The American Physiological Society is a non-profit
professional society
A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and the ...
for
physiologists
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
. It has nearly 10,000 members, most of whom hold
doctoral degree
A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...
s in
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
, physiology or other health professions.
Its mission is to support
research
Research is " creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
and
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
in the physiological sciences.
The society publishes 16
peer review
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer revie ...
ed journals, sponsors
scientific conferences, and sponsors awards to further this mission.
Governance
Since it was founded in 1887, the APS has had 93 presidents lead the organization, beginning with founder
Henry Bowditch and continuing through its current president,
Linda C. Samuelson.
The APS is governed by an elected Council consisting of the president, the president-elect, the immediate past president, and nine councilors. 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 in Rockville, Maryland. It 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 Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE.
History and activity
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 with 28 members.
Of them, 21 were graduates of
medical schools, but only 12 had studied in institutions that had a professor of
physiology
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
.
The American Physiological Society was founded at a time when very few physiological laboratories existed in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
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 likely 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. There was a conscious effort to ensure the representation of all areas within physiology, encompassing topics as diverse as
neurology
Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...
,
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...
,
ophthalmology
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
,
pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
and
therapeutics
A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis.
As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...
, as well as
plant physiology and
animal biology.
The APS recognizes five physiologists as its founders: Henry Pickering Bowditch,
Silas Weir Mitchell, and
Henry Newell Martin
Henry Newell Martin, FRS (1 July 1848 – 27 October 1896) was a British physiologist and vivisection activist.
Biography
He was born in Newry, County Down, the son of Henry Martin, a Congregational minister. He was educated at University ...
co-signed the original letter to active physiology researchers inviting them to the new society, and
John Green Curtis and
Russell Henry Chittenden
Russell Henry Chittenden (18 February 1856 – 26 December 1943) was an American physiological chemist. He conducted pioneering research in the biochemistry of digestion and nutrition.
Early life and education
He was born in New Haven, Connectic ...
provided early organizational support. The organizational meeting founding the society was held on December 30, 1887, in Curtis' laboratory space at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
and was attended by seventeen people.
The society had 28 founding members.
The first regular meeting of the APS followed in September 1888 in
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
, featuring paper presentations and demonstrations.
In its early days the APS served a young field with relatively few dedicated researchers, so its efforts were oriented toward advancing teaching and research. APS members collaborated to author a textbook of physiology and launched a journal, the ''American Journal of Physiology'', in 1898. As the field of physiology matured, the society expanded in membership.
The modern APS sponsors many awards, including the Horace W. Davenport Distinguished Lecturer, the Walter B. Cannon Award, and Arthur C. Guyton Award, and the Henry Pickering Bowditch award.
The first Hispanic woman to be president was
Patricia E. Molina.
Publications
The American Physiological Society publishes both journals and books as a nonprofit
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
.
There are 16 scholarly,
peer-reviewed journals covering specialized aspects of physiology. Ten of the journals are published twice monthly. All told, APS publishes some 3,100 original peer-reviewed articles annually, totaling approximately 32,000 pages per year.
*''Function''. ''Function'' is an
open access journal that publishes original articles that contribute to defining the mechanistic basis of living systems in health and disease and extending the physiological understanding of biological function.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Cell Physiology'' is dedicated to innovative approaches to the study of
cell
Cell most often refers to:
* Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life
Cell may also refer to:
Locations
* Monastic cell, a small room, hut, or cave in which a religious recluse lives, alternatively the small precursor of a monastery ...
and
molecular physiology
Systems biology is the computational and mathematical analysis and modeling of complex biological systems. It is a biology-based interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on complex interactions within biological systems, using a holistic ap ...
.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism'' publishes original, mechanistic studies on the physiology of
endocrine and
metabolic systems.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology'' publishes original articles pertaining to all aspects of research involving function of the
gastrointestinal tract,
hepatobiliary system
The biliary tract, (biliary tree or biliary system) refers to the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, and how they work together to make, store and secrete bile. Bile consists of water, electrolytes, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and ...
and
pancreas
The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an en ...
.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology'' focuses on the physiology of the
heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to t ...
,
blood vessel
The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon dioxide away ...
s and
lymphatics
The lymphatic vessels (or lymph vessels or lymphatics) are thin-walled vessels (tubes), structured like blood vessels, that carry lymph. As part of the lymphatic system, lymph vessels are complementary to the cardiovascular system. Lymph vessel ...
, including experimental and theoretical studies of
cardiovascular
The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
function at all levels. The current Editor in Chief is
Merry Lindsey
Merry L. Lindsey is an American cardiac physiologist. She is the Stokes-Shackleford Professor and Chair of the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology and the director of the Center for Heart and ...
.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology'' covers molecular, cellular and integrative aspects of normal and abnormal function of cells and components of the
respiratory system
The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies ...
.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology'' highlights regulation and integration of physiological mechanism at all levels of biological organizations, ranging from molecules to humans.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology'' is dedicated to a broad range of subjects relating to the
kidney
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blo ...
,
urinary tract
The urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, c ...
, and their respective cells and
vasculature
The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
.
*''The American Journal of Physiology – Consolidated'' is published in two monthly volumes to include approximately 2,600 articles annually. This journal comprises the seven Journals of the APS described above.
*''Physiological Genomics'' publishes the results of a wide variety of experimental and computational studies from human and model systems to link
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...
s and pathways to physiological functions.
*''Journal of Applied Physiology'' deals with research in applied physiology, especially adaptive and integrative mechanisms.
*''Journal of Neurophysiology'' includes articles on all levels of function of the
nervous system
In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes ...
, from the membrane and cell to systems and behavior.
*''Physiological Reviews'' provides coverage of timely issues in the physiological and biomedical sciences.
*''Physiology'' publishes invited review articles written by leaders in their fields.
*''Advances in Physiology Education'' promotes educational scholarship in order to enhance teaching and learning of physiology,
neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, developme ...
and
pathophysiology.
*''The Physiologist Magazine'', the member
magazine of the American Physiological Society, features articles on Society affairs and announcements, as well as articles of importance to today's physiologist.
*''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.
* ''Physiological Reports'', a collaboration between
The Physiological Society
The Physiological Society, founded in 1876, is a learned society for physiologists in the United Kingdom.
History
The Physiological Society was founded in 1876 as a dining society "for mutual benefit and protection" by a group of 19 physiologis ...
and the American Physiological Society, is an online only, open access journal that publishes peer reviewed research across all areas of basic, translational, and clinical physiology and allied disciplines.
* ''Comprehensive Physiology'' is an online publication that includes complete content from the landmark ''Handbook of Physiology'' series. It is continually expanded through quarterly updates and directed by an editorial advisory board. It is published on behalf of the American Physiological Society by
Wiley-Blackwell
Wiley-Blackwell is an international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons. It was formed by the merger of John Wiley & Sons Global Scientific, Technical, and Medical business with Blackwell Publish ...
.
Sections
Members can affiliate with one of twelve disciplinary sections composed of members that share a common interest. The sections are
Cardiovascular
The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
, Cell and Molecular Physiology, Central Nervous System, Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology,
Endocrinology
Endocrinology (from '' endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental event ...
and Metabolism, Environmental and Exercise Physiology, Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation, Renal Physiology,
Respiration
Respiration may refer to:
Biology
* Cellular respiration, the process in which nutrients are converted into useful energy in a cell
** Anaerobic respiration, cellular respiration without oxygen
** Maintenance respiration, the amount of cellul ...
, 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.
Membership
The APS has a variety of membership categories. 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 degree
An undergraduate degree (also called first degree or simply degree) is a colloquial term for an academic degree earned by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. In the United States, it is usually offered at an institution of higher e ...
that will eventually lead to work in physiology or a related field.
Committees
The American Physiological Society provides its membership with opportunities to be involved with the society through service on its various
committee
A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...
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, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (formerly the Porter Physiology Development and Minority Access to Research Committee), Public Affairs, Publications, Section Advisory, Senior Physiologists, Trainee Advisory, and Women in Physiology.
Meetings
The American Physiological Society sponsors a number of
scientific meeting
An academic conference or scientific conference (also congress, symposium, workshop, or meeting) is an event for researchers (not necessarily academics) to present and discuss their scholarly work. Together with academic or scientific journals a ...
s 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
lecture
A lecture (from Latin ''lēctūra'' “reading” ) 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 infor ...
s, symposia, oral and poster sessions, a placement center, and an exhibit of scientific equipment, supplies, and publications.
References
External links
The American Physiological Society website
{{authority control
Medical and health organizations based in Maryland
Physiology organizations
Organizations established in 1887