Prof.Susan E.Leeman - Neuroendocrinologist who discovered Substance P & Neurotensin

Susan E.Leeman

Professor Susan E.Leeman is the Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, and the Director of the Neuropeptide Laboratory in the Pharmacology Department at the Boston University School of Medicine,USA. In 1974 Dr.Leeman discovered the structure of Substance P – a peptide whose discovery won Ulf von Euler the Nobel Prize in 1970.

She also discovered another peptide, neurotensin. Dr. Leeman’s laboratory not only achieved the first isolation and chemical characterization of the peptides substance P and neurotensin but also able to characterize the full length and truncated receptors for substance P, and recognized that the differences in their lengths lead to their differences in their intracellular signaling pathways. More recently, she has been interested in pharmacological intervention in inflammatory responses with particular emphasis on the role of these 2 peptides in immune cells. She and colleagues have recently demonstrated that truncated neurokinin-1 receptor is increased in colonic epithelial cells from patients with colitis-associated cancer. Prof.Leeman is considered one of the founders of the field of neuroendocrinology in the world.

Professor Leeman became the first woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences in physiology and pharmacology in 1991. It is really unfortunate that Leeman missed the Nobel Prize in spite of her name being nominated !

Susan E.Leeman (2008)

Professor Susan Leeman is the Editorial Adviser (Pharmacology) of "BLDE University Journal of Health Sciences" .

Prof.L.Gabriel Navar- A Great Renal Physiologist

L.Gabriel Navar

Luis Gabriel (Gabby) Navar was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1941. Prof.Navar is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Physiology at Tulane University Health Science Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dr Navar’s laboratory investigate hormonal and paracrine mechanisms regulating renal hemodynamics, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and sodium excretion. In his early work, Dr Navar focused on the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism and its role in renal autoregulation. This work was pivotal in integrating the field of single-nephron macula densa - tubuloglomerular feedback with whole kidney autoregulation of blood flow and glomerular filtration rate. The development of the isolated perfused juxtamedullary preparation has provided a unique approach to investigating how paracrine regulators directly affect the renal mircocirculation. Prof.Navar has changed the old concept of renal functions. He explained intrarenal mechanisms mediating changes in sodium excretion that occur in response to changes in arterial pressure. This phenomenon is termed as pressure natriuresis. He is working on the pathophysiology of hypertension and altered kidney function in angiotensin II–dependent hypertension. 

He was involved in editing many journals like AJP (Renal), Hypertension,American Journal of Hypertension, Kidney International, Journal of American Society of Neprhology etc.

Professor L.Gabriel Navar- the former President of American Physiological Society is the Editorial Adviser of 'Renal Biology' of BLDE University Journal of Health Sciences. He is instrumental for establishing collaboration with Tulane University,New Orleans, USA and BLDE University, Bijapur,India

Professor David Beech- An iconic vascular biologist

David J.Beech- University of Leeds

Professor David J. Beech : Professor and Head of The Division of Cardiovascular & Diabetes, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds,UK.

Dr.Beech and his team discovered the gene that gives instructions to a protein which forms channels that open in response to mechanical strain from blood flow, allowing tiny electrical charges to enter cells and trigger the changes needed for new vessels to be built. .This blood vessel-creating gene that could be used to combat cancer, heart disease and strokes has been identified as Piezo1. This gene provides the instructions for sensors that tell the body that blood is flowing correctly and gives the signal to form new vessel structures.
Prof.Beech was in Presidency College, Kolkata last year and I was in Leeds that time. I have tried to bring him during last year Annual Physiological Society Conference at University of Calcutta but it could cot materialize. I am sure that he will visit soon here :) 

Remembering Late Prof.Dr.Gustavo Zubieta Castillo (1924-2015)

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (May 20, 1926 - September 17, 2015) 

 

Professor Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo - The Mountain Guru, Bolivian visionary who loved art and Science. He was a Word Class Pioneer and defender of life and medicine at High Altitude. In 1964 after his observations of the perfused heart in dogs, he affirmed that the hearts of high altitude residents are much more resistant to hypoxia than those at sea level. He clarified misconceptions about lung diseases at high altitude, which were improperly termed “loss of adaptation”. His original and unique views on what was called Chronic Mountain Sickness, a term he proposed be discarded and be rather expressed as PolyErythroCythemia (as a more precise symptomatic description of multiple pathologies in the hypoxic environment of high altitude. He created the “Triple Hypoxia Syndrome” an essential description to explain momentary decrease of PaO2 in Polyerythrocythemic patients.

His concepts of hypoxia gave rise to the formulation of the High Altitude Adaptation Formula.

On his obituary legendary Respiratory Physiologist Prof.John B.West stated “He was a remarkable man and our discipline has lost a giant.”.

Renowned Environmental scientist Prof.Thuppil Venkatesh, a long time friend of Prof.Gustavo Sr stated "We lost one of the most valuable and precious personalities… a great loss to the world scientific community".

Prof.Gustavo’s son Prof.Dr.Gustavo Zubieta Calleja is also renowned pulmonologist like his legendary father and keeping his illustrious father’s legacy with pride and honor at his ‘High Altitude Pulmonary & Pathology Institute’, La Paz, Bolivia

  Late Gustavo Zubieta Castillo was a great artist. One of his painting

Prof. Nanduri R. Prabhakar- An Indian Legend in Medicine.

Nanduri R. Prabhakar, DSc is a leading authority in the field of O2 sensing and physiological consequences of chronic hypoxia. Prof. Prabhakar identified novel signalling pathways and molecular mechanisms underlined the morbidity associated with chronic intermittent hypoxia. His work on HIF-1 deficiency and  impairment of carotid body - mediated cardio-respiratory responses during chronic intermittent hypoxia has changed our understanding on hypoxia. His research enlightened us on systemic, cellular and molecular mechanism of chemoreflex mediated sympatho excitation during chronic intermittent hypoxia. 
Professor Prabhakar currently is a Professor and Director of Medicine, University of Chicago, USA. A "Julius Comroe Oration Awardee" of American Physiological Society. Prof. Prabhakar also received "Prof. S.C Mahalanabish Memorial Oration Award of The Physiological Society of India". He is the System Biology Adviser of "BLDE   University Journal of Health Sciences" .

Professor John Morrison-University of Leeds

Professor John F.B.Morrison a brilliant medical student at University of Edinburgh has changed the concept of visceral sensory mechanisms.His works on somatic reflex pathways in the spinal cord immensely pushed the understanding of autonomic functions on gastrointestinal tract.John Morrison, PhD;FRCS(Edin) has written  two books: the first, a volume on Visceral Sensation within the Progress in Brain Research series, was edited jointly with Femando Cervero; the other, on the Physiology of the Lower Urinary Tract, contains five chapters written by John on different topics related to sensory mechanisms and motor control in the bladder and urethra. Recently he has written a keynote review in a book series on the Autonomic Nervous System. Currently he is the Emeritus Professor at Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology,University of Leeds. John Morrison is closely associated with The Physiological Society of India and he is the Clinical Adviser of 'BLDE University Journal of Health Sciences".

John F.B.Morrison

John & Kath Morrison in Leeds

Wonderful time with my friend, philosopher & guide- Dr.Salim A.Dhundasi recently. May God bless him infinity .............

Presenting flowers to Dr.Salim

Nice Chat- Dr.Salim & Dr.Haroon

Curt von Euler

Curt von Euler conducted pioneering work on the central control of motor
systems, brain mechanisms of thermoregulation, and on neural systems
that control respiration.Prof.Curt von Euhler was also the son of Hans von Euhler (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry) and half brother of Ulf von Euhler ( Nobel Laureate of Physiology).
His greatest works were on.the presence, properties, and functional roles of intercostal muscle spindles during spontaneous breathing, with and without intact gamma efferents, and to record impulse activity in the gamma fibers innervating the intercostal muscle spindles.

Physiology National Conference - ASSOPICON 2016

Physiology National Conference of Association of Physiologists of India (ASSOPICON 2016) will be held at BLDE University, Bijapur, Karnataka from 14-17th September 2016. The theme of the conference is "Physiology Decodes Novelty of Vascular Sciences". The Day One is extensively dedicated to Undergraduate Students of Medical Sciences and Life Sciences as "Students ASSOPICON". The chief guest of students ASSOPICON is Prof. H.A. Ranganath, Visiting Professor of IISc Bangalore. The main conference chief guest is Dr. Shashi Bala Singh, Director DIPAS-DRDO New Delhi. Professor T. R. Raju (NIMHANS), Prof. S Pyne (Harvard), Prof. Anura Kurpad (St. John's), Prof. M. Fahim (Jamia Hamdard), Prof S.B Deshpande (BHU), Prof. G.K Pal (JIPMER), Prof. Gautam Pal (Kalyani University), Prof. D. K. Chakrabarti (IIT-G), and many more..... will deliver their Scientific Deliberations in this conference, For Details please visit: ASSOPICON 2016