When the Iowa Physiological Society (IPS) meets on November 1 and 2, the chapter of the American Physiological Society promises a pair of days packed with sessions on a variety of topics including asthma, seizures, cardiovascular issues in infants, cannabis as a treatment for multiple sclerosis, and how the #MeToo movement impacts STEM fields.
But the sessions will begin with a special award presentation. Mark Chapleau, PhD, will receive the 2019 IPS Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of a career devoted to science and to the professional society. Chapleau is Professor of Internal Medicine in Cardiovascular Medicine and of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. He has gained national and international recognition for his work on the neural control of hypertension, the highest risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
After completing two bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Zoology at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater and Milwaukee, respectively, and a PhD in Physiology at Louisiana State, Chapleau came to Iowa City for his postdoctoral training. He has remained a Hawkeye ever since. In his research, Chapleau has characterized the molecules and genetic determinants of the nerve activity of arterial sensory nerve receptors called baroreceptors. These are powerful regulators of the autonomic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system that can reduce cardiovascular mortality. Chapleau also holds US and international patents related to the use of angiotensin peptides in the treatment of muscular dystrophy and heart failure.
His contributions to the profession are as numerous as his publications. He has served as President of the IPS as well as the American Autonomic Society. He has served on the editorial boards of some of the highest-impact, peer reviewed journals in the specialty, including the American Journal of Physiology, Hypertension, and Clinical Autonomic Research. He is currently deputy editor-in-chief of Experimental Physiology. Two years ago he was awarded the Outstanding Mentor in Basic Science Research by the Carver College of Medicine Summer Research Fellowship Program.
François Abboud, MD, professor, emeritus chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and emeritus director of the Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, sent the following:
My close scientific association with Dr. Chapleau for over 34 years has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my academic career. His devotion to the team spirit, his sincere friendship, his love of teaching and mentoring, and his rigor and uncompromising pursuit of excellence in science makes his Lifetime Achievement Award symbolic of what the mission of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Iowa has been.
Following the presentation of the award by Resna Sabharwal, MS, PhD, research assistant professor in Cardiovascular Medicine, Chapleau will present a lecture to the IPS titled “The Baroreceptor Reflex from Sensors to Sympathetics–a Historical and Personal Perspective.” Registration for the event is still open, as is a Call for Abstracts, which closes at 10 a.m. on October 24.