Bryndis Birnir is honoured for exceptional contributions to physiological sciences

The honor is awarded to those who have made exceptional contributions to physiological sciences, in the form of original discovery, sustained excellent contributions to scholarship, or (exceptionally) those who in other ways have rendered a conspicuous service to physiology.

To celebrate and publicize the important contributions made by physiologists to science and health, the IUPS Academy of Physiology was established in 2021. The Academy represents the diversity and excellence of worldwide physiology and consists of IUPS Honorary Fellows (Hon FIUPS) and Fellows (FIUPS).

Professor Bryndis Birnir at the Department of Medical Cell Biology has a long career within physiology where her studies have focused on neurophysiology as well as on how the neurotransmitter GABA regulates human pancreatic islets and immune cells. Most recently, her team discovered that the metabolic hormone insulin can rescue neuronal function in a model of Alzheimers disease and, that GABA can decrease release of inflammatory molecules from immune cells from both healthy indivuduals and from patients with type 1 diabetes.

The vision for the Academy is that it will be a resource for all interested in the physiological sciences across the globe. The fellows have an active roll in shaping the Academy.