Joshua Tremblay

​Lecturer in Cardiovascular and Exercise Physiology

Joshua Tremblay Email: jtremblay@cardiffmet.ac.uk

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1667-294X

Josh is a Lecturer in Cardiovascular and Exercise Physiology. His research interests are in cardiovascular, environmental and comparative physiology informed by anthropology and evolutionary biology. He has studied human vascular function and blood viscosity in high altitude environments, the impact of urbanization on cardiovascular aging in the Tarahumara (Rarámuri) Indigenous people in Mexico, diving physiology in humans and seals and cardiovascular health in chimpanzees as part of the International Primate Heart Project.


Research / Publications

Josh has > 55 publications that can be viewed here. A selection is provided below.

Carr JMJR, Ainslie PN, Howe CA, Gibbons TD, Tymko MM, Steele AR, Hoiland RL, Vizcardo-Galindo GA, Patrician A, Brown CV, Caldwell HG, Tremblay JC. Brachial artery responses to acute hypercapnia: The roles of shear stress and adrenergic tone. Exp Physiol. 2022 Sep 16. doi: 10.1113/EP090690. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36114662.

Stone RM, Ainslie PN, Tremblay JC, Akins JD, MacLeod DB, Tymko MM, DeSouza CA, Bain AR. GLOBAL REACH 2018: intra-arterial vitamin C improves endothelial-dependent vasodilatory function in humans at high altitude. J Physiol. 2022 Mar;600(6):1373-1383. doi: 10.1113/JP282281. Epub 2021 Nov 30. PMID: 34743333.

Tremblay JC, Ainslie PN. Global and country-level estimates of human population at high altitude. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 May 4;118(18):e2102463118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2102463118. PMID: 33903258; PMCID: PMC8106311.

Coombs GB, Tremblay JC, Shkredova DA, Carr JMJR, Wakeham DJ, Patrician A, Ainslie PN. Distinct contributions of skin and core temperatures to flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery following passive heating. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2021 Jan 1;130(1):149-159. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00502.2020. Epub 2020 Oct 29. PMID: 33119469.

Tremblay JC, Ainslie PN, Turner R, Gatterer H, Schlittler M, Woyke S, Regli IB, Strapazzon G, Rauch S, Siebenmann C. Endothelial function and shear stress in hypobaric hypoxia: time course and impact of plasma volume expansion in men. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2020 Nov 1;319(5):H980-H994. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00597.2020. Epub 2020 Sep 4. PMID: 32886005.

King TJ, Coates AM, Tremblay JC, Slysz JT, Petrick HL, Pignanelli C, Millar PJ, Burr JF. Vascular Function Is Differentially Altered by Distance after Prolonged Running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Mar 1;53(3):597-605. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002493. PMID: 32804900.

Hoiland RL, Tremblay JC, Stacey BS, Coombs GB, Nowak-Flück D, Tymko MM, Patrician A, Stembridge M, Howe CA, Bailey DM, Green DJ, MacLeod DB, Ainslie PN. Acute reductions in haematocrit increase flow-mediated dilatation independent of resting nitric oxide bioavailability in humans. J Physiol. 2020 Oct;598(19):4225-4236. doi: 10.1113/JP280141. Epub 2020 Jul 29. PMID: 32639605.

Tremblay JC, Coombs GB, Howe CA, Vizcardo-Galindo GA, Figueroa-Mujíca RJ, Bermudez D, Tymko MM, Villafuerte FC, Ainslie PN, Pyke KE. Global Reach 2018: reduced flow-mediated dilation stimulated by sustained increases in shear stress in high-altitude excessive erythrocytosis. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 Nov 1;317(5):H991-H1001. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00316.2019. Epub 2019 Aug 23. PMID: 31441692.

Tremblay JC, Hoiland RL, Howe CA, Coombs GB, Vizcardo-Galindo GA, Figueroa-Mujíca RJ, Bermudez D, Gibbons TD, Stacey BS, Bailey DM, Tymko MM, MacLeod DB, Gasho C, Villafuerte FC, Pyke KE, Ainslie PN. Global REACH 2018: High Blood Viscosity and Hemoglobin Concentration Contribute to Reduced Flow-Mediated Dilation in High-Altitude Excessive Erythrocytosis. Hypertension. 2019 Jun;73(6):1327-1335. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.12780. PMID: 31006327.

Tremblay JC, Grewal AS, Pyke KE. Examining the acute effects of retrograde versus low mean shear rate on flow-mediated dilation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2019 May 1;126(5):1335-1342. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01065.2018. Epub 2019 Mar 7. PMID: 30844335; PMCID: PMC6589808.

Tremblay JC, Stimpson TV, Pyke KE. Evidence of sex differences in the acute impact of oscillatory shear stress on endothelial function. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2019 Feb 1;126(2):314-321. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00729.2018. Epub 2018 Nov 1. PMID: 30382805; PMCID: PMC6397415.

Tremblay JC, Hoiland RL, Carter HH, Howe CA, Stembridge M, Willie CK, Gasho C, MacLeod DB, Pyke KE, Ainslie PN. UBC-Nepal expedition: upper and lower limb conduit artery shear stress and flow-mediated dilation on ascent to 5,050 m in lowlanders and Sherpa. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2018 Dec 1;315(6):H1532-H1543. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00345.2018. Epub 2018 Aug 31. PMID: 30168724.

Tremblay JC, Pyke KE. Flow-mediated dilation stimulated by sustained increases in shear stress: a useful tool for assessing endothelial function in humans? Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2018 Mar 1;314(3):H508-H520. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00534.2017. Epub 2017 Nov 22. PMID: 29167121; PMCID: PMC5899264.


Teaching and Supervision

Physical Activity, Exercise and Illness: Prevention and Treatment (SES7295)


Qualifications and Awards

  • PhD: Shear Stress and Flow-Mediated Dilation in the Normoxic and Hypoxic Human. Queen’s University. Supervisor: Kyra Pyke. (2019).
  • MSc: The effects of intermittent hypoxia on the vasculature and the carotid baroreflex regulation of arterial pressure. University of British Columbia – Okanagan. Supervisor: Glen Foster. (2015).
  • BScH. Human Kinetics with minor in French Studies. University of Guelph. (2013).


External Links

Josh collaborates with several institutions globally. Examples include the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan in Canada, the Facultad de Ciencias de la Cultura Física at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua in Mexico, The Turkana Health and Genomics Project in Kenya, the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia and the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St Andrews.