Hemodynamics Laboratory

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Hemodynamics Lab

Location: Room 164N Forker

The Hemodynamics Lab specializes in integrative human cardiovascular physiology. Current research projects focus on underlying mechanisms of how specific conditions or interventions affect the skin microvascular response. These include chronic diseases, sex and aging, menopause, and remote ischemic preconditioning. Various approaches to measure microvascular, thermoregulatory, vascular, and autonomic function are utilized in most projects.

• Microvascular function: The cutaneous circulation is used as an in vivo model to examine microvascular mechanisms altered in disease states or test interventions that improve microcirculatory blood flow. Laser-based optic techniques coupled with techniques to administer drug treatments are used to examine microvascular responses to various perturbations.
  • Equipment:
    • Laser speckle contrast imager (LSCI, moorFLPI-2, Moor Instruments),
    • 2 Laser Doppler flowmetry units (moorWMS-LDF, Moor Instruments)
    • 2 Local heating units (moor VHS-HEAT, Moor Instruments)
    • Iontophoresis controller (moorVMS-ION, Moor instruments)
    • 4 liquid switches (CMA 110 Liquid Switch, CMA Microdialysis)
    • 4 syringe pumps and controller (Bioanalytical Systems)

• Thermoregulation: Aging and various cardiovascular diseases are associated with altered thermoregulatory function. A whole-body suit lined with tubing through which hot or cold water flows is utilized to raise or lower skin temperature. Concomitantly, several measures such as skin blood flow, body core and skin temperature, and metabolic variables can be collected.
  • Equipment:
    • 3 Whole-body water-perfusion suits (Allen Vanguard)
    • Environmental chamber (Percival RSE1, Percival Scientific) in 164Q
    • 16 channel PowerLab data acquisition system (ADInstruments)
    • 6 T-type Pods and thermocouples (ADInstruments)
    • Thermistor Temperature Module (TM-1000, CWE inc)

• Vascular & autonomic function: Neural control of blood flow and blood pressure are examined in healthy and clinical populations. Measures include spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, limb blood flow, and flow-mediated dilation assessment of endothelial function.
  • Equipment:
    • Ultrasound machine (Logiq P5, GE Healthcare)
    • Finapres beat-to-beat blood pressure (Ohmeda 2300, Finapres)
    • Lead II ECG (CT-1000 cardiotachometer, CWE Inc)
    • Automated blood pressure monitor (Critikon 9300 Dinamap)
    • 2 Rapid Cuff Inflation systems & plethysmograph (EC6 Hokanson)