The Society is the oldest and largest network of physiologists in Europe, consisting of members from over 60 countries. The Society’s membership has included at least 61 Nobel laureates, in Physiology or Medicine (n=55), Chemistry (n=5) or Peace (n=1). The majority of members are engaged in research, in universities or industry, into how the body works in health and disease and in teaching physiology in schools and universities. The Society also facilitates communication between scientists and with other interested groups.
In August 2024 The Society announced its first new wholly owned journals in over 100 years, with the launch of The Journal of Precision Medicine: Health and Disease and The Journal of Nutritional Physiology.
The society is based at Hodgkin Huxley House in Farringdon, London, named after Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley.[6]
Presidents
The post of president was established in 2001, and the society's current president is David Attwell. Past holders include:[7]
Named for William Bayliss and Ernest Starling. Originally awarded every three years, since 2015 it is awarded annually alternating between established and early-career physiologists.[10]
2015 (2015): Kim Barrett – Endogenous and exogenous control of gastrointestinal epithelial function: building on the legacy of Bayliss and Starling[11]
2016 (2016): Lisa Heather [Wikidata] - Cardiac metabolism in disease: All fuels are equal, but some fuels are more equal than others.
Named in memory of Kathy Biller. Given to a worker in the field of renal or epithelial physiology, under 35 years old. It has now been discontinued.[10]
Initiated in 2017, the President’s Lecture is awarded by the President of The Society to a recipient of their choosing. This prestigious lecture is awarded at the discretion of The Society’s President.
Named for R Jean Banister. Awarded to an early-career physiologist and delivered at various institutions.[10]
2016 (2016): Alicia D’Souza [Wikidata] – Getting excited about pacemaking in the athletic heart: interplay of transcription factors and microRNAs in pacemaker electrophysiology.