2009 Awards Committee Report

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 2008 APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics was 24, which is 12 more than received in 2007, but similar to the number of applications received in January 2006 (25 applicants).

The number of applications received for the Research Career Enhancement Awards (RCEA) continues to be greater in the spring than in the fall. There were 11 applicants in the spring of 2008, which is five more than the six received for the fall deadline.

The Teaching Career Enhancement Award (TCEA) continues to receive the fewest number of applications. There was one application in the spring of 2008 and none in the fall, which is similar to the number of TCEA applicants in 2007 and 2006. In general, there were more applicants applying for the named awards in 2008 compared to 2007. Five individuals applied for the Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology compared to one application in 2007.

Five applications were received for the Lazaro J. Mandel award and seven for the Shih-Chun Wang award. In 2007, only three applicants applied for the Mandel and seven for the Wang award.

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 RCEA was 35% women and 65% men. The gender distribution of the award winners was 25% women (two women) and 75% men. For the 2008 TCEA competition, one woman applied and was recommended for this award.

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. In 2008, grant applications were initially reviewed either by the whole committee or by assigned reviewers.

Scores were submitted online where they were tabulated by the APS Executive Office and distributed to the Committee in advance of the conference call. At the beginning of the conference call, applications were triaged that were deemed not competitive based on their average and median scores, the number of awards available and their ranking by individual reviewers. After an application was discussed, all participating committee members re-scored the application and submitted their scores, the scores were re-tabulated, and the award recipients were identified.

The APS Awards Committee met at the EB09 meeting. During this meeting, the Committee discussed ideas on how to increase the number of applications and how to improve the review procedure. A few changes in the review process were discussed at that meeting and include: finding a way to ensure that a four-page NIH-type bio-sketch rather than a full CV from the mentor and/or applicant are submitted in the application; calculating the median of reviewers� scores and determining reviewer ranking order; allowing each reviewer the opportunity to discuss their top three ranked candidates; and having all reviewers read all of the RCEA and TCEA applications and a subgroup of reviewers read all of the applications for a specific named award (e.g., Wang Award).

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, with six out of 24 achieving average scores less than 2.0. The Committee recommended awarding two fellowships this year, and Council supported this recommendation. The recipients were Ralph J. van Ort, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; and Sean M. Garvey, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville.

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. [Assays and/or analyses can be performed in vitro on material harvested from control and experimental animals, but material cannot solely be harvested and then exposed to the control and experimental conditions in vitro].

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 $36,000, plus a trainee allowance of $3,500; and a second-year stipend of $38,000, 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 Spring Research Career Enhancement (RCEA) and Teaching Career Enhancement (TCEA) Awards: For the April 2008 deadline, 11 RCEA and one TCEA applications were received. The Awards Committee recommended funding five RCEA awards of approximately $4,000 each to Maureen Basha, Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA; Jason R. Carter, Michigan Technological Univ.; Michael S. Hedrick, California State University, East Bay, Hayward; Alexander A. Mongin, Albany Medical College, NY; and Thomas H. Reynolds, IV, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY. One TCEA award was offered to Reem R. Abraham, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Karnataka, India.

The Fall Research Career Enhancement (RCEA) and Teaching Career Enhancement (TCEA) Awards: For the September 2008 deadline, six RCEA applications were received. The Awards Committee recommended funding three RCEA awards of approximately $4,000 each to Philip Clifford, Medical College of Wisconsin, Madison; Ann Theresa Hanna-Mitchell, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA; and Jason Vescovi, York Univ., Toronto, Ontario.

No applications for the TCEA award were submitted.

Young Investigator Awards: The APS has three Young Investigator Awards: the Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology; Lazaro J. Mandel Young Investigator Award; and, Shih-Chun Wang Young Investigator Award.

The Awards Committee received five applications for Arthur C. Guyton Award. The recipient was Kevin D. Hall, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Five applications for the Lazaro J. Mandel Award were received. The recipient was Kenneth R. Hallows, Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA. The Awards Committee received seven applications for the Shih-Chun Wang Award. The recipient was Paul Fadel, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia.