Dylan Olver

• MSc., Exercise Nutrition Research Lab, The University of Western Ontario
• PhD., Neurovascular Research Lab, The University of Western Ontario
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cardiovascular & Microcirculation Groups, University of Missouri-Columb

OUR SOCIETY IS AT WAR. Although it may not be commonly publicized in this manner, make no mistake, our society, and even the world's population in general, is truly at war against a common enemy. That enemy is modern chronic disease.”

Frank W. Booth, JAP: 2000, 88, 2:774-787

It is with this perspective that I strive to understand the origins of our enemy and attack modern chronic disease at its (environmental) root. Specifically, my thrust is to identify major gaps in our knowledge of vascular disease (and specifically vascular cognitive impairment) and to establish the role of healthy eating and regular physical activity in the prevention and treatment of vascular & vaso-neural pathologies.

To optimize prevention and treatment strategies, my research aims to: i) characterize the pathological features of vascular disease that contribute to cognitive dysfunction and identify therapeutic biomarkers of disease prevention & treatment, ii) elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the protective effect of healthy eating and physical activity and iii) develop nutritional and exercise prescriptions targeted at improving specific vascular and vaso-neural health outcomes. I believe firmly in the molecule-to-patient approach. To accomplish my research goals my studies are conducted in in vivo/intact vascular networks in healthy, preclinical and clinical human populations as well as in preclinical animal models. These are complimented by functional experiments in isolated tissues (i.e., blood vessels) as well as biochemical/histological analyzes of protein expression/localization.

 Students interested in undergraduate, graduate or postdoctoral research should email me directly to discuss potential opportunities

 

 ∗∗ Dr. Olver is now accepting new students. Please contact him directly at dylan.olver@usask.ca. 

Microvascular insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and brain occurs early in the development of juvenile obesity in pigs. Olver TD, Grunewald ZI, Jurrissen TJ, MacPherson REK, LeBlanc PJ, Schnurbusch TR, Czajkowski AM, Laughlin MH, Rector RS, Bender SB, Walters EM, Emter CA, Padilla J. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2018 Feb 1;314(2):R252-R264.

Loss of female sex hormones exacerbates cerebrovascular and cognitive dysfunction in aortic banded miniswine through a neuropeptide Y-Ca²⁺-activated potassium channel-nitric oxide mediated mechanism. Olver TD, Hiemstra JA, Edwards JC, Schachtman TR, Heesch CM, Fadel PJ, Laughlin MH, Emter CA. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Oct 31;6(11). pii: e007409.

A chronic physical activity treatment in obese rats normalizes the contributions of ET-1 and NO to insulin-mediated posterior cerebral artery vasodilation. Olver TD, McDonald MW, Klakotskaia D, Richardson RA, Jasperse JL, Melling CWJ, Schachtman TR, Yang HT, Emter CA, Laughlin MH. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 Apr 1;122(4):1040-1050.

The protective role of sex hormones in females and exercise prehabilitation in males on sternotomy-induced cranial hypoperfusion in aortic banded mini-swine. Olver TD, Hiemstra JA, Edwards JC, Ferguson BS, Laughlin MH, Emter CA. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 Mar 1;122(3):423-429.

Carotid artery vascular mechanics serve as biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in aortic-banded miniature swine that can be treated with an exercise intervention. Olver TD, Klakotskaia D, Ferguson BS, Hiemstra JA, Schachtman TR, Laughlin MH, Emter CA. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 May 20;5(5). pii: e003248

Effects of acute and chronic interval sprint exercise performed on a manually propelled treadmill on upper limb vascular mechanics in healthy young men. Olver TD, Reid SM, Smith AR, Zamir M, Lemon PW, Laughlin MH, Shoemaker JK. Physiol Rep. 2016 Jul;4(13). pii: e12861.

Effects of aging and coronary artery disease on sympathetic neural recruitment strategies during end-inspiratory and end-expiratory apnea. Badrov MB, Lalande S, Olver TD, Suskin N, Shoemaker JK. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2016 Oct 1;311(4):H1040-H1050.

Endurance, interval sprint, and resistance exercise training: impact on microvascular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. Olver TD, Laughlin MH. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2016 Feb 1;310(3):H337-50

Molecular Mechanisms for Exercise Training-Induced Changes in Vascular Structure and Function: Skeletal Muscle, Cardiac Muscle, and the Brain. Olver TD, Ferguson BS, Laughlin MH. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;135:227-57. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.017.