I’m here to talk about extreme physiology and how to get your paper
published. I’m Mike Tipton, Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at
the University of Portsmouth and Editor-in-Chief of Experimental
Physiology. AMA!
Abstract
Only 15% of the surface of the Earth is not water, desert, ice or
mountain. For humans, a tropical, low altitude, air-breathing animal,
this means most of the planet represents a hostile or extreme
environment. Extreme environmental physiology covers a wide range of
topics including: physiologically preparing groups such as elite
athletes to try and maintain high level performance in hot and cold
environments, using strategies such as acclimatisation; considering
using altitude training and heat acclimation as ergogenic aids to
enhance performance in temperate sea level conditions; determining the
benefit of cross-adaptation between one extreme environment and another;
protecting, via technological solutions (e.g. personal protective
equipment), those who, as part of their work or play, enter extreme
environments (e.g. astronauts, divers, firefighters, sailors, the
military). Our habitation of the planet has been largely enabled by
technological advances (clothing, shelter, heating) founded on
intellect. But sometimes this technology goes wrong requiring extreme
environmental research related to accidental exposures and the
consequent pathophysiology of heat illness, cold injury, hypothermia;
hypoxia, barotrauma and drowning. These are not just “niche issues”;
forty-three people around the globe drown each hour. These are mostly
young people and this figure is an under-estimation. Finally, research
in extreme environments such as microgravity and hypoxia is also
shedding new light on areas such as ageing, body tissue wasting and
outcome in critical illness. If any of the above interests you, let’s
chat on the 19th December 4-6pm (GMT).