The IAEP Laboratory : A Leader in Performance Research
The Integrative Aerospace and Exercise Physiology (IAEP) Laboratory in COAS has been at the forefront of innovative research, with two significant projects aimed at advancing human performance in aviation and extreme environments.
The research includes exhaustive pre- and post-training exercise assessments at sea level and simulated altitudes of 16,000 feet within the College of Aviation’s High Altitude Lab (HAL). Students are trained in the application of diverse clinical assessment techniques, including Doppler Ultrasound for imaging of inspiratory muscles and monitoring blood flow, pulmonary gas exchange measurements to assess lung function, venous blood collection for laboratory analysis and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to evaluate heart and lung performance during physical activity.
High Altitude Performance Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Scott K. Ferguson, Ph.D. , the IAEP team is poised to initiate a groundbreaking project, funded by the National Institutes of Health . This project strives to enhance exercise performance at high altitudes, a critical capability for individuals who rapidly transition from low to high elevations for work or recreational activities. Swift altitude changes are characteristic of special operations military forces that face immediate physical demands during transitions from sea level to mountainous terrains. Such research also informs work on cardiovascular diseases that impair oxygen transport within the body and disrupt lung function, thereby increasing the work of breathing. This project will provide insights into the therapeutic potential of using respiratory muscle training to improve the physical capacity of patient populations suffering from these types of diseases. Originating during Dr. Ferguson’s post-doctoral training in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Colorado’s Medical School, the research involves rigorous respiratory muscle training led by doctoral student Sabrina Ehrenfort from the Department of Human Factors . Sabrina is assisted by a dedicated team of undergraduate Aerospace Physiology students: Erica Bryant, Riley Dienna, Christopher Macduffee and Zoe Spanos. Together, they aim to fortify respiratory muscles to better accommodate the strenuous breathing conditions encountered at high elevations.
From Left to Right: Dr. Scott K. Ferguson, Liam Brennan (on bike), and Sabrina Ehrenfort (Photo: Kati Callahan Vickery)
14 | College of Arts & Sciences
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