Australian Physiological Society

AuPS is the professional association for Australian physiologists, founded in 1960. Physiology is a key life science essential to our understanding of how humans and animals function. With the increasing specialisation of biomedical research, physiology provides an essential framework within which new knowledge of cells and molecules can be applied to improving human health. **Key Objectives of AuPS are:** - To promote the advancement of the science of Physiology - The encouragement of all aspects of research and teaching in this discipline - The general dissemination of knowledge of this and related disciplines **History** The Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society had its genesis in 1957, when the late W.V. Macfarlane, then Professor of Physiology at the University of Queensland, spoke to P.O. Bishop at the University of Sydney, J.C. Eccles at the Australian National University, and the late R.D. Wright and the late F.H. Shaw at the University of Melbourne, about the need for the formation of an Australian Physiological Society. All agreed that such a move was overdue, although it was not until 1959 that definite steps to establish a society were taken. In that year W.V. Macfarlane, who had moved in the meantime to the Australian National University in Canberra, undertook the planning of a scientific meeting to be held in Sydney in May 1960. A draft constitution for the proposed society was drawn up with the assistance of G. Sawer. Over 26-28 May 1960, 126 physiologists and pharmacologists attended a meeting in the Department of Physiology, University of Sydney at which 84 scientific papers were read. A business meeting was held on 26 May, attended by 49 scientists from Australia and New Zealand who were active in the areas of physiology or pharmacology. Those present were invited to consider the form to be taken by the proposed society and to consider the draft constitution. P.O. Bishop, head of the host Department, took the chair and W.V. Macfarlane acted as secretary. The name of the society chosen at this meeting was the Australian Physiological Society, but, in 1967, the word Pharmacology was included in the name, in recognition of the fact that pharmacologists had been strongly represented and very active in the Society from its foundation. ASCEPT drew increasing numbers of pharmacologists away from the Society, leading to the recognition by the early 2000s that the Society had become one representing only physiologists. At the Sydney 2003 meeting, a motion was passed to return to the original name, and in February 2004 the necessary changes to the Constiution were passed by postal ballot to effect the change of name to the "The Australian Physiological Society Inc.". Because the abbreviation "APS" is used by many to refer to the American society, the decision to use the abbreviation "AuPS" was made by Council, and the Society's internet domain was registered as "AuPS.org.au".