Melissa Bates, PhD
Regulation of the Lung Vasculature in Individuals Born Prematurely
12.8% of babies are born prematurely each year. Thanks to advances in treatment strategies, mortality in this population is very low. However, because these treatment strategies have only been recently implemented and the first groups of individuals to survive prematurity are only now reaching adulthood, little is known about their long-term lung and cardiac function. The overall goal of our research program is to understand how the local and neural contributors to lung vascular and cardiac function might differ from individual who were born at term.
Interest in cardiopulmonary physiology and coursework in introductory biology and chemistry are required. Introductory physiology is preferred but not required.
Undergraduates will have the ability to participate in all aspects of our research program, including creating models of premature birth, making physiological measurements, and evaluating heart and lung function.
