Health and Integrative physiology laboratory

OVERVIEW

The focus of the Health and Integrative Physiology (HIP) laboratory is on the interactions between the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Work in our lab is directed at understanding the physiological basis and importance of cardio-respiratory interactions in different conditions such as exercise, disease, and hypoxia. We also perform studies in patient groups to further understand the potential therapeutic effects of exercise and physical activity.

LAB FACILITIES

The HIP lab is located in the Osborne Center on the campus of UBC. It is equipped with techniques and equipment necessary to study the respiratory and cardiovascular systems in humans at rest and during exercise. We use Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow to limbs. We make continuous beat-by-beat measurements of arterial blood pressure. We have recently begun to record muscle sympathetic nerve activity. Techniques to measure ventilatory responsiveness to chemical stimuli (oxygen, carbon dioxide) are in place. Data collection/analysis hardware & software are available (PowerLab and LabView). The above methods permit simultaneous measures of blood flow, vascular resistance, autonomic activity, and the quantification of the temporal alignment between the neural, ventilatory and hemodynamic responses to physiological perturbations. In addition, standard exercise physiology equipment is housed within the lab (electronically braked cycle ergometer and open-circuit gas analysis system).

COLLABORATIONS

Research collaborations exist within the School of Human Kinetics and across the UBC campus:
• Medicine
• Zoology
• Rehabilitation Sciences
• International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

See a list of publications on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine - search Sheel AW.

Querido JS, Rupert JL, McKenzie DC and Sheel AW. Effects of intermittent hypoxia on the cardiorespiratory and cerebrovascular responses to acute hypoxia and submaximal exercise in humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology. (In Press).

MacNutt MJ and Sheel AW. Performance of evacuated blood collection tubes at high altitude. High Altitude Medicine and Biology. 9(3):235-237, 2008.

Sheel AW and Guenette JA. Mechanics of breathing during exercise in men and women: sex versus body size differences? Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. 36(3):128-134, 2008.

Querido JS, Godwin J and Sheel AW.  Intermittent hypoxia reduces cerebrovascular sensitivity to isocapnic hypoxia in humans.  Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology. 161(1):1-9, 2008.

Koehle MS, Sheel AW, Milsom WK and McKenzie DC.  Two patterns of daily hypoxic exposure and their effects on measures of chemoresponsiveness in humans.  Journal of Applied Physiology. 103(6):1973-1978, 2007.

Witt JD, Guenette JA, McKenzie DC, Rupert JL and Sheel AW. Inspiratory training attenuates the human respiratory muscle metaboreflex. Journal of Physiology (London) 584(3):1019-1028, 2007. See Editorial comment: Harms CA. Insights into the role of the respiratory muscle metaboreflex. Journal of Physiology (London) 584(3):711, 2007.

Guenette JA, Sporer BC, MacNutt MJ, Sheel AW, Mayo JR and McKenzie DC. Lung density is not altered following intense normobaric hypoxic interval training in competitive female cyclists. Journal of Applied Physiology 103(3):875-882, 2007.

Hodges ANH, Sheel AW, Mayo JR and McKenzie DC. Human lung density is not altered following normoxic and hypoxic moderate-intensity exercise: implications for transient edema. Journal of Applied Physiology 103(1):111-118, 2007.

Guenette JA, Witt JD, McKenzie DC, Road JD and Sheel AW. Respiratory mechanics during exercise in endurance trained men and women. Journal of Physiology (London) 581(3):1309-1322, 2007.

Lusina SJC, Kennedy PM, Inglis JT, McKenzie DC, Ayas NT and Sheel AW. Long term intermittent hypoxia increases sympathetic activity and chemosensitivity during acute hypoxia in humans. Journal of Physiology (London) 575(3):961-970, 2006.

Sheel AW, Koehle MS, Guenette JA, Foster GE, Sporer BJ, Diep TT and McKenzie DC. Human ventilatory responsiveness to hypoxia is unrelated to maximal aerobic capacity. Journal of Applied Physiology 100(4):1204-1209, 2006.

Foster GE, McKenzie DC, Milsom WK and Sheel AW. Effects of two protocols of intermittent hypoxia on human ventilatory and cardiovascular responses to hypoxia in humans. Journal of Physiology (London) 567(2):689-699, 2005.

CURRENT AND RECENT RESEARCH FUNDING

Research in the HIP lab is supported by the following granting agencies:
• Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
• Canadian Foundation for Innovation
• British Columbia Neurotrauma Fund
• British Columbia Lung Association
• World Anti Doping Agency. Health, Medical, and Research Committee (co-investigator)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research

People

Doctoral Students:

Meaghan MacNutt
BSc, Acadia University
MSc, Univerisity of British Columbia

Jordan Guenette
BHK, MSc, University of British Columbia

Jordan Querido
BHK, University of Ottawa
MSc, Unversity of British Columbia

Masters Students:

Jill Kennedy
BHK, St. Francis Xavier University

Megan Sherman
BSc, McMaster University

Simone Tomczak
BHK, University of British Columbia

POTENTIAL STUDENTS

Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree or a post doctoral fellowship are encouraged to contact Dr. Sheel directly (bill.sheel@ubc.ca).