Biomedical Sciences

Ryan Maresh is director of the Hypo-Hyperbaric Chamber Facility and assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. He previously trained Air Force personnel in altitude chambers and devoted his graduate studies to looking at how altitude impacts cognitive function. Maresh is excited to further the chamber’s involvement in a wide variety of research needs and uses.

Hypo-Hyperbaric Chamber Facility

The Colorado State University Hypo-Hyperbaric Chamber Facility is a unique regional resource specifically designed for conducting long-duration human and large animal research. It “dives and flies” and is capable of simulating altitudes from sea level up to 35,000 feet and depths from sea level down to 130 feet.

Designed and built in 1966 with funding from the National Science Foundation and the State of Colorado, the chamber was delivered via railcar and installed in the Physiology building during the age of the “Space Race,” when there was a growing desire for more research on the effects of high altitude.

The mission of the facility is to provide both Colorado State University faculty and students, as well as external research entities, the resources and facilities to study the effects of high altitude and hypoxia on a variety of physiological systems, such as the cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscular, and metabolic systems.

The chamber is easily configurable to meet the needs of different research protocols. The proximity of the facility to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, numerous veterinary research centers, and other research facilities and capabilities available across the university’s campuses makes it a valuable resource for collaborative work.