https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.92.46

Philippe Ascher

Philippe Ascher graduated from Université de Paris in 1957 with a BA in Biology, earned a DSc in Natural Sciences in 1965 at the same institution, became a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institut Marey, Paris, 1965-1968. He was Visiting Scientist at Cambridge University, 1968-1969, and at St George’s Hospital, 1976-1977, Professor at Universités Paris VI & Paris VII, 1970-2004, and Director of the Department of Biology at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, 1991-2001. He was an Editor of The Journal of Physiology from 1977 to 1985. He currently works at Université Paris V (Paris Descartes).

Nominating member of Council, David Brown, said: “Philippe is a very distinguished ion channel physiologist and neuroscientist. He has made many innovative discoveries of crucial physiological importance, most notably perhaps the regulation of NMDA channels by magnesium and glycine. He has had a long career and is still very active in physiological research.”

Richard Boyd

Richard Boyd studied for an undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford and completed his medical training in London. He was a research student in Oxford following clinical work in Papua New Guinea and after a period as Senior Lecturer in Dundee, Richard returned to Oxford in 1980, and is currently Deputy Head of the Division of Medical Sciences and Vice-Principal of Brasenose College.

Richard was formerly Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Journal of Physiology, Chair of The Physiological Society Council and Senior Secretary of The Physiological Society. He was the 2006/7 GL Brown lecturer.

Proposer, David Meredith, said: “Richard has recently retired from a working life devoted to inspirational teaching and research activity. As well as teaching physiology and medical undergraduates, he has mentored a large number of young researchers through their doctoral and post-doctoral studies, many of whom have gone on to physiology-related careers. In addition, Richard has been a loyal supporter of The Physiological Society and held a number of positions of office. He has been a truly great ambassador for physiology.”

Martin Evans

Martin Evans, with Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies, won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for developing gene targeting, a technology used to create animal models of human diseases in mice. Studying biochemistry on a prestigious scholarship at the University of Cambridge, Martin earned a BA in 1963, an MA in 1966, and a DSc in 1996, before completing his PhD at University College London in 1969.

In 1981, following his return to Cambridge, Martin successfully isolated embryonic stem cells (ES cells) and demonstrated that these cells could serve as vehicles for the transmission of altered genetic material. This is now the basis of all mouse knockout and targeted genetic manipulation.

He joined Cardiff University in 1999 and received a knighthood in 2004.

Nominating member of Council, William Colledge, said: “Martin Evans was instrumental in developing mouse embryonic stem cells for which he received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2007. The discovery of ES cells enabled the generation of mutant mice so widely used in physiology.”

R Alan North

(Richard) Alan North graduated in physiology (BSc 1969), medicine (MB ChB 1969) and pharmacology (PhD 1973) from the University of Aberdeen. After briefly working as a physician, Alan held appointments as Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Professor of Neuropharmacology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Senior Scientist and Professor at the Vollum Institute of Oregon Health Sciences University, Principal Scientist at the Geneva Biomedical Research Institute (a division of GlaxoWellcome) and Professor of Molecular Physiology at the University of Sheffield. He joined the University of Manchester as Vice-President in 2004, serving as Dean of its Faculty of Life Sciences (2004 to 2008), Dean of its Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (2006-2011) and founding Director of the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (2008-2010). His research contributions have been in the understanding of the ionic mechanisms involved in the actions of neurotransmitters and drugs (particularly opiates), and in the molecular physiology of extracellular adenosine triphosphate acting at P2X receptors.

Proposer, David Wyllie, commented “Alan is one of the UK’s leading biomedical scientists whose research exemplifies how the disciplines of physiology and pharmacology are so intricately linked. From his early pioneering work studying neurotransmitter and neuromodulator action in the peripheral nervous system through to his studies of P2X receptors his research has been world-leading. For this distinguished research career, which has encompassed both academia and industry, his contributions to The Journal of Physiology, as an Editor, and to The Physiological Society, as its President (2003-2006), I am delighted that he has been elected a Honorary Member.”

Frances Ashcroft

Frances Ashcroft is the Professor of Physiology at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Oxford and a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1999. Her research focuses on ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels and their role in insulin secretion, in both health and disease. She is interested in how KATP channel function relates to channel structure, how cell metabolism regulates channel activity, and how mutations in KATP channel genes cause human disease. The ultimate goal is to elucidate how a rise in the blood glucose concentration stimulates the release of insulin from the pancreatic beta-cells, what goes wrong with this process in type 2 diabetes, and how drugs used to treat this condition exert their beneficial effects.

Frances served on The Society’s governing Council from 1996 to 2000, and on the Physiology News editorial board from 1996 to 1999.

Proposer, Stephen Tucker, said: “Fran’s work on the role of the KATP channel in the pancreatic b-cell over the last 30 years has transformed many lives, not just of the many successful scientists who she mentored, but also of the patients who have directly benefited from her work. Her books have also had a lasting impact on the public understanding of science.

“She is a genuine inspiration to all those who interact with her and an excellent role model to both men and women.”

Mordecai Blaustein

Mordecai Blaustein’s love of physiology was ignited by Howard Schneiderman at Cornell University and nourished at Washington University (St. Louis) Medical School by Daniel Tosteson, under whom he studied the Na,K-ATPase. During his military service in David Goldman’s laboratory at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, he investigated anaesthetics in voltage-clamped lobster axons. As an NIH senior fellow with Alan Hodgkin, while studying the squid axon Na pump, Blaustein (with Peter F Baker and Richard Steinhardt) discovered Na/Ca exchange (NCX). This was described in Blaustein’s first Physiological Society presentations (1967 and 1968) and led to (1) his proposal that NCX links Na pump inhibition to the cardiotonic effect of cardiac glycosides; (2) his discovery of NCX in arterial smooth muscle; (3) his hypothesis that a ouabain-like compound plays a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension; and (4) the discovery of endogenous ouabain, an adrenocortical hormone.

Rachel Tribe, the nominating member of Council, said: “During his career, Mordecai has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the Na/Ca exchanger and Na,K-ATPase in smooth muscle and the role for ouabain in hypertension. The impact of his mentorship of junior scientists has been inspirational.”

Ordinary and honorary members of The Society can propose names for Honorary Membership at any time www.physoc.org/honorary-membership