BETHESDA, Md. (Oct. 6, 2008) − The American Physiological Society has established the Hurricane Ike Relief Fund to provide unrestricted grants of up to $2,000 to support physiology graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Ike. The powerful storm hit the Texas coast on Sept. 13 and also affected other areas of the country.
The grants are targeted to students and fellows who are either APS members or working in the laboratories of APS members. The grants will help the recipients replace belongings, pay for relocation costs or other expenses they incurred as a result of the storm.
The APS Council set aside $50,000 for the grants but will consider increasing its contribution to the relief fund if it is needed. The Society will work with the chairs of the affected departments to assess need. The application deadline is October 24, 2008.
"We want to help our graduate students and post-docs get back on their feet and back to work as soon as possible so that they can continue their valuable contributions to the field of physiology," said APS President Irving Zucker.
The Society is also accepting donations from those who want to help in the effort. Applications and donations can be made by going to the APS web site at www.the-aps.org/ike.htm.
The APS provided similar grants in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, distributing more than $80,000 to students in need.
Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function to create health or disease. The American Physiological Society (www.The-APS.org/press) has been an integral part of this discovery process since it was established in 1887.