Abraham Clifford Barger

Abraham Clifford Barger (February 1, 1917 – March 13, 1996) was an American professor of physiology who spent his entire career at Harvard Medical School. His research focused on the pathophysiology of heart failure and on the role of the kidneys in hypertension. Barger served as the president of the American Physiological Society in 1970-71 and was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 1974.

Early life and education Barger was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 1917. He graduated from Harvard University in 1939 and from Harvard Medical School in 1943. He worked at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital briefly and served in the Army as a researcher at the Climatic Research Laboratory before returning to Harvard as staff. The society currently supports an annual award for minority scientists in honor of Barger.

In addition to his work with the APS itself, Barger also served on the editorial boards of two of its major journals. He served terms as editor of several other physiology journals and was a member of and served as president of several Boston-area medical societies. Barger retired from Harvard, assuming professor emeritus status, in 1987. After his retirement he served as chair of the Harvard Alumni Fund, served as president of the William Townsend Porter Foundation until 1995, and worked on a biography of Walter Bradford Cannon.

Personal life Barger was married to his wife Claire Basch Barger for 52 years, and the couple had three children. Barger died of liver cancer in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1996.

Awards and honors Barger received a number of awards for his work, particularly from the APS. Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1964 Member of the Institute of Medicine, 1974 American Physiological Society's Carl J. Wiggers Award, 1982 American Physiological Society's Ray G. Daggs Award, 1985