Present The McConnell Brain Imaging Centre Postdoctoral Fellowship: MRI characterization of neurovascular function in carotid artery disease (continued)
2013-2014 Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal Postdoctoral Fellowship: MRI characterization of neurovascular function in carotid artery disease
2010-13 Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal Postdoctoral Fellowship: Contribution of supraspinal structures in the production of anticipatory and compensatory postural responses in cats
2004-09 Department of Kinesiology, University of waterloo Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - Kinesiology: Exercise, Shear Stress, and Flow-Mediated Dilation of Human Conduit Arteries
2002-04 Department of Kinesiology, University of waterloo Master of Science (M.Sc.) - Kinesiology: Effect of Acute Sympathetic Nervous System Activation on Flow- Mediated Dilation of the Brachial Artery: A Study of Four Models of Sympathetic Activation
1997-01 Department of Exercise Science, Concordia University Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Exercise Science
Research Interests: My research interests are centered on the pathologies of postural syncope (inability to maintain upright posture upon transition from lying down) in a range of situations, extending from prolonged bed rest and aging to sojourns in micro-gravity environments (space flight). My pursuit of this interest has led me to study the physiology of the autonomic nervous system, brainstem balance/posture control, and cerebral blood flow regulation.
Research Experience Summary: In my current posting I am utilizing calibrated fMRI techniques to quantify cerebral blood flow and metabolism in cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease patients. In my previous posting I used electrophysiological techniques to gain an understanding of the mechanisms within the central nervous system by which compensatory postural responses to perturbations of the support surface are specified and produced. Previous to that I developed protocols to test the clinical relevance of the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) test. Parallel to my graduate work I contributed my skills to a project in the Women International Space Simulation study. The results will have a significant impact on future human missions in space, particularly for long sojourns such as a proposed return trip to Mars. As an independent study project, I tested the work output and life support requirements during a simulated Mars geological survey.
Teaching Style: My teaching style can be described as socratic. My goal being to supply the students with the esablished facts, and then challenge them to question how those facts were determined, and what/how other questions surrounding the topic can be answered.
Teaching Experience Summary: My teaching experience includes instructing undergraduate students in applied exercise physiology as a teaching assistant at the University of Waterloo. This included demonstrating research and testing methods and explaining the underlying physiology behind such tests as the VO2 max, Wingate Anaerobic Test, body composition, and nutritional analysis. I also had the opportunity to lecture to the class on the topic of nervous system control of blood flow. In my final year as a PhD student I prepared and delivered lectures (4) to the Master's level Cardiovascular Physiology class when the professor was abroad.
2013 Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC)
MRI characterization of neurovascular function in carotid artery disease, Total Funding: 80,000 (Canadian dollar)
2010 Bourse postdoctorale de L'Université de Montréal
Contribution of the reticulospinal system to the compensatory responses produced during unexpected perturbations, Total Funding: 20,000 (Canadian dollar)
2009 Millennium Graduate Scholarship of the University of Waterloo
Exercise, Shear Stress, and Flow-Mediated Dilation of Human Conduit Arteries, Total Funding: 18,000 (Canadian dollar)
2005 President's Graduate Scholarship of the University of Waterloo
Exercise, Shear Stress, and Flow-Mediated Dilation of Human Conduit Arteries, Total Funding: 30,000 (Canadian dollar)
2005 PGS D of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Exercise, Shear Stress, and Flow-Mediated Dilation of Human Conduit Arteries, Total Funding: 63,000 (Canadian dollar)
Dyson KS, Miron JP, Drew T. Differential modulation of descending signals from the reticulospinal system during reaching and locomotion. J Neurophysiol. 2014 Nov 15;112(10):2505-28. doi: 10.1152/jn.00188.2014. Epub 2014 Aug 20. PubMed PMID: 25143539.
Dyson KS , Argarwal N , Williams-Bell M , Bhatti A , Denniss SG , Hughson RL, "Sustained hyperaemia stimulus is necessary to induce flow-mediated dilation of the human brachial artery.", Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 31(6) PubMed ID: 21981451
Faisal A , Dyson KS , Hughson RL, "Prolonged ischaemia impairs muscle blood flow and oxygen uptake dynamics during subsequent heavy exercise.", The Journal of physiology, 588(Pt 19) PubMed ID: 20679356
Dyson KS , Shoemaker JK , Arbeille P , Hughson RL, "Modelflow estimates of cardiac output compared with Doppler ultrasound during acute changes in vascular resistance in women.", Experimental physiology, 95(4) PubMed ID: 20080867
Dyson KS , Arbeille P , Shoemaker JK , Custaud MA , Hughson RL, "WISE 2005: flow and nitroglycerin mediated dilation following 56 days of head down tilt bed rest with and without an exercise countermeasure.", Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology, 14(1) PubMed ID: 18372697
Hughson RL , Shoemaker JK , Arbeille P , Dyson KS , Edgell H , Kerbeci P , Mattar L , Zuj K , Greaves DK, "WISE 2005: vascular responses to 60- day bed rest in women.", Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology, 14(1) PubMed ID: 18372696
Dyson KS , Shoemaker JK , Hughson RL, "Effect of acute sympathetic nervous system activation on flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery.", American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 290(4) PubMed ID: 16284236
"Preliminary study of the physiological demands of Mars analogue extravehicular activity", Mars Analogue Research (111), 227-234, Springfield, VA., Univelt Publishers
