American College of Sports Medicine honors Brett Wong's research
as nation's best EUGENE, Ore. -- Brett Wong is on a mission to
help uncover the mechanism that regulates our ability to
withstand heat stress. The goal is to help improve survival
rates among those who suffer the most during heat waves: the
elderly and people with conditions such as diabetes and heart
disease. The award-winning University of Oregon doctoral degree
student's research is the first to identify histamine receptors
as contributing to increased blood flow during heat stress. Skin
blood flow is a key factor in compensating for exposure to
prolonged heat waves. "These are the same receptors that are
involved in seasonal allergies for which people take
antihistamines," says Wong, who is the lead author on an article
describing his findings in the November issue of the Journal of
Physiology. Co-authors are Brad W. Wilkins, research associate,
and Christopher Minson, assistant professor of human physiology
and co-director of the UO Exercis