The Physiological Society

The Physiological Society is a learned society founded in 1876 by nineteen physiologists including John Burdon Sanderson and Michael Foster. It is based in London at Hodgkin Huxley House, named after Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley. The society promotes the advancement of physiology and has grown to include members from over sixty countries. The society is Europe’s oldest and largest network of physiologists. Its membership has included at least sixty-one Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry or Peace. It publishes academic journals such as The Journal of Physiology and Experimental Physiology and organises the Global Climate and Health Summit in London. The society also awards prizes including the Annual Review Prize Lecture, the Bayliss-Starling Prize Lecture and the Otto Hutter Teaching Prize. Visitors to Hodgkin Huxley House find a modern base for physiologists and their work. The building reflects the society’s role in communication between scientists and other groups. The society’s archives are held at the Wellcome Library, preserving records of its history and achievements. Public lectures aim to raise awareness of physiology among schools and the general public.