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Who is Martin Frank?
Martin Frank was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 22, 1947. As he grew up, he was curious about everything around him worked. Because of that he started to plan science experiments and to take part in science fairs in school. He also got to know his family doctor who would come by his house to check on anyone who was sick.
Golf Pays
He liked science but decided to study physiology specifically because of a class he took. Dr. F. R. Steggerda taught a laboratory on cardiovascular physiology (the heart and blood vessels and how they work) using dogs. No matter how often the teacher saw the live heart respond to a drug by beating faster or slower, it was as if it was the first time he had ever seen it. It was that teacher’s excitement that made Martin want to study physiology. He finished his studies at the university and graduated in 1969. Martin decided that in order to do the type of work he wanted, he would need to go back to school and get a PhD degree. He decided to stay at the same university because he was interested in the types of experiments they were doing there. While in graduate school, he learned even more physiology and was able to think of experiments he wanted to do. He worked on those experiments for 4 years and then got his doctoral degree in 1973. Dr. Frank then needed to find a postdoctoral (after doctoral degree) job. This would be a temporary 2- or 3-year position that would allow him to do more of his own experiments but with another person so that he would learn other ways to do experiments or more specialized experiments. For his initial postdoctoral position, he chose to go to the Michigan Cancer Foundation, Detroit. This was followed by a second postdoctoral position at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. Then it was time to look for a job where he would have his own laboratory and do his own research. Dr. Frank decided to move to Washington, DC where he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology at the George Washington University Medical School. He looked forward to a life as an “absent-minded professor” who rode his bike to his laboratory each day and initiated scores of eager students into the mysteries of physiology. How Life Can ChangeHowever, life had other plans for Dr. Frank. Because he was in Washington, DC, he saw how the government worked and how people decided what science to fund. After 3 years at GWU, he decided to work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he could help scientists get grants from the government to do their research. He worked as the Executive Secretary for the Physiology Study Section. The Physiology Study Section was a group of scientists that get together several times a year to read applications from other scientists who would like more money to fund their physiology research. His job was to make sure that all the grant applications were treated fairly and that everyone had a chance at getting the money. He also worked with other people around NIH to learn how other parts of the organization did things. That turned out to be very helpful for him in future years. It was in 1985 that Dr. Frank accepted a new challenge – Executive Director of The American Physiological Society (APS). APS was started in 1887 to promote physiology and is the oldest biomedical sciences research society in America. Anyone who studies physiology can join the Society. Dr. Frank has helped the Society grow from an organization comprised of 6,000 members in 1985 to one of over 10,000 members at present. APS has over 70 employees who work to ensure the success of programs developed for the membership. He works with the members who have been elected President or to the governing Council and with the members who have been selected to lead various committees. He has to make sure that the 14 journals that the Society publishes have the best articles and that they come out on time; that the APS meetings show the best physiological research and allow scientists to talk with each other; that the members and the general public learn about careers in physiology, the best ways to teach physiology, and new research going on in physiology; and dealing with the government to make sure there is enough money for members to do the research that is needed to move physiology forward. Free TimeMartin spends the few hours of spare time he has mainly with his family. While his past hobbies included his other life as “Jelly Bean” the clown and performing for sick children at the NIH Clinical Center, he has had to put that life on hold until he has more time in the future. He also dreams of joining the Senior Golf Tour and tries to practice his golf game on sunny days when he can.
The Excitement of Studying Physiology
For students thinking about studying physiology, Dr. Frank encourages studying the sciences, including not just biology but also genetics and chemistry, so that you understand how the basic elements work, as well as how animals function. That way you will be ready to study physiology in more detail when you get to high school and college.
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