Celebrating 150 years of the Society in Parliament
On 20 October 2026, on the Terrace Pavilion at the Houses of Parliament (London, UK), the Society welcomed guests to enjoy our Physiology Showcase. The event was a special reception celebrating the Society’s 150th anniversary in Parliament. MPs, peers, policymakers, Society members and the wider scientific community gathered for an exhibition of research, where exhibitors demonstrated how physiology is helping to improve the health of people, animals and the planet.
Through recognising the contributions of our members in Parliament, 150 years after the Society was founded, we celebrated not only our history, but also the continuing relevance of our discipline and the people who make it possible.
The evening was hosted by Sam Carling MP, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire and Chair of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee, who took to the stage alongside Chris McDonald MP, Peter Fortune MP, Stephen Benn, Viscount Stansgate, Society President Mike Tipton and Chief Executive Dariel Burdass
“I have witnessed first-hand how the Society and its members seek to advocate for an evidence-based approach to policymaking on issues such as precision medicine, in vivo research, healthy ageing and climate change,” writes Sam in his foreword.
“It is a testament to the breadth of the Society and its members’ research that you have been able to successfully inform policymakers on all these topics and more,” writes Sam, emphasising that each is a complex issue requiring collaboration and rigorous scientific research.
Ensuring the policy landscape is supported by physiological research
The exhibits covered understanding neurodegeneration, physiological resilience, chronic liver disease, drowning prevention, and chronic mountain sickness, to name but a few of the topics researchers engaged policymakers and the scientific community with, hoping to raise awareness of the evidence being generated to inform public health policies and practice.
“The researchers featured here demonstrate both the breadth of modern physiology and the many ways in which research can be translated into meaningful benefits for people and communities,” say Dariel and Mike. “Their work illustrates how physiology can help us understand some of the most pressing health challenges of our time, while providing evidence to inform the decisions that will shape our future.”
Using physiology to improve health and wellbeing
Dariel and Mike write, “We may be a relatively small scientific society, but we are a mighty community, with a proud history and a clear purpose: to ensure that physiological discovery contributes to healthier lives.”
Founded in 1876, the Physiological Society is the world’s oldest organisation dedicated to the science of life and the largest network of physiologists in Europe. “For 150 years, our members have advanced understanding of how living systems function in health and disease, championed scientific excellence and collaboration, and supported generations of physiologists.”
“As we bring our 150th anniversary year to a close, we can look forward with confidence to what physiology, and our community of physiologists, can contribute over the next 150 years. Here is to the next 150 years!” celebrate Dariel and Mike.
Read about the research exhibited, the health challenges each project is hoping to overcome, and the new policies or practices to be developed in the Physiology Showcase booklet.
