Mayo Clinic Researchers Climb Mount Everest to Study High-Altitude Effects - Daily Disruption

Mayo’s Everest team: (l-r) Bryan Taylor, Ph.D.; Alex Kasak.; Amine Issa, Ph.D.; Andy Miller; Bruce Johnson, Ph.D.; Doug Summerfield, M.D.; and Joel Streed

By Lori Morgan | @dailydisrupt | April 20th, 2012

The team at Mayo Clinic believes that Mount Everest is a natural laboratory for studying heart disease, lung problems, muscle loss, sleeping disorders and new medical technologies.  It’s also the highest mountain in the world.

Mount Everest’s extreme altitude puts climbers under the same conditions experienced by patients suffering from heart disease, obesity or advanced age.  To take advantage of that, a group of brave Mayo Clinic researchers are joining an expedition to Everest with National Geographic, The North Face and Montana State University.  The Mayo group will monitor up to nine climbers from base camp for the duration of the climb, which will run from mid-April to mid-May.

The first leg of their journey to Mount Everest they will conduct research and collect data on extreme athletes making an ascent on the peak via two routes.  The Mayo group will monitor up to nine climbers from base camp for the duration of the climb, which will run to mid-May.  Their studies will provide knowledge that will help heart patients, as well as extreme athletes.

The climbing expedition is funded by National Geographic and The North Face, with support from Montana State University.

Stay tuned as we plan to bring you updates from their trip.