About Us
Meet the Polar Science Expedition Team |
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In Antarctica |
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| At Mcmurdo Station in Antarctica, Dr. Hawke will be working with the team of Dr. Shane Kanatous' from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. From October to December 2005 the team will be continuing Dr. Kanatous' research into the physiological and metabolic adaptations of marine mammals to an aquatic lifestyle. | |
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Dr. Shane Kanatous, Principal Investigator
Currently Instructor, Department of Internal Medicine, |
Dr. Thomas Hawke
Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, |
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Dr. Rebecca Watson
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego |
Dr. Stephen Trumble
National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, National Marine Mammal Lab, Washington |
At McMaster University |
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Supporting the team in schools and through this web site is the YES I Can! Science Team.
From left to right |
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About the Research |
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 Marine mammals, such as the Weddell Seals in this study, are unique in many ways. They are air-breathing organisms that routinely exercise while holding their breath. Yet they exhibit an extraordinary ability to prevent the harmful effects from the lack of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body (hypoxia), and low blood flow (ischemia) associated with breath-hold diving.
When terrestrial animals function under low oxygen (hypoxic) conditions, they display typical exercise responses of increasing their breathing rate (ventilation) and increasing their heart's (cardiac) output. Marine mammals exercise under a different form of hypoxic stress. They stop breathing, reduce cardiac output and limit peripheral blood flow during diving. These animals function for the duration of a dive with a limited amount of oxygen in their bodies. Consequently, the amount of oxygen stored in their blood and muscles (i.e., total body oxygen stores) and the rate of oxygen use by tissues and organs are the primary factors controlling how long they can exercise and stay submerged during diving. Dr. Kanatous' research has found that marine mammals possess a number of physiological adaptations in their skeletal muscles that prevent the usual harmful effects of hypoxia in terrestrial animals and man. Through the understanding of the physiology of animals that have successfully adapted to live and work under hypoxic conditions, Dr. Kanatous and Dr. Hawke and their research team hope to discover new therapeutic approaches to aid humans with cardiac and lung (pulmonary) diseases. |
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