FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
April 1, 2002
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Contact: Stacy Brooks
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American Physiological Society
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301-634-5739
APS Announces Its 2002
Young Investigators Awards
The American Physiological Society (APS) is pleased to announce the
winners of the 2002 Young Investigators Awards. The winners, who hold
academic standing up to the assistant professor level, are APS members who
have demonstrated outstanding promise in one of four fields of physiology.
Monetary prizes are presented to the recipient’s institution on behalf of
the individual to further his/her research program and total almost
$90,000. Awards presentations will be made at the Experimental Biology
meeting in the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center – New Orleans, La., on
April 23, 2002.
2002 Young Investigator Award Winners:
Claudette M. St. Croix, Ph.D. – University of Pittsburgh
The Giles F. Filley Memorial Award in Respiratory Physiology and
Medicine
An award of $25,000 will be made to the University of Pittsburgh’s
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health on Dr. St. Croix’s
behalf. Her research focuses on nitric oxide signal transduction and metal
ion (zinc) homeostasis in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells. Dr. St.
Croix’s specific goals are to investigate how nitric oxide-induced changes
in intracellular zinc affect gene expression and cell survival.
Mai-Lan N. Huynh, M.D. – University of Colorado Health Sciences
Center
The Giles F. Filley Memorial Award in Respiratory Physiology and
Medicine
An award of $25,000 will be made to the University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center on the behalf of Dr. Huynh. She is developing an
animal model to examine what happens when dying cells are scavenged by the
immune system. Dr. Huynh has shown that when dying cells are scavenged, the
transforming growth factor beta-1 is secreted, which resolves inflammation
more quickly. She plans to focus on how this process causes tissue
fibrosis.
Simon C. Malpas, Ph.D. – University of Auckland
The
Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology
An award of $15,000 will be made on Dr. Malpas’ behalf to the University
of Auckland’s Department of Physiology. His ongoing research focuses on the
regulation of blood pressure and the causes of high blood pressure. Dr.
Malpas and his research team have developed a wireless radio transmitter (an
implantable amplifier and telemetry unit) for recording the nerve activity
generated by the brain that controls blood pressure. With the new
amplifier, he hopes to explore why sympathetic activity increases in the
early stage of high blood pressure in some people.
Jeffrey T. Potts, Ph.D – Wayne State University
The
Shih-Chun Wang Young Investigators Award
This $12,000 award recognizes an individual with outstanding promise in
the field of physiological research and will be given on Dr. Potts' behalf
to Wayne State University's School of Medicine. His research examines how
the brain controls blood pressure and breathing. Dr. Potts' laboratory is
currently focusing on cellular mechanisms that alter the excitability of
brain cells located in cardiovascular and respiratory neural networks. This
information will assist with understanding how these neural networks control
blood pressure and breathing, as well as how changes in neural network
activity may be involved in cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
James D. Stockand, Ph.D. – University of Texas, San Antonio
The
Lazaro J. Mandel Young Investigator Award
This $12,000 award recognizes an individual with outstanding promise in
the field of epithelial and renal physiology and will be given on Dr.
Stockand’s behalf to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio. One goal of his research is to increase understanding of blood
pressure control. He is specifically interested in investigating how the
epithelial sodium channel protein is modulated on a cellular and molecular
level. Dr. Stockand’s recent work addressing this simple yet fundamental
question has identified novel portions within this protein that are likely
involved in sodium channel regulation.
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 10,000
professionals in science and medicine.
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