Training Opportunities Abroad
MSc student Skye Ling will be spending the next two months in Hannover, Germany as part of a research exchange supported by the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement through her CGS-M Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada funding. During her stay, Skye will be working with Dr. Eric Stöhr at Leibniz University Hannover.
Skye’s project focuses on a fundamental question in cardiovascular physiology: how cardiac output is regulated when local blood flow demands change. While cardiac output is traditionally thought to closely match metabolic or thermoregulatory needs, emerging evidence suggests this relationship may not always be tightly coupled. Using a combination of local heat stress and blood flow restriction, her work will examine how heart rate, stroke volume, and limb blood flow respond when peripheral demand is manipulated independently of systemic control.
Beyond the science, this exchange represents an important training opportunity. Gaining hands-on experience in an international research environment allows trainees to develop new technical skills, build global collaborations, and broaden their perspective on how cardiovascular research is conducted across different settings. For Skye, this experience will play a key role in shaping her MSc thesis and future research trajectory.
We look forward to following her work and welcoming her back with new insights and collaborations!