The Awards Committee�s efforts focus on reviewing applications for six awards: APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics; Research Career Enhancement Award; Teaching Career Enhancement Award; Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology; Shih-Chun Wang Young Investigator Award; and Lazaro J. Mandel Young Investigator Award.

Based on the number of applicants, the APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics is clearly the most attractive as it receives the most applications of all the awards. The number of applications for the APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics was down this year from 30 applications in January 2007 to 24 in January 2008. This represents a 20% decrease in applications from the preceding year.

The number of applications for the RCEA was 11 this spring, which represents an increase from the seven received in the fall of 2007 and the nine received in the spring of 2007. Only one application for the TCEA award was received for the spring 2008 award. This remains consistent with the number of applications received for the TCEA in the fall and spring of 2007. This award continues to attract few applicants.

The Committee tracks the gender distribution of applicants, recipients and the Committee composition. The gender distribution of the applicants for the 2008 APS Postdoctoral Fellowship Award was 50% women (12 women) and 50% men (12 men). The gender distribution of the Award winners was 100% men. The gender distribution of the applicants for the Spring RCEA was 27% women (3 women) and 73% men (8 men). The gender distribution of the Award winners was 20% women (1 woman) and 80% men (4 men). The gender distribution of the applicants and award winners for the Spring TCEA competition was 100% female as one woman applied and was recommended for an award.

The Committee will continue to track this information and discuss ways to increase the number of women applying for awards. The Chair plans to work on this issue with the Women in Physiology Committee.

Review Criteria: Standardized review and scoring criteria are employed for all of the awards. Such standardization makes identification of outstanding applicants grounded on objective and weighted factors, and facilitates the job of the Committee.

Awards Committee Meeting: The APS Awards Committee met at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. At that meeting, the Committee discussed ideas on how to increase the number of applications.  A few changes in the review process were instituted at that meeting and include: shortening the application materials by requesting a four-page NIH-type biosketch rather than a full CV from the Mentor and Applicant; the median of the reviewers� scores will also be calculated in addition to calculating the mean in order to minimize skewing due to outlying scores; each reviewer will have the opportunity to discuss an application and attempt to convince their peers of the applications� merits as long as the application is one of their top ranking three, even if all the other reviewers scored the application poorly; and for the RCEA and TCEA applications, reviewers will now read all of the applications (as long as the numbers of applicants remain roughly 7-12) so that reviewers can select their top three applicants from a larger pool.   

2008 Award Recipients

Postdoctoral Fellowship Award in Physiological Genomics

The Awards Committee received 24 applications for the Postdoctoral Fellowship Award in Physiological Genomics. Applications were generally of exceptional quality. Two Fellowships were awarded this year to: Ralph J. van Oort, PhD, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Sean M. Garvey, PhD, Laboratory of Atherogenesis, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, Univ. of Virginia.

The APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics has been established in recognition of the fact that many advances in genomics ultimately require a functional understanding in the context of the organism, and special training is needed to conduct this type of research. The ideal candidate is one who has completed outstanding work in a top-flight graduate program (e.g., molecular biology, genetics, etc.) and who has the intention of employing organ system approaches during his/her postdoctoral training. Alternatively, a well-trained graduate in integrative physiology might wish to expand his/her work through the use of molecular biological tools and genomics. A central criterion of the postdoctoral project requires the scientist to use the tools of cellular and molecular biology in the setting of the whole animal.

A candidate for this program should identify a laboratory within the United States and a sponsor who is an APS Member in good standing under whose supervision a project in organ system physiology and molecular biology/genomics can be combined. The laboratory host/sponsor must be a member of the American Physiological Society, and it is anticipated that award recipients will join the Society.

The award funds cover a two-year period and include an annual stipend for the first year of $37,000, plus a trainee allowance of $3,500; and a second-year stipend of $39,000, plus a trainee allowance of $3,500. The award does not include an indirect cost reimbursement. Adequate progress must be demonstrated by a written report submitted to the APS following the first year before a second year stipend and trainee allowance can be awarded.

The Research Career Enhancement (RCEA) and Teaching Career Enhancement (TCEA) Awards

For the April 2008 deadline, 11 RCEA and 1 TCEA applications were received. Five RCEA awards were made to: Maureen Basha, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel Univ. College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; Jason R. Carter, Department of Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education, Michigan Technological University, MI; Michael S. Hedrick, Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA; Alexander A. Mongin, Department of Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY; and Thomas H. Reynolds, IV, Department of Exercise Science, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY.

One TCEA award was made to: Reem R. Abraham, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Young Investigator Awards

The APS has three Young Investigator Awards: Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology, Shih-Chun Wang Young Investigator Award, and Lazaro J. Mandel Young Investigator Award. The 2008 due date for these awards is November 1, 2008.