HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

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. 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 '' ...
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 A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
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 school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, ...
s, 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 chemic ...
. 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 Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
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 Biomedicine (also referred to as Western medicine, mainstream medicine or conventional medicine)
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
physiologist 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 chemica ...
s. 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 science, scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immens ...
,
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 me ...
,
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, as well as
plant physiology Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology (structure of plants), plant ecology (interactions with the environment), phytochemistry (b ...
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 ...
co-signed the original letter to active physiology researchers inviting them to the new society, and
John Green Curtis John Green Curtis (October 29, 1844 – September 21, 1913) was an American physiologist who spent most of his career at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Curtis was one of the founding members of the American Physiolo ...
and Russell Henry Chittenden 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 Morg ...
, 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 journal An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and ...
s 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 Open access (OA) is a set of principles and a range of practices through which research outputs are distributed online, free of access charges or other barriers. With open access strictly defined (according to the 2001 definition), or libre op ...
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 and molecular physiology. *''The American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism'' publishes original, mechanistic studies on the physiology of
endocrine The endocrine system is a messenger system comprising feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. In vertebrates, the hypothalamus is the neur ...
and
metabolic Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cell ...
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 The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...
,
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 co ...
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 ...
. *''The American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology'' focuses on the physiology of the
heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), 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 ca ...
,
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 awa ...
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. *''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 g ...
. *''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 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 science, scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a Multidisciplinary approach, multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, an ...
and
pathophysiology Pathophysiology ( physiopathology) – a convergence of pathology with physiology – is the study of the disordered physiological processes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with a disease or injury. Pathology is ...
. *''The Physiologist Magazine'', the member
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
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 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, Teaching of Physiology and Water and
Electrolyte An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. Upon ...
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 an ...
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