Nicholas Ravanelli

Nicholas Ravanelli is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore. Following graduate training in human biophysics (University of Ottawa, Canada) and postdoctoral training in cardiovascular health (Montreal Heart Institute), Dr. Ravanelli was an Assistant Professor at Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, Ontario) where he established a federally funded research program (~$500k total as PI) exploring factors impacting heat health such as over the counter medications and substance use, and developing innovative technological solutions to measure how individuals respond and adapt to heat stress in their natural environment that has been used globally. Notable contibrutions include studies examining the safety of antihistamine use during exertional heat stress (PMID: 39140777) and describing the behavioural and adaptive responses during local heat alerts of children and adults using a web-based application (PMID: 37228814)

Title: Using wearable technology to examing the response to heat stress in ecologically valid settings

Description: we will explore the strengths and limitations of wearable technology when applied in real world settings. We will define key biomarkers that can be measured in the field. We will discuss how biomarkers may provide us a ‘window of opportunity’ to characterize an individuals response to heat stress and how technology can help protect individuals from extreme heat.

Learning objectives: At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify strengths and limitations to current commercial wearable devices for monitoring heat-health.
2. Establish links between key biomarkers and homeostatic balance.
3. Explain how technology may improve heat resilience.