President: SHIRIN DOROUDGAR, PhD

Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, University of Arizona - Phoenix.

sdoroudgar@arizona.edu

IMMEDIATE PAST President: JENNIFER TESKE, PHD

Associate Professor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness, University of Arizona - Tucson

teskeja@arizona.edu

Secretary/Treasurer: Robert Lewis, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, ATSU School of Osteopathic Medicine

robertlewis@atsu.edu

Dr. Lewis is an associate professor of physiology and a teaching/research faculty at A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Lewis’ research include hypoxia and autonomic regulation. Since moving to Arizona in 2018, Dr. Lewis has been an active member of Arizona Chapter of Physiological Society. Dr. Lewis hopes to continue his service as the Chapter Treasurer to promote the networking within the scientific community in Arizona and provide more training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students in the field of physiology.

Arizona Chapter Advisory Committee (CAC) Member of the American Physiological Society: paulo pires, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Arizona (Tucson)

ppires@arizona.edu

Postdoctoral Councilor: Michael Frazure, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arizona, Tucson

mfrazure@arizona.edu

Dr. Michael Frazure is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Ralph Fregosi at the University of Arizona. A speech-language pathologist by trade, he moved from bedside to bench during his PhD training with Dr. Teresa Pitts. He is specifically interested in neurophysiology, and his research is focused on the central control mechanisms underlying swallow-breathing coordination.  After his postdoctoral training, Dr. Frazure aims to lead an independent research program with the goal of developing novel and effective treatments for swallowing disorders. 

Graduate Student Councilor: FELIPE POLK

PhD student, Physiology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program - University of Arizona, Tucson

fpolk@arizona.edu

As a first-generation Hispanic student from San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, I moved to Tucson, Arizona to pursue a career in biomedical research. In 2020, I earned a Bachelor’s of Sciences in Health Sciences with a minor in Biochemistry at the University of Arizona (UA).  Currently, I am a third-year PhD student in Physiological Sciences at the UA, and a member of the Arizona Physiological Society (AZPS) since 2022. As a AZPS graduate student representative, my goal is to bridge the gap between students and established researchers, and promote student development opportunities that will help foster a diverse community of aspiring physiologists. As a graduate research assistant in Dr. Paulo Pires’ laboratory, we investigate molecular mechanisms that regulate cerebral blood flow and how these processes may be impaired in neurodegenerative disease. Importantly, I have taken an active role in mentoring students in the laboratory from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds during their summer internships through the Summer Internship in Medical Ignorance and KEYS Research Program. Additionally, through frequent participation as a student panelist for the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium, I have also had the opportunity to support the development of both graduate and undergraduate students and promote careers in biomedical sciences. In my free time, I enjoy fishing and hiking during the winter months, as well as playing pickleball with friends.