APS and SPR Honor Dr. Michael Heymann with the 2022 Mary Ellen Avery Award

 

HOUSTON, Dec. 13, 2021 – The American Pediatric Society (APS) and the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) are pleased to announce Michael Heymann, MB, BCh, as the recipient of the 2022 Mary Ellen Avery Award. This award honors a pediatric investigator who has made important contributions to neonatal health through basic or translational research.

Dr. Heymann is Professor of Pediatrics & Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences (Emeritus); Senior Investigator (Emeritus), Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco; and Professor (Emeritus) and former Research Director at The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research has been ground-breaking and impactful, with findings from more than 190 peer-reviewed articles advancing our understanding of fetal and neonatal circulation. This seminal body of work has led to amelioration of the consequences of many severe congenital cardiac lesions and disturbances of the neonatal pulmonary circulation, resulting in meaningful reductions in morbidity and mortality for countless infants.

In 2013, the APS and SPR established and endowed the Mary Ellen Avery Award. This award honors Dr. Avery’s outstanding lifetime achievements and seminal contributions to neonatal health through her discovery of respiratory distress syndrome, her research and academic leadership, and her outstanding service to pediatrics and neonatology.

“The American Pediatric Society and the Society for Pediatric Research are honored to recognize Dr. Heymann with the 2022 Mary Ellen Avery Award for his foundational and durable contributions to neonatal health research,” said APS President Mary Leonard, MD. “Like Dr. Avery, Dr. Heymann is part of the founding community that changed the future of neonatology. This award is richly deserved and a fitting capstone on the career of an extraordinary physician scientist.”

“SPR is thrilled to recognize Dr. Heymann both for his formative research that transformed neonatal care and for his dedication to training countless pediatric researchers,” said SPR President Beth Tarini, MD, MS.

Dr. Heymann’s life’s work has centered on cardiorespiratory disorders of the newborn infant. This focus started when he and his mentor, Dr. Abraham Rudolph, developed the chronic sheep model for studying fetal physiology, which transformed the understanding of normal physiology in the unperturbed fetus. Dr. Heymann became dedicated to life-threatening problems found during the transition from fetus to neonate. As equal to Dr. Heymann’s dedication to his research is his generosity to many young investigators, whom over many decades he helped train and supported with no expectation of authorship on their research papers. As shown by Dr. Heymann’s 90+ invited lectures and visiting professorships, he has gained an international reputation and widespread appreciation for his work and career.

Dr. Heymann received his medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by residency training at the Transvaal Memorial Hospital for Children; in Johannesburg and then the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology also at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine continued in the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco. He is Board certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology, and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

For more information about Dr. Heymann and the Mary Ellen Avery Award, please visit the APS website.

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About the American Pediatric Society
The American Pediatric Society (APS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1888 as the first pediatric society in North America. The mission of the APS is to engage distinguished child health leaders representing the full diversity within the field to shape the future of academic pediatrics. The 1,800 plus members of APS are recognized leaders of extraordinary achievement who work together to shape the future of academic pediatrics. For more information, please visit aps1888.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Society for Pediatric Research
The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) encourages and supports pediatric research endeavors by creating a network of diverse researchers to improve child health. Collaboration among SPR members creates meaningful progress for the future of children’s health. For more information, please visit www.societyforpediatricresearch.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contacts:
Lisa Thompson
Association Director
American Pediatric Society
(346) 980-9707
lthompson@aps1888.org

Jana Wells
Senior Association Director
Society for Pediatric Research
(346) 258-6218
jwells@societyforpediatricresearch.org