By Kaylee Alivo

Kylee West, a PhD student in the Department of Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, recently traveled to the University of Colorado Boulder to train in Douglas Seals’ lab, a leading center for vascular aging research. Seals, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, leads the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory, which focuses on understanding and improving cardiovascular aging. 

During her visit, West learned the endothelial cell co-culture technique from Katelyn Ludwig, a research associate and wet laboratory director in the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory. This technique allows researchers to study underlying mechanisms by which lifestyle factors impact vascular function in a controlled environment. 

“This model gives us insight into the potential causes of vascular dysfunction we see in young adults with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs),” West explained. “It’s just part of the answer, but it will help guide future projects.”

West also presented her research on the connections between ACEs, vascular and metabolic dysfunction, and sleep disruption. The experience provided valuable feedback from senior researchers and expanded her expertise in vascular health. 

Seals’ team welcomed West’s contributions and supported her efforts to integrate the co-culture into ongoing research at the University of Iowa. She now applies this technique in the Integrative Laboratory of Applied Physiology & Lifestyle Medicine, led by associate professor Nate Jenkins, where she studies how sleep behavior influences vascular and metabolic health. 

West will present her findings from her experience in Boulder in her presentation, “Paradoxical Associations between Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences, Vascular Endothelial Function, and Mitochondrial Superoxide Production,” at the upcoming American Physiological Society Summit in Baltimore, Maryland on April 24 – 27, 2025.