'Mr. Physiology' legacy remembered

Dr. Edward Karpinski, long-time physiology professor, remembered.

Sandra Pysklywyc - 22 September 2015

From a one-room schoolhouse in Chailey, near Mannville, Alberta, to being the first biomedical engineer at the University of Alberta, Edward (Ed) Karpinski's legacy at the in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry will live on after his death, say his colleagues, students and friends. Karpinski died on Sept. 14 at 76.

Known to some family members as "the professor", Karpinski left the family farm in 1958 to obtain higher education. After completing his BSc in electrical engineering in 1962, Karpinksi worked briefly in the industry, but the pull of the University of Alberta was too great, as he returned and completed his MSc in 1966 and PhD in 1971.

"He was appointed demonstrator in physiology in 1965, lecturer in 1967, faculty service officer (FSO) in 1972, associate professor in 1984, and professor in 2004. His promotion from lecturer to FSO in 1972 was the first FSO appointment in the Faculty of Medicine [& Dentistry]. After 'retiring' as professor emeritus in 2007, Karpinski continued to teach, administer teaching programs and collaborate in research until the time of his death." (One Hundred Years of Physiology: the Department of Physiology at the University of Alberta 1914-2014 by Esmond J Sanders and James D Young [2013]),

In fact, he was the longest serving member in the Department of Physiology, having been associated with the University of Alberta for 50 years, earning him the nickname of "Mr. Physiology".

Working with James D. Young, department chair, and Dr. Kyla Smith, faculty service officer in the Department of Physiology, "Karpinski made a number of significant contributions in electrophysiological studies of human and other cation-coupled concentrative nucleoside transporter proteins."

"He published no less than 15 research papers with us, the first being in 1999 when we discovered and described the first of these transporters," says Young. "Specifically, Ed contributed to our understanding of the energetics of these proteins and to the clinically important discovery that, in addition to moving physiological nucleosides across cell membranes, they were also responsible for uphill transport of anticancer and antiviral nucleoside drugs into cells."

While his curriculum vitae lists more than 90 research papers on a wide range of topics in electrophysiology, cardiovascular physiology and other areas, it was as an educator and mentor that he was best known.

Young says that Karpinski, "just loved coming to work every day to be amongst friends, colleagues and students."

"Dr. K" was, according to colleague Loren Kline, professor in the School of Dentistry and adjunct professor in the Department of Physiology, "very loyal to the department and the university and always very concerned about the well-being of students."

"As a teacher and a mentor, Ed was very giving of his time," said Kline. "Whether it was helping graduate students work through their research or writing reference letters for undergraduate students for medical school, Dr. K was always willing to help out."

Young says, "He will be sorely missed by all. His passing truly marks the end of an era for the Department of Physiology."

The University of Alberta flag has been lowered to half-mast and a celebration of his life takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 22. To offer your condolences to the family, please visit their Legacy guest book.