معرفی
Kirsten Coffman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of Puget Sound, where she has researched cardiopulmonary responses to environmental stressors since 2019. Her lab employs clinical-grade equipment like metabolic carts and environmental chambers to study heat/cold/altitude effects during exercise.
Education:
- BA, North Central College (2012)
- PhD, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (2017)
Research Focus: She investigates how stressors alter oxygen diffusion (DLCO), blood distribution, and cardiovascular metrics during physical activity. Current projects include caffeine impacts on asthmatic runners, dive reflex physiology in varying water temperatures, and heat-mediated lung function changes during exercise—with plans for grant-funded expansion.
Student Advising: Mentors undergraduates in full-cycle research:
- Ayla Murphy (2026): Caffeine effects on asthma during running
- Chris Nicol (2024): Mammalian dive reflex in warm/cold water immersion
Lab Capabilities: The Extreme Human Physiology Lab features an environmental chamber, 12-lead ECG, spirometry tools, blood lactate analyzers, and temperature-monitoring systems for controlled stressor experiments.
