Cancelled

Due to ongoing concerns about the development of the COVID-19 virus and the importance of reducing its spread, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this event. 

We apologise for any disappointment this may cause, however we believe that this is the most responsible course of action at this time, as the health and wellbeing of our community take priority. 



We hope to reschedule this talk at a later date.


Oxygen Deprivation, temperature extremes and survival of the human brain

School of Human Sciences 2020 Seminar Series

A public lecture by Professor Philip Ainslie, University of British Columbia, Canada and 2020 UWA Institute of Advanced Studies Visiting Fellow.

Relative to its size, the brain is the most oxygen-dependent organ in the human body. So how does the brain cope with extreme environmental conditions, such as high altitude, diving, heat and cold exposure? This presentation will discuss the effects of these extremes on the human brain, and what we can learn from this in relation to general brain health and disease.

Phil Ainslie is Professor of Human Physiology and the Co-director for the Centre of Heart Lung and Vascular Health at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His research program aims to better understand the mechanisms regulating brain blood flow in health, disease and during environmental stress. His diverse expertise in assessing cerebrovascular function during physiological scenarios ranging from sleep to exercise, the stresses of high altitude to deep-sea diving, and healthy aging to heart disease, has made him an international authority on brain vascular function. His work in cerebrovascular physiology and pathology encompasses the lifespan, with clinical focus on spinal cord injury, lung disease and ischemic brain injuries.

Phil Ainslie has published >300 peer-reviewed scientific articles and has recently co-authored two textbooks in the area of environmental physiology, including the 6th Edition of the textbook High-Altitude Medicine and Physiology. In addition to mechanistic laboratory-based experiments he leads regular field expeditions, including various outreach initiatives, to high altitude to study acclimatization and adaptation with particular focus on indigenous populations located in the mountainous regions of Tibet, South America and Ethiopia. Phil has won numerous national and international awards for his research and sits on various senior international scientific leadership and advisory groups. He also currently co-organizes a number of international conferences related to environmental physiology. Phil continues to maintain a healthy balance in life with a keen interest in ultra-endurance trail running and various forms of climbing and water-based activities.