Human Performance Laboratory

The Human Performance Laboratory allows faculty and students to study the physiologic response to acute exercise and exercise training in health and disease. The primary focus of the laboratory is on the cardiovascular alterations that occur with exercise training (both aerobic and resistance) particularly those in diseased populations.

Equipment and Measures Performed

• Hokanson Strain Gauge Plethysmography System – assessment of resistance vessel endothelial function and venous capacitance.
• Finometer and Portapres Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure – assessment of blood pressure variability, baroreflex sensitivity and Modelflow derivation of cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral resistance, arterial compliance and arterial impedance.
• BioPac MP100 Data Collection System with ECG and digital volume pulse attachments (2) – assessment of heart rate variability, heart rate complexity, QT interval, and microvascular endothelial function.
• 24-hour BP monitors (2) – for the assessment of 24-hour blood pressure variability and ambulatory arterial stiffness index.
• Sphygmocor and Complior– pulse wave analysis for measures of aortic BP and wave reflection; pulse wave velocity for measures of aortic and regional arterial stiffness.
• Aloka Alpha7 echo/ultrasound and Sonosite Portable Ultrasound – for assessment of cardiac function (tissue Doppler imaging, speckle tracking) and vascular function (flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery, carotid compliance/stiffness/elastic modulus, wave intensity analysis).
• Handheld Doppler flow probes (2) – assessment of blood velocity, used for ABI
• Tilt table – for orthostatic challenges
• Lower body negative pressure chamber – for sympathetic challenges
• Bioelectrical impedance – RJL system which uses an electrical current to estimate fat based on its reactance and resistance properties.
• BodPod – air displacement plethysmograpy for the assessment of body composition
• Exercise equipment – treadmills (2), cycle ergometers (2), elliptical machine (1), leg extension (1), bench press (1)

Core Human Performance Laboratory Faculty

Kevin Heffernan, Dean's Associate Professor

ksheffer@syr.edu|315.443.9801