I guess everyone who is asked to give one of the Physiological Society'sPrize Lectures feels honoured, but I feel particularly honoured to have beenasked to give the Joan Mott Prize Lecture. I first met Joan Mott in 1980 at theOxford meeting of the Physiological Society. I had just given a communicationon baro- and chemoreceptor influences on the cardiovascular system and she cameto introduce herself to me. I was a young lecturer at the time, and still felta rather junior member of the Society. I had seen Joan Mott at manyPhysiological Society meetings. I had heard her give communications and hadheard her entering into lively discussions after papers, and I knew she was awell respected scientist. I was therefore flattered that she should have cometo talk to me about my work. After that we met at many Physiological Societymeetings and she always made a point of asking how our research was going andwe would talk of common interests. To me this is one of the most importantaspects of Physiological Society meetings, that young and older members of theSociety can rub shoulders with one a nother and discuss science openly with nobarriers. Joan Mott had an influence on me that I have tried to remember as Ihave become a more senior member of the Society.