In the past few decades, the desire and growing opportunities to climb, ski, hike, mountaineer, and explore high-altitude locations have drawn women to places traditionally dominated by male adventurers.
 
Ascent to high altitude presents physical challenges, many of which arise from the lower partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere. The result is reduced oxygen availability, known as hypoxia (hypo – less, oxia – oxygen). Common ailments associated with high-altitude ascent include headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sleeplessness, difficulty breathing, and impaired cognition. These symptoms indicate high-altitude illnesses that can be fatal if not promptly recognized and treated. Such conditions include acute mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE).
​
Current recommendations for reducing the risk of developing and treating high-altitude diseases are based on research studies primarily involving male subjects. Little is known about how women respond to acute ascents to high altitudes. For instance, do responses vary according to hormonal rhythms? Do premenopausal women react differently than postmenopausal women? 
​
Moreover, very few studies have been conducted on women who are adapted to living at high altitudes, such as the Sherpa. By comparing women native to high-altitude areas with those native to low-altitude regions, we can start to uncover which essential physiological mechanisms support female acclimatization to low oxygen conditions.
​
Therefore, we are organizing a research expedition to Putha Hiunchuli (Dhaulagiri VII), a 7,246-meter peak in Nepal. All personnel and research subjects will be women, including Sherpa women and Western women who are pre- and post-menopausal. Female investigators from around the world will be invited to design studies to investigate the physiological responses and genetic influences of all subjects.
​