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Full NameProfessor Ken O'Halloran

Physiology

University College Cork

Webpage:research.ucc.ie

Email Address:Email hidden; Javascript is required.

Research Fields

physiology and non-communicable disease
neuroscience and mental health

Postgrad Medical Specialties

Medicine
Surgery
Anaesthetics
Paediatrics

Medical Subspecialties

Cardiology
Gastroenterology
Neonatology
Neurophysiology
Physiology
Respiratory Medicine

My Work

Ken O'Halloran's major focus of interest is cardiorespiratory and autonomic physiology in health and disease. His group explores adaptation and maladaptation in animal models with a particular interest in intermittent hypoxia, which is a dominant feature of sleep-disordered breathing. Beyond studies of form and function in the cardiorespiratory systems, we have recently initiated studies exploring the deleterious effects of intermittent hypoxia on renal and gastrointestinal homeostatic control.

Our studies combine in vivo physiological recordings (conscious and anaesthetised preparations), with reduced ex vivo preparations and a range of biochemical and molecular biology approaches to explore fundamental mechanisms of aberrant plasticity, with a particular interest in redox biology and oxidative stress. Our studies have explored age- and sex-dependent effects of CIH, revealing increased susceptibility in males compared with females, and increased susceptibility in early life.

We have plans to extend our interest in early life stress and cardiorespiratory control by way of collaboration with colleagues in the neonatal unit of Cork Maternity Hospital, with whom we currently collaborate. In recent years, we have also focussed on hypoxia-induced diaphragm muscle dysfunction, and are currently exploring the molecular physiology of this process, which has relevance for respiratory patients.

Parallel studies have been extended recently to animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer's Disease and gastrointestinal dysbiosis with an interest in the microbiome and autonomic control. Techniques include: whole-body plethysmography (respiratory behaviour & metabolism); respiratory EMG and motor unit recordings; respiratory motor nerve recordings; transdiaphragmatic pressure recording; cardiac pressure-volume loops; isolated muscle fibre contractile measurements; isolated tissue preparations; histology and immunohistochemistry (muscle, gut, brain); biochemical assays; western blot; qRT-PCR.

Biography available at: http://research.ucc.ie/profiles/C008/kohalloran

PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=o'halloran+kd