May 25, 2007

Antarctic honor for chief of MGH Anesthesia

Tucked away in one of the farthest corners of the Earth — Antarctica — is a piece of the MGH. The continent is home to the Zapol Glacier (left), named in honor of Warren M. Zapol, MD, chief of MGH Anesthesia and Critical Care. Located 800 miles from the South Pole, the glacier can be found between the Tulaczyk and Donnellan Glaciers in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains. The U.S. Board of Geographic Names Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names chose the name in recognition of Zapol's long-term research studying the diving physiology of Weddell seals near Antarctica's McMurdo Station. Over the course of nine summers beginning in the 1970s, Zapol and his team studied the seals to learn how mammals deal with the stress of a long dive. Examining a seal's unmatched ability to hold its breath while diving may improve the understanding of the human respiratory system. Many former and current MGHers also collaborated on the research project, including Robert Schneider, MD; Jesse Roberts Jr., MD; Paul Alfille, MD; Bill Hurford, MD; Jesper Qvist, MD; Konrad Falke, MD; Michael Snider, MD; Paul Wankowicz; Kevin Stanek; Roger Hill, PhD; Greg Guyton, MD; Annie Schuette and Tommy Wonders.

Says Zapol, "I am deeply honored that the scientific achievements of my team have been recognized on the map of Antarctica, a continent dedicated to the peaceful pursuit of science."