The life and work of Warren M. Zapol, MD, might best be described as a series of sparks.
In some cases, these sparks were literal.
As a child growing up in Brooklyn, Zapol set off sparks (and temporarily burned off his eyebrows) in an ill-advised attempt to create a rocket-powered model train.
Later in his scientific career, Zapol devised a portable dispenser that creates nitric oxide with a spark, allowing this lifesaving respiratory treatment to be delivered to critically ill patients in remote settings.
In other cases, the sparks that Zapol created were metaphorical ones.
It was a spark of inspiration during a trip to California in the early 1990s that first got Zapol thinking about testing nitric oxide—then known primarily as a poisonous gas—as a treatment for critically ill patients.
It was a spark of curiosity that took Zapol on nine trips to the Antarctic to study the physiology of Weddell seals—mammals that can hold their breath during underwater dives for 90 minutes or more—to learn more about how the body responds to a lack of oxygen.
The sparks go on and on—from the innovative research questions that Zapol pursued in his lab to the lifelong friendships he formed with colleagues and collaborators and the ways that his work and family life intertwined over the years.
These colleagues and collaborators—along with members of the Zapol family—gathered recently for the Warren M. Zapol Symposium on Anesthesia and Critical Care Research.
In opening remarks, Seun Johnson- Akeju, MD, Chair of the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine and Robert Kingston, PhD, Chief Academic Officer and Vice-President for Research for Mass General, emphasized that the purpose of the symposium was not only to highlight the significance of Zapol's contributions, but also to provide a venue that would spark many more synergies in the scientific and medical community.
Research topics ranged from science in Alaska to Antarctica to outer space, development of the COVID vaccine, outcomes of various COVID therapies, animal adaptations to extreme environments, research that led to the Nobel Prize for nitric oxide, bringing bench research to the bedside, and fostering educational programs that link engineers and clinicians to solve real world health problems.
More than one speaker expressed hope that this exciting meeting model would be repeated in the future.
“I'm struck by the broad list of topics our colleagues pulled together, not just revisiting memories but pushing forward in critical care, investigating the mysteries of strange animals and strange places, building companies, studying climate change, just to name a few,” said David Zapol, MBA, MPH, Warren’s son.
“Dad did want to shape the whole world around him in a positive way. And this symposium is a testament to his aspirations.”
Watch the Zapol Symposium
See the complete agenda and video recordings of all presentations.
A Remarkable Research Career
Zapol, who died of lung cancer in December 2021 at the age of 79, had a five-decade career as a clinician and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine.
A native of Brooklyn, he graduated from MIT and attended medical school at the University of Rochester.
After medical school, Zapol worked at National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC, where he helped to develop extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a treatment for patients in acute respiratory distress that involves taking blood out of the body, infusing it with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide, and then returning it to the patient in one continuous loop.
Zapol arrived at Mass General in 1970 as a resident in anesthesia, then joined the anesthesia staff and led a research lab which became the Anesthesia Center for Critical Care Research. From 1994-2008 he served as MGH’s Anesthetist-in-Chief.
Zapol earned the nickname “Dr. Adventure” after traveling to Antarctica nine times to study respiratory function in Weddell seals.
Among his many accomplishments, Zapol demonstrated that at small doses, inhaled nitric oxide (NO) selectively reduces blood pressure in the lungs, enabling patients to take in more oxygen without dropping systemic blood pressure to dangerously low levels.
He tested and validated this method in premature infants suffering from pulmonary hypertension, where its lifesaving potential quickly became evident.
Zapol went on to develop method for generating NO from nitrogen in the air using an electrical spark, which led to the development of portable devices to enable the delivery of NO in remote settings.
Inhaled NO is now an established, life-saving therapy that is used in critically ill babies worldwide.
“Zapol’s research into nitric oxide represents some of the most important work that’s ever been done at the hospital,” said Robert Kingston, PhD, chief academic officer and vice president for research at Mass General during his opening remarks. “It’s certainly saved many lives.”
The Sparks Continue
The symposium began with a series of remembrances of Zapol from colleagues and family members.
The portrait that emerged was one of a courageous, risk-taking scientist who wanted to shape the world around him in a positive way.
It also became clear that Mass General was not just a workplace during Zapol’s tenure—it was also a second home for the Zapol family.
“During the 53 years Warren and I were married, our work and home life were so intertwined that I can honestly say I know maybe most of you quite well.” said Nikki Zapol, JD, to the packed audience of scientists and invited guests.
“You were present in the conversations we had at our dinner table, on long walks and hikes, during car rides, and yes, of course, even on vacations.”
“I look forward to watching as you pursue promising ideas, maybe explore exotic places, push boundaries and continue to make the world a better place. Warren will see these sparks, too. I just know it.”
At left, Robert Schneider, MD, former vice chair of the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine and Margaret (Missy) Flynn, an administrative manager in Anesthesia and a member of the organizing committee.
About the Mass General Research Institute
Research at Massachusetts General Hospital is interwoven through more than 30 different departments, centers and institutes. Our research includes fundamental, lab-based science; clinical trials to test new drugs, devices and diagnostic tools; and community and population-based research to improve health outcomes across populations and eliminate disparities in care.
Leave a Comment