​Field of Study

Our studies focus on mechanisms associated with the dynamics of heat acclimation. Within this frame we study the linkage between global genomic/proteomic responses and integrative physiological adaptive mechanisms. Our current research focuses on:
 

• Heat acclimatory responses in the heart and the hypothalamus
  
• Beneficial effects of heat acclimation on non-thermoregulatory-associated protective effects, namely, on the phenomenon that adjusting to one environmental stressor can, in addition to the evolving of the primary adaptations, add to the amount of adjustment to novel stressors without prior exposure to it (exaptation). 

An important beneficial effect of heat acclimation observed in our laboratory is the development of “cross-tolerance” against oxygen supply/oxygen demand mismatching and its consequences in the heart. In this respect, we study:
 

• Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium regulatory proteins and cardiomyocytes calcium homeostasis; 
• HSP in heat acclimation and cross-tolerance;
• The role played by thyroid hormone status in heat acclimation; 
• he role played by HIF 1α in heat acclimation and its contribution to heat-acclimation-oxygen deprivation cross-tolerance.