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APS News |
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Introducing David P. Brooks |
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Brooks is currently Vice President of Cardiovascular and Urogenital Biology at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals in King of Prussia, PA. He received his BS degree in Physiology from Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, before going to Southampton University, UK, where he obtained an MS degree in Biochemical Pharmacology and a PhD in Physiology. He then moved to the University of Hawaii, School of Medicine and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu to do a Postdoctoral Fellowship with John R. Claybaugh. After working two years with Claybaugh on the regulation of vasopressin secretion and the role of vasopressin in high altitude sickness, Brooks became an Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Tennessee, School of Medicine in Memphis, TN. There, he worked with Leonard Share conducting further studies on the control of vasopressin secretion and the role of vasopressin in hypertension. In 1986, Brooks joined the Renal Pharmacology Department at Smith Kline & French Pharmaceuticals. During the last 20 years at Smith Kline & French, SmithKline Beecham and GlaxoSmithKline, his research interests have included the discovery and development of agents to treat cardiovascular diseases, especially progressive renal disease, hypertension and heart failure. Recently, he has also been studying the mechanisms involved in preeclampsia and preterm labor. As Chair of the Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section, Brooks plans to continue the excellent momentum provided by Joey P. Granger and the Steering Committee in strengthening the Section. In particular, this will involve working with Michael W. Brands, the Joint Program Committee Representative, in putting together a strong and exciting group of symposia, feature topics, and poster sessions at Experimental Biology in order to continue to attract the high caliber science that we have become accustomed to. This is not always easy given the various research interests of our section members, which include the control of salt and water excretion; neurohumoral control of cardiovascular and renal function; hypertension; developmental physiology and pregnancy; neurohypophyseal hormones; and obesity and diabetes. In addition, Brands and the Secretary/Treasurer, Jennifer S. Pollock, are working to put together an awards symposium for trainees. The programming at Experimental Biology has been strengthened by having some outstanding presentations from our Ernest H. Starling Distinguished Lecturers and New Investigator Awardees in Regulatory and Integrative Physiology. It was with great pleasure that one of Brooks’ first responsibilities as Chair of the WEH Section was to invite Dr. Pedro A. Jose to be the 2007 Ernest H. Starling Distinguished Lecturer. Manuscripts from these presentations, as well as from the New Investigator presentations, have been published in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory and Integrative Physiology where much of the research conducted by the WEH Section members is presented. The Editor, Pontus B. Persson, an ex-officio member of the Steering Committee, has been instrumental in maintaining the strong relationship between the Journal and the Section. As Chair, Brooks is committed to ensuring that the Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section continues its tradition of having its members play an active and visible role in the American Physiological Society. The Section has provided the Society with a number of its leaders and with the help of Committee on Committees Representative, Jane F. Reckelhoff, continues to encourage its section members to be involved in APS committees, programming and other APS initiatives. In particular, Brooks wishes to continue the commitment to aid younger members of the Society to become active. Thus, in recent years, some of the newer members of the Steering Committee, Christine G. Schnackenberg, our Liaison with Industry Committee Representative, David L. Mattson, Magdalena Alonso-Galicia, our Councilors, and Sean D. Stocker, our Trainee Member, have served as the Section’s Awards Committee. Information on the WEH Section can be found on the APS website. This includes the Section’s newsletters that provides a list of the Steering Committee Members and their contact information, programming notes, announcements of awards and information on the Business Meeting Luncheon, an extremely popular and well attended event that occurs annually at the EB meeting. |
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