FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2003
Contact: Stacy Brooks
American Physiological Society
301-634-7253
sbrooks@the-aps.org
APS Announces Its
2003 Young Investigators Awards
The American Physiological Society (APS) is pleased to announce the
winners of the 2003 Young Investigators Awards. The awardees, who hold
academic standing up to the assistant professor level, are APS members who
have demonstrated outstanding promise in the field of physiology. Monetary
prizes are presented to the recipient’s institution on behalf of the
individual to further his/her research program and more than $62,000.
Awards presentations were made at the APS annual meeting in April.
2003 Young Investigator Award Winners:
Hunter Clay Champion, M.D., Ph.D. – Johns Hopkins University
The Giles F. Filley Memorial Award in Respiratory Physiology and Medicine
An award of $20,000 will be made to the Johns Hopkins University’s
Department of Cardiology on Dr. Champion’s behalf.
His research focuses on the effects of arginase,
the breakdown of the amino acid arginine, and its role in the function of
the lungs and in lung disease. Arginine is either processed by arginase or
nitric oxide, which can damage lung tissue when overproduced. Dr.
Champion's lab studies whether arginase, which increases in conditions of
pulmonary stress, may protect cells that would otherwise be damaged by
nitric oxide.
Peter Lloyd Jones, Ph.D. – University of Colorado
The Giles F. Filley Memorial Award in Respiratory Physiology and Medicine
An award of $20,000 will be made to the University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center on the behalf of Dr. Jones. His research focuses on
the role of the cellular microenvironment in lung vascular development and
disease. Dr. Jones has shown how a protein called tenascin-C, which
increases with pulmonary vascular disease, promotes the production of
pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells. The current aim of his lab is to
determine how tenascin-C is turned on and off. These studies will
ultimately result in the development of new therapies for the treatment of
pulmonary hypertension and emphysema.
John P. Collister, D.V.M., Ph.D. – University of Minnesota
The Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology
An award of $15,000 will be made on Dr. Collister’s behalf to the
University of Minnesota’s Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. His
research focuses on the long-term control of blood pressure, specifically
the interaction and conduct of certain circulating hormones at specific
sites in the brain involved with cardiovascular regulation. Changes in
dietary salt intake can alter levels of these hormones, which can then
influence blood pressure. Dr. Collister’s lab examines these pathways to
find a more complete understanding of long-term blood pressure regulation
and the mechanisms of high blood pressure in certain individuals.
Lori A. Birder, Ph.D. – University of Pittsburgh
The Lazaro J. Mandel Young Investigator Award
This $7,500 award recognizes an individual with outstanding promise in
the field of epithelial and renal physiology and will be given on Dr.
Birder’s behalf to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her
research focuses on how urothelial cells (which line the urinary bladder
lumen) may play an active role in lower urinary tract function. Dr.
Birder's laboratory is currently focusing on the identification of
functional receptors and ion channels in these cells. Understanding the
mechanisms contributing to urothelial interactions may provide important
insights into targets for new therapies for the clinical management of lower
urinary tract disorders.
For more information on the APS or the Young Investigator Awards, go to
http://www.the-aps.org/awards/awd_society.htm or contact Stacy Brooks at
301-634-7253 or
sbrooks@the-aps.org.
The American Physiological Society is a professional scientific
membership organization devoted to fostering scientific research, education,
and the dissemination of scientific information. The APS supports a variety
of educational activities including programs and fellowships to encourage
the development of young scientists at the undergraduate and graduate
levels, with a particular focus on women and underrepresented minorities.
Founded in 1887, the Society’s membership includes more than 11,000
professionals in science and medicine.
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