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2007 marks the 125th
Anniversary of the appointment of Henry Sewall, as the first full-time
Professor of Physiology at the University of Michigan. Physiology had been
part of the curriculum at the University of Michigan Medical School from its
beginning in 1850. However, physiology as a research discipline at the
University dates back 125 years to when Sewall was hired. To mark the
occasion, John A. Williams, Chair, Department of Molecular & Integrative
Physiology, University of Michigan, and colleagues in the department
organized a celebratory event on September 27-28 to mark the occasion.
In attendance were 23 PhD graduates, including 16 who traveled to Ann Arbor
from out of town and seven who are current postdocs or faculty. Five former
postdocs also came from out of town. Seven former faculty (Dave Dawson, Matt
Kluger, Anita Payne, Jim Ranck, Jim Sherman, Harvey Sparks, and Arthur
Vander) returned to recognize the contributions of the Department to the
University of Michigan. In addition, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm sent a
letter “to congratulate the University of Michigan on the Department of
Physiology’s 125th anniversary.”
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The American
Physiological Society
Proclamation
125 Years of Physiology at the
University of Michigan
September 27, 2007
Whereas, physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues
and organs function to create health or disease;
Whereas, physiology as a science has been in existence at the
University of Michigan since 1882 when Henry Sewell became the first
full time Professor of Physiology;
Whereas, over 230 individuals have been awarded the Ph.D. degree in
physiology at Michigan from the Department;
Whereas, the Department has made important and substantial
contributions to physiological discoveries that have advanced human
and animal health;
Whereas, eleven Presidents of the American Physiological Society
have been associated with the Department and/or the University;
Therefore, we hereby provide our congratulations to the University
of Michigan in honor of the physiological achievements of this
Department and University as they celebrate their 125th Anniversary.
The American Physiological Society
Hannah Carey Martin Frank
APS President Executive Director |
Throughout its 125 year
history, physiologists have been an important part of Medical Education at
the University of Michigan. In 1922, the Department graduated its first PhD
in Physiology and, to date, has awarded 233 PhDs in Physiology. Many of
these graduates, as well as the medical students who worked in the
department, have gone on to be leaders in American medical science. Michigan
Physiologists also played an important role in the founding of the American
Physiological Society and have played a leadership role in the Society
throughout its history. In 2002, the Department’s name was changed to
Molecular & Integrative Physiology to more completely reflect the
Department’s mission. Presently, the Department has over 50 faculty and
about 60 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
To commemorate the Department of Physiology’s 125th Anniversary, a number of
events were planned including a scientific symposium showcasing the
diversity of contemporary physiology. Invited speakers included Kevin
Campbell, Univ. of Iowa; Benita Katzenellenbogen, Univ. of Illinois; Joseph
Takahashi, Northwestern Univ.; and Andrew Marks, Columbia Univ.. The
symposium was followed by a banquet at which Joel D. Howell presented “Some
Reflections on the History of Physiology at Michigan.” In addition, David F.
Bohr, Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, received
the Physiology Lifetime Service Award. Hannah V. Carey, APS President, and
Martin Frank, APS Executive Director, were present at the banquet to present
a Proclamation (see shaded box) to John Williams and the Department. On
Friday, September 28, the Department held a Research Forum with oral and
poster presentations from the graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in
the department. This was followed by alumni leading roundtable discussions
on Careers in Academic Research, Careers in Teaching, and Careers in the
pharmaceutical industry. The festivities concluded with a pubnight
including a band made up in part by alumni and a faculty bagpiper.”
Howell’s banquet talk tracing the history of the Department was enlightening
(and often humorous). He noted that the following individuals have led the
Department over its 125 year existence: 1882–1889: Henry Sewall; 1889–1892:
William Howell; 1892–1923: Warren Lombard; 1923–1954: Robert Gesell;
1956–1978: Horace Davenport; 1979–1986: Jack Kostyo; 1987–present: John
Williams.
As noted in the proclamation, the University of Michigan has played an
important role in the history of the American Physiological Society. To
date, eleven of the Society’s Presidents have been associated with the
department and/or the University. They include: 1905–1910: William H.
Howell; 1919–1920: William Plimpton Lombard; 1949–1950: Carl J. Wiggers;
1951–1952: Ralph W. Gerard; 1961–1962: Horace W. Davenport; 1965–1966: John
M. Brookhart; 1978–1979: David F. Bohr; 1983–1984: Alfred P. Fishman;
1987–1988: Harvey V. Sparks, Jr.; 1996–1997: James A. Schafer; 2003–2004:
John A. Williams.
Readers interested in a partial history of physiology at the University of
Michigan are invited to read Horace Davenport’s article in the 1982 issue of
The Physiologist on “Physiology at the University of Michigan,
1850-1923” [http://www.the-aps.org/pub-lications/tphys/legacy/1982/Physiology_1850-1923.pdf].
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| John Williams
presents the Lifetime Service Award to David Bohr. |
John Williams
accepts the APS Proclamation from Martin Frank and Hannah Carey. |
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