National Award Recognizes Physiology Professor’s Research

NORMAN, OKLA. – Mikhail Kellawan, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and director of the Human Circulation Research Laboratory at the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded the John F. Perkins Jr. Research Career Enhancement Award from the American Physiological Society. This award allows early-career researchers to obtain special training or for an established researcher to develop new skills or retrain in areas of developing interest.

“My research focuses on studying how the body matches blood flow to the demands of tissue, specifically during exercise or environmental stress,” he said. “With this award, we will begin using microneurography to record nervous signals in humans. That’s important because the nervous system helps control blood pressure.”

According to Kellewan, his lab employs a wide array of techniques to measure blood flow during exercise. Adding microneurography will enhance their ability to learn how the cardiovascular system is controlled in humans.

“We use ultrasound to measure blood flow through a limb. At the same time, we’re employing a transcranial doppler to measure blood flow through the middle cerebral arteries. We also have many ways to measure the amount of oxygen consumed, carbon dioxide produced, heart rate, blood pressure and more,” he said. “However, the missing piece is the measurements of the sympathetic nervous system that the microneurography can produce. Once we have that, we’ll have a really advanced setup.”

While his lab already provides training for students interested in his research, adding this new technique will enhance their learning experiences and give them specialized knowledge that will likely help them in the future.

“Because we’re interested in measuring two circulations at the same time in the same person, our lab involves a lot of people. We currently have four doctoral students, two master’s students and another six or seven undergrads who volunteer with us,” he said. “With this new application, we’ll not only be able to capture new data sets, but we’ll be able to give our student researchers a more robust experience and make them more attractive candidates for faculty positions or fellowships in the future.”

Learn more about Kellawan’s research through the Human Circulation Research Lab and see the full list of award recipients from the American Physiological Society.