It is a pleasure to report that Professor Alistair Gunn, Department of Physiology has been awarded the 2020 Triennial medal Physiological Society of New Zealand for his recent contributions to understanding the mechanisms of fetal heart changes in labour, and the mechanisms and treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
He and his colleagues recently refuted historical beliefs that the baroreflex mediates fetal heart decelerations in labour, and demonstrated the robust, central role of the fetal peripheral chemoreflex. Moreover, they showed that unexpectedly, the sympathetic nervous system is highly suppressed by repeated hypoxia of labour. This improved understanding is vital to improving fetal heart rate monitoring.
Alistair played a central role in the foundation studies of therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic brain injury. In the last 5 years, he and his colleagues have dissected the mechanisms of therapeutic hypothermia, and provided compelling preclinical evidence for optimal treatment protocols. His work has highlighted how understanding these effects is vital to develop effective combination therapies.
Well done Alistair!