The mammalian respiratory and cardiovascular systems are inseparably integrated such that manipulation of one system has consequences for the other. My program seeks to further our understanding of this fundamental biological relationship. The long-term objective of my research program is to understand how the human respiratory and cardiovascular systems interact, respond and adapt to physiological stressors such as exercise or hypoxia. Two themes are currently being pursued. The first theme explores respiratory influences on neurovascular control. The focus of the second theme is to better understand how biological sex influences the inter-relationships between airway anatomy, respiratory mechanics, distribution of blood flow, and skeletal muscle fatigue.