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Chapter News Ohio Physiological Society Meeting Held at Wright State University |
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The 20th annual meeting of the Ohio
Physiological Society was held on October 27-28 of 2005 at Wright State
University. The meeting began Thursday evening with an anniversary
reception sponsored by the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology &
Physiology, the College of Science & Mathematics and the Boonshoft School
of Medicine. This anniversary celebration allowed the many out of town and
local members to unwind from their busy day, renew acquaintances and meet
the featured speaker. Michele Wheatly, Dean of the College of Science & Mathematics at Wright State University, delivered the welcome address for the meeting. In her address, she told of her own experience in attending a scientific meeting early in her education and how that motivated her toward physiological research. Her message underscored the core motivation for the society’s activities, namely to present recent scientific findings while continually striving to inspire student engagement in research activities. A brief history of the society was presented by Peter Lauf, the first president of OPS, recounting the spirit of the original organizers for starting the society. Several of these 22 founding members were in attendance. In particular, the OPS would serve to enhance and advance the field of physiology including all of molecular, cellular, organ and organismal as well as basic and applied disciplines of research. Lauf also provided highlights from the prior annual meetings as it has traveled to various sites around Ohio over the last 20 years. Celia Sladek, Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the University of Colorado Health Science Center, presented the featured lecture, sponsored by the American Physiological Society. Her lecture was titled, “Cardiovascular regulation of vasopressin secretion: Impact of co-released neurotransmitters and unique signaling cascades,” and provided an understanding of the physiological basis for vasopressin secretion as well as recent research findings concerning the interrelationships among the intracellular signaling events. In addition to her active research program, Sladek has contributed at many levels to the activities of the American Physiological Society. The morning session on Friday, October 28 included presentations by seven investigators from around Ohio. The first group of speakers were Phyllis A. Callahan, Miami University, Oxford, presenting, “Orphanin FQ regulation of prolactin secretion;” David D. Kline, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, presenting, “Homeostatic plasticity in the nucleus tractus solitarius following intermittent hypoxia;” and Kathrin L. Engisch, Wright State University, Dayton, presenting, “Get your adrenaline going: Measuring adrenaline release from single adrenal chromaffin cells.” After a break the second group of speakers were, ZiJian Xie, Medical University of Ohio, Toledo, presenting, “Na/K-ATPase signalosome: The organization and its membership,” J. Gary Meszaros, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, presenting, “Cellular determinants of cardiac remodeling: Focus on fibroblasts and myofibroblasts;” Bryan Mackenzie, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, presenting, “The divalent metal-ion transporter,” and Candice C. Askwith, The Ohio State University, Columbus, presenting, “Acid-sensing ion channels: The connection between pH, peptides and stroke.” The afternoon poster session allowed the 70 attending members of the society to view the 30 submitted abstracts. Many of the poster abstracts were presented by undergraduate students as well as graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members from 12 colleges and universities in Ohio. The exuberant activity at the poster session was evidence of the enthusiasm of all these investigators, regardless of the point in their careers, and may have succeeded in truly inspiring students as had occurred for Wheatly and many of the rest of those in attendance. The brief business meeting began with a thank you to the several sponsors of the meeting, from Wright State University and the APS. A thank you also was given to Norma Adragna for her many years of service as she ended her term as the treasurer for the society. Chris Gillen from Kenyon College was introduced as the president-elect and organizer of the next meeting, and he graciously invited all to come to the 2006 OPS meeting to be held on the campus of Kenyon College in Gambier Ohio on Saturday, November 4, 2006.
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