UF researcher named distinguished professor

Paul Davenport, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine’s department of physiological sciences, has been promoted to the rank of distinguished professor, one of the highest academic designations offered by UF.

Davenport’s research focuses on the control of breathing, including basic brain mechanisms, reflex-to-cognitive respiratory neurophysiology, pulmonary function assessments and rehabilitation of respiratory muscles.

“Dr. Davenport has been extremely successful in research, and has made significant contributions in our understanding of the neural control of breathing, and more recently, swallowing and cough,” said Paul Cooke, Ph.D., chair of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s department of physiological sciences.

Cooke added that Davenport’s accomplishments are anchored by basic science observations, which have led to extensive clinical insights and funding.

“Dr. Davenport’s research is directed toward critical real-world problems, and thus his laboratory findings frequently have clinical relevance,” Cooke said.

Widely published in many professional journals, Davenport speaks frequently at national and international meetings and was the 2011 president of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the journal Frontiers in Respiratory Physiology.

Davenport’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Veterans Administration, private companies and corporations, and advocacy groups. This past April, he was awarded a four-year, $2.83 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the relationship between breathing and swallowing.

As an educator, Davenport, who has a joint appointment in the College of Medicine department of physiology and functional genomics, has been involved in the training of 15 doctoral students and has mentored 14 postdoctoral and clinical resident fellows.

A member of the veterinary college faculty since 1981, Davenport has received many campus and national teaching awards during his tenure at UF, including the National Merck Sharp and Dohme AGVET Award for Creativity in Teaching.

The title of distinguished professor acknowledges an exceptional record of achievement in the areas of teaching, research and publication, and professional and public service that is recognized both nationally and internationally, according to UF’s Office of the Provost.