members of the faculty of medical schools and biology
departments, and both teaching and research became standard and traditional occupations for physiologists.
Throughout the mid-1900s, there was remarkable expansion within the field of physiology, and especially in research. Research topics expanded along with new types of affordable equipment and research results were expected of every teacher and graduate student.
Since the 1960s, there has been increasingly deep specialization in research and teaching. For example, instead of being recognized as a physiologist, an individual was recognized as a neurophysiologist
or vascular physiologist.
The Society has many awards, including the Horace W. Davenport Distinguished Lecturer, the Walter B. Cannon Award, and Arthur C. Guyton Award.
There are 14 scholarly, peer-reviewed journals covering specialized aspects of physiology. Eleven of the journals are published monthly. All told, APS publishes some 3,800 original peer-reviewed articles annually, totaling approximately 40,000 pages per year.
Each of these journals is published both online and in print unless noted otherwise. The articles published in these journals also appear in scientific web blog
s, on other websites, and in the media nationally.
and Metabolism, Environmental and Exercise Physiology, Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation, Renal Physiology, Respiration
, Teaching of Physiology and Water and Electrolyte
Homeostasis. Each member is asked to designate one primary, and two secondary section affiliations. Sections have their own internal governance.
that will eventually lead to work in physiology or a related field.
s. The Committees are: Animal Care and Experimentation, Awards, Career Opportunities in Physiology, Chapter Advisory Committee, Committee on Committees, Communications, Conferences, Daggs Award, Education, Finance, International Physiology, Joint Program, Physiologists in Industry, Membership, Perkins Memorial Fellowship, Porter Physiology Development, Public Affairs, Publications, Section Advisory, Senior Physiologists, Trainee Advisory, and Women in Physiology.
s, symposia, oral and poster sessions, a placement center, and an exhibit of scientific equipment, supplies, and publications.
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
s, but only 12 had studied in schools that had a professor of physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
. Today, the APS has 10,500 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, physiology or other health professions. APS's mission then, as now, is to support research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, and circulation of information in the physiological sciences.
The American Physiological Society was founded at a time when very few physiological laboratories existed in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and there were few investigators. The newly established society was one of the earliest national disciplinary societies in the sciences, the first society in the biomedical sciences, and the first to require its members to publish original research. The stated object of the Society was to promote the advancement of physiology and to facilitate discourse among American physiologists. Even in 1887 there was a conscious effort to ensure representation of all areas within physiology, encompassing topics as diverse as neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and therapeutics, as well as plant physiology
Plant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
and animal biology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. Today there are a variety of membership categories for those at all interest levels and ages.
Nobel Prizes for Physiology
Since it was founded in 1887, the APS has had 82 presidents lead the organization, beginning with founder Henry Bowditch and continuing through its current president, Gary Sieck, Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
, Rochester, MN
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
. During a similar period, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
has recognized scientists in the field of physiology by awarding the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Physiology or Medicine. The first physiologist to receive the award was the Russian Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, who won the coveted award in 1904 "in recognition of his work on the physiology of digestion
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
, through which knowledge on vital aspects of the subject has been transformed and enlarged."
Americans first won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934. It was for a dazzling cure based on luck and error. Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
clinicians George R. Minot and William P. Murphy joined George Whipple
George Whipple
George Hoyt Whipple was an American physician, pathologist, biomedical researcher, and medical school educator and administrator...
, a Rochester pathologist and, using the wrong animal model, found a cure for pernicious anemia
Pernicious anemia
Pernicious anemia is one of many types of the larger family of megaloblastic anemias...
. Since then, an additional 29 physiologists, 7 of whom were American physiologists, have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on 24 distinct achievements in the field.
APS Governance
The APS is governed by an elected Council consisting of the President, the President-Elect, the immediate Past President, and nine Councillors. Management of the affairs of the Society is the responsibility of a full-time Executive Director, appointed by and responsible to the Council. The Society maintains a staff and offices on the campus of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental BiologyFederation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, abbreviated FASEB, is a non-profit organization that is the principal umbrella organization of U.S. societies in the field of biological and medical research. FASEB organizes academic conferences and publishes scientific literature...
(FASEB) in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. The Society conducts its operations based on a Constitution and Bylaws, as given in the Society's Operational Guide. As a nonprofit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
scientific organization, the Society holds tax-exempt status. The organization is managed by Executive Director Martin Frank, PhD., a physiologist by training.
APS History & Activity
The first regular meeting of the APS at which papers and demonstrations were presented was held in Washington, DC, in September 1888 in conjunction with the newly formed Congress of American Physicians and Surgeons.The first 25 years of the APS’s existence were dedicated to the organized effort to advance teaching and research via mutual cooperation. These efforts resulted in a comprehensive textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
of physiology, authored by 10 members of the APS, as well as the first publication of the American Journal of Physiology
American Journal of Physiology
The American Journal of Physiology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal on physiology published by the American Physiological Society.Vols...
in 1898.
Over the next 25 years, physiology became an established profession. Full-time physiologists were at last considered important members of the faculty of medical schools and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
departments, and both teaching and research became standard and traditional occupations for physiologists.
Throughout the mid-1900s, there was remarkable expansion within the field of physiology, and especially in research. Research topics expanded along with new types of affordable equipment and research results were expected of every teacher and graduate student.
Since the 1960s, there has been increasingly deep specialization in research and teaching. For example, instead of being recognized as a physiologist, an individual was recognized as a neurophysiologist
Neurophysiology
Neurophysiology is a part of physiology. Neurophysiology is the study of nervous system function...
or vascular physiologist.
The Society has many awards, including the Horace W. Davenport Distinguished Lecturer, the Walter B. Cannon Award, and Arthur C. Guyton Award.
APS Peer-Reviewed Journals & Publications
The American Physiological Society publishes both journals and books as a nonprofit publisher. The APS publications are among the most respected and frequently cited in the world.There are 14 scholarly, peer-reviewed journals covering specialized aspects of physiology. Eleven of the journals are published monthly. All told, APS publishes some 3,800 original peer-reviewed articles annually, totaling approximately 40,000 pages per year.
- The American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology is dedicated to innovative approaches to the study of cellCell physiologyCell physiology is the biological study of the cell's mechanism and interaction in its environment. The term "physiology" refers to all the normal functions that take place in a living organism. Absorption of water by roots, production of food in the leaves, and growth of shoots towards light are...
and molecular physiology. Contributions that use cellular and molecular approaches to shed light on mechanisms of physiological control at higher levels of organization also appear regularly. - The American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism publishes original, mechanistic studies on the physiology of endocrineEndocrine systemIn physiology, the endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body. The endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals using ducts. It derives from the Greek words "endo"...
and metabolicMetabolismMetabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
systems. Molecular, subcellular and cellular studies in whole animals or humans; and novel molecular, immunological or biophysical studies of hormoneHormoneA hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
action are also featured. - The American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology publishes original articles pertaining to all aspects of research involving normal or abnormal function of the gastrointestinal tractGastrointestinal tractThe human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
, hepatobiliary systemHepatobiliary systemThis refers to the liver, gall bladder and bile ducts, and how they work together to make bile. Bile consists of water, electrolytes, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and conjugated bilirubin. Some components are synthesised by liver cells, the rest are extracted from the blood by the...
and pancreasPancreasThe pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist...
. - The American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology focuses on the physiology of the heartHeartThe heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
, blood vesselBlood vesselThe blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...
s and lymphatics, including experimental and theoretical studies of cardiovascular function at all levels of organization ranging from the intact animal to the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels. - The American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology covers the broad scope of molecular, cellular and integrative aspects of normal and abnormal function of cells and components of the respiratory systemRespiratory systemThe respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
. Articles pertaining to translational physiology, bridging the gap between physiology and patient care, also appear in this journal. - The American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology highlights normal or abnormal regulation and integration of physiological mechanism at all levels of biological organizations, ranging from molecules to humans. Major areas of emphasis include regulation in genetically modified animals, the use of model organismModel organismA model organism is a non-human species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the organism model will provide insight into the workings of other organisms. Model organisms are in vivo models and are widely used to...
s and comparative functional genomicsFunctional genomicsFunctional genomics is a field of molecular biology that attempts to make use of the vast wealth of data produced by genomic projects to describe gene functions and interactions...
. Papers on regulation, integration and homeostasisHomeostasisHomeostasis is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties like temperature or pH...
in health and disease are the focus of this journal. - The American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology is dedicated to a broad range of subjects relating to the kidneyKidneyThe kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
, urinary tract, and their respective cells and vasculature, as well as the control of body fluid volume and composition. Papers on the pathophysiological basis of diseases processes of these organs, and regulation of body fluids appear regularly. - The American Journal of Physiology - Consolidated; Phsyiological Genomic is published in two monthly volumes to include approximately 2,600 articles annually. This journal comprises the seven Journals of the APS described above.
- Journal of Applied Physiology deals with diverse areas of research in applied physiology, especially adaptive and integrative mechanisms. Adaptive physiology includes 1) inherent adaptations such as those related to development, aging, and pathophysiological conditions and 2) adaptations to the external environment such as those occurring with exercise, microgravity, hypoxiaHypoxia (medical)Hypoxia, or hypoxiation, is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Variations in arterial oxygen concentrations can be part of the normal physiology, for example, during strenuous physical exercise...
, hypo- and hyperbaria, and hypo- and hyperthermic conditions. Integrative physiology includes 1) horizontal integration across organ systems and 2) vertical integration from molecule to cell to organ. - Journal of Neurophysiology includes articles on all levels of function of the nervous systemNervous systemThe nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
, from the membrane and cell to systems and behavior. - Physiological Reviews provides state of the art coverage of timely issues in the physiological and biomedical sciences. Topics are covered in a broad and comprehensive manner, and the articles are very useful in teaching and research, as they provide clearly written updates on important new developments.
- Physiology publishes invited review articles written by leaders in their fields. The journal also publishes shorter articles that present important emerging topics and technologies or differing points of view. It also highlights and summarizes some of the most exciting new papers in physiology.
- Advances in Physiology Education promotes and disseminates educational scholarship in order to enhance teaching and learning of physiology, neuroscienceNeuroscienceNeuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
and pathophysiologyPathophysiologyPathophysiology is the study of the changes of normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions, either caused by a disease, or resulting from an abnormal syndrome...
. It includes peer-reviewed descriptions of innovations that improve teaching in the classroom and laboratory, essays on education, and review articles based on our current understanding of physiological mechanisms. - The Physiologist, the newsletterNewsletterA newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
of the American Physiological Society, features articles on Society affairs and announcements, as well as articles of importance to today’s physiology. - APS Legacy Content goes back to the first issue of each of the APS journals from 1898 to 1996-1998, depending on the journal. It includes APS’s first journal in 1898, the American Journal of Physiology, and is available online only.
Each of these journals is published both online and in print unless noted otherwise. The articles published in these journals also appear in scientific web blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s, on other websites, and in the media nationally.
APS Sections
Members can affiliate with one of twelve disciplinary sections composed of members that share a common interest. The sections are Cardiovascular, Cell and Molecular Physiology, Central Nervous System, Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology, EndocrinologyEndocrinology
Endocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
and Metabolism, Environmental and Exercise Physiology, Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation, Renal Physiology, Respiration
Respiration (physiology)
'In physiology, respiration is defined as the transport of oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues, and the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction...
, Teaching of Physiology and Water and Electrolyte
Electrolyte
In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
Homeostasis. Each member is asked to designate one primary, and two secondary section affiliations. Sections have their own internal governance.
APS Membership
The APS has a variety of membership categories to accommodate all interest levels. Regular membership is for individuals conducting original research in physiology. Affiliate membership is for individuals interested in physiology but without the evidence of scholarly work. Graduate Student membership is for any student engaged in physiological work that will culminate in a doctoral degree. Undergraduate Student membership is for individuals working toward an undergraduate degreeUndergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree taken by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. It is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a university...
that will eventually lead to work in physiology or a related field.
APS Committees
The American Physiological Society provides its membership with opportunities to be involved with the Society through service on its various committeeCommittee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
s. The Committees are: Animal Care and Experimentation, Awards, Career Opportunities in Physiology, Chapter Advisory Committee, Committee on Committees, Communications, Conferences, Daggs Award, Education, Finance, International Physiology, Joint Program, Physiologists in Industry, Membership, Perkins Memorial Fellowship, Porter Physiology Development, Public Affairs, Publications, Section Advisory, Senior Physiologists, Trainee Advisory, and Women in Physiology.
APS Meetings
The American Physiological Society sponsors a number of scientific meetings each year. Experimental Biology, the APS annual meeting, is conducted jointly with other FASEB member societies. In addition to its annual meeting, specialized APS Conferences are held throughout the year and focus on designated areas of physiological research. The spring annual meeting, Experimental Biology, is convened jointly with other biomedical societies. This multi-society interdisciplinary, biomedical, and scientific meeting features plenary and award lectureLecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
s, symposia, oral and poster sessions, a placement center, and an exhibit of scientific equipment, supplies, and publications.