Understanding how living at high altitudes changes the body and what it means for heart and brain health
Official title: Physiological plasticity and the mechanisms of adaptation to hypoxia: exploiting natural variation in wild deer mice
Funded at University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) · NIH-11332588 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how living in low-oxygen conditions affects breathing, blood flow, and heart health by using wild deer mice to uncover natural biological tricks that help cope with hypoxia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $369,205 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147459-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332588 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chronic mountain sickness, high-altitude illness, congenital or acquired heart or brain vascular disorders, or conditions worsened by hypoxia could indirectly benefit from advances in understanding hypoxia tolerance.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without conditions related to hypoxia or high-altitude exposure may not see direct personal benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers study wild deer mice that live at very high elevations to uncover the genetic and molecular ways their bodies adapt to low oxygen. They aim to map how these adaptations influence oxygen homeostasis and remodeling of blood vessels, which can affect the heart and brain in people living with chronic hypoxia. The work combines field observations with laboratory analyses to identify conserved pathways that could inform treatments or prevention strategies for high-altitude illness and related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions. This project focuses on evolutionary biology with potential translational implications for human health under hypoxic stress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to new approaches to prevent or treat heart, brain, and pregnancy complications linked to low oxygen levels.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in animal models and human studies supports the idea that adaptive responses to hypoxia involve vascular and blood flow changes, suggesting potential for translation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Velotta, Jonathan Paul — University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
- Study coordinator: Velotta, Jonathan Paul
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.