Position 
Lecturer in cardiopulmonary physiology 

Qualifications
PhD (SYD)

Teaching
Dr. Polson lectures in the Discipline’s undergraduate programmes in cardiovascular, respiratory and renal physiology.

Research Interest
Dr. Polson is interested in how the brain controls blood pressure and the mechanisms underlying neurogenic hypertension (high blood pressure).   He has close collaborations with Professor Roger Dampney in the Discipline of Physiology, where they study the effects of psychological stress and exercise on the neural regulation of blood pressure.  In addition, Dr Polson has close ties with the University of Bristol in the UK, where they study (i) cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in children with congenital cardiac defects and (ii) the role of the brain in developmentally programmed hypertension.

Techniques
According to the principles of ‘bench to bedside’, a variety of techniques are used including radiotelemetry recording of blood pressure, electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, immediate early gene expression and viral gene transfection.  In man we measure cardiovascular and autonomic variables non-invasively using Portapres, Vicorder, and Sphygmocor from ages ranging from new born to adolescence.

Titles of some of his recent publications are available.

For more information:

Last update: 26th June 2009