Press and Media

ISHARE welcomes media inquiries. We are available for interviews, commentary, and background briefings on women's health research at high altitude.

The International Sisters High Altitude Research Expedition (ISHARE) is the world's first all-women's high-altitude medical expedition. Launching in autumn 2027, the expedition will climb to 7,246 meters (23,773 ft) on Putha Hiunchuli in Nepal, collecting comparative physiological data on Sherpa women fully adapted to life at high altitude and women from around the world not adapted to high altitude. Women represent approximately 40% of mountaineers worldwide, yet fewer than 7% of high-altitude studies focus on women. ISHARE is led by an international team of scientists, physicians, and mountaineers, and supported by a board of 14 globally distinguished advisors drawn from the highest levels of mountain medicine, physiology, and high-altitude exploration.

Key Facts

First all-women's high-altitude medical expedition
Destination: Putha Hiunchuli, Nepal (7,246m)
Expedition date: September – October 2027
Research focus: Women's physiological response to high altitude
Team: International scientists, mountaineers, Nepalese and Sherpa women
Board: 14 highly acclaimed advisors, including a Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
Fiscal sponsor: Players Philanthropy Fund (501(c)(3)
Funding goal: $500,000

Story Ideas

The gender gap in high-altitude medicine. What we don't know and why it matters
Sherpa women: fully adapted to altitude and largely absent from the research
The scientists behind ISHARE. What drives an international team to attempt a 7,000m peak
Women in mountaineering: participation is rising, research hasn't kept up
How low oxygen levels trigger illness at high altitude and why we still don't have all the answers for women

We welcome the opportunity to share our story.
Email us at contact@ISHAREmountains.org

Reference

Selected Publications by our team

ISHARE's organizers are active researchers in high-altitude and wilderness medicine, with a particular focus on women's health at altitude. Below is a selection of their peer-reviewed publications, provided as a resource for journalists and media covering our expedition.

Derstine, M., Jean, D., Beidleman, B.A., Pichler Hefti, J., Hillebrandt, D., Horakova, L., Kriemler, S., Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, K., Paal, P., Rosier, A.J., Andjelkovic, M. and Keyes, L.E., (2023) ‘Acute mountain sickness and high altitude cerebral edema in women: a scoping review—UIAA medical commission recommendations’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 24(4), pp. 259-267. doi: 10.1089/ham.2023.0043.

Pichler Hefti, J., Jean, D., Rosier, A., Derstine, M., Hillebrandt, D., Horakova, L., Keyes, L.E., Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, K., Paal, P., Andjelkovic, M., Beidlemann, B. and Kriemler, S. (2023) ‘High-altitude pulmonary edema in women: a scoping review—UIAA Medical Commission recommendations’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 24(4), pp. 268-273. doi: 10.1089/ham.2023.0054.

Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, K., Jean, D., Paal, P., Horakova, L., Kriemler, S., Rosier, A.J., Andjelkovic, M., Beidleman, B.A., Derstine, M., Pichler Hefti, J., Hillebrandt, D. and Keyes, L.E. (2024) ‘Menopause and high altitude: a scoping review—UIAA Medical Commission recommendations’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 25(1), pp. 1-8. doi: 10.1089/ham.2023.0039.

Andjelkovic, M., Paal, P., Kriemler, S., Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, K., Rosier, A., Beidleman, B.A., Derstine, M., Pichler Hefti, J., Hillebrandt, D., Horakova, L., Jean, D. and Keyes, L.E. (2024) ‘Nutrition in women at high altitude: a scoping review—UIAA medical commission recommendations’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 25(1), pp. 9-15. doi: 10.1089/ham.2023.0047.

Gardner, L., Keyes, L.E., Phillips, C., Small, E., Adhikari, T., Barott, N., Zafren, K., Maharjan, R. and Marvel, J. (2024) ‘Women at altitude: menstrual-cycle phase, menopause, and exogenous progesterone are not associated with acute mountain sickness’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 25(2), pp. 107-112. doi: 10.1089/ham.2023.0100.

Gassmann, M., Tissot van Patot, M.C. and Soliz, J. (2009) ‘The neuronal control of hypoxic ventilation: erythropoietin and sexual dimorphism’, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1177(1), pp. 151-161. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05028.x.

Tissot van Patot, M.C. and Gassmann, M. (2011) ‘Hypoxia: adapting to high altitude by mutating EPAS-1, the gene encoding HIF-2α’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 12(2), pp. 157-167. doi: 10.1089/ham.2010.1099.

Liu, H., Tenzing, N., Tissot van Patot, M.C., Qile, M., Ge, R.L. and Wuren, T. (2021) ‘Enhanced placental mitochondrial respiration in Tibetan women at high altitude’, Frontiers in Physiology, 12, p. 697022. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.697022.

Keyes, L.E., Hackett, P.H. and Luks, A.M. (2016) ‘Outdoor activity and high altitude exposure during pregnancy: a survey of 459 pregnancies’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 27(2), pp. 227-235. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2016.02.010.

Coffey, C.H., Casper, L.M., Reno, E.M., Casper, S.J., Hillis, E., Klein, D.A., Schlein, S.M. and Keyes, L.E. (2023) ‘First-trimester pregnancy: considerations for wilderness and remote travel’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 34(2), pp. 201-210. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.12.001.

Keyes, L.E. and Sanders, L. (2023) ‘Pregnancy and exercise in mountain travelers’, Current Sports Medicine Reports, 22(3), pp. 78-81. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000001044.

Schlein, S.M., Reno, E.M., Coffey, C.H., Casper, L.M., Klein, D.A., Claypool, M.S., Wiitala, E.L. and Keyes, L.E.(2025) ‘Environmental exposures and risks during pregnancy’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 36(4), pp. 501-513. doi: 10.1177/10806032241248626.

Keyes, L.E., Schlein, S.S., Brown, A.B., Polukoff, N.E., Byrne, A. and Pollock, N.W. (2022) ‘Gender distribution associated with the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 33(3), pp. 267-274. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.04.005.

Schlein, S.S., Pollock, N.W., Polukoff, N.E., Brown, A.B., Byrne, A. and Keyes, L.E. (2022) ‘Gender equity in membership, leadership, and award recognition in the Wilderness Medical Society’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 33(3), pp. 275-283. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.04.006.

Gatterer, H., Villafuerte, F.C., Ulrich, S., Bhandari, S.S., Keyes, L.E. and Burtscher, M. (2024) ‘Altitude illnesses’, Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 10(1), p. 43. doi: 10.1038/s41572-024-00526-w.

Luks, A.M., Beidleman, B.A., Freer, L., Grissom, C.K., Keyes, L.E., McIntosh, S.E., Rodway, G.W., Schoene, R.B., Zafren, K. and Hackett, P.H. (2024) ‘Wilderness medical society clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute altitude illness: 2024 update’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 35(1_suppl), pp. 2S-19S. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2023.05.013.

Tissot van Patot, M.C. (2025) ‘Blue plaque review series: Mabel Purefoy FitzGerald (1872-1973)’, Experimental Physiology, 110(6), pp. 784-789. doi: 10.1113/EP092275.

Tissot van Patot, M.C. (2020) ‘The Nobel Mabel: the woman who discovered that low oxygen stimulates hemoglobin production’, The FASEB Journal, 34(6), pp. 7222-7224. doi: 10.1096/fj.202000128R.

Tissot van Patot, M.C., Leadbetter, G. III, Keyes, L.E., Maakestad, K.M., Olson, S. and Hackett, P.H. (2008) ‘Prophylactic low-dose acetazolamide reduces the incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 9(4), pp. 289-293. doi: 10.1089/ham.2008.1029.

Leadbetter, G. III, Keyes, L.E., Maakestad, K.M., Olson, S., Tissot van Patot, M.C. and Hackett, P.H. (2009) ‘Ginkgo biloba does—and does not—prevent acute mountain sickness’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 20(1), pp. 66-71. doi: 10.1580/08-WEME-BR-247.1.

Tissot van Patot, M.C., Keyes, L.E., Leadbetter, G. III and Hackett, P.H. (2009) ‘Ginkgo biloba for prevention of acute mountain sickness: does it work?’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 10(1), pp. 33-43. doi: 10.1089/ham.2008.1085.

Tissot van Patot, M.C., Leadbetter, G., Keyes, L.E., Bendrick-Peart, J., Beckey, V.E., Christians, U. and Hackett, P. (2005) ‘Greater free plasma VEGF and lower soluble VEGF receptor-1 in acute mountain sickness’, Journal of Applied Physiology, 98(5), pp. 1626-1629. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00589.2004.

Tissot van Patot, M.C., Serkova, N.J., Haschke, M., Kominsky, D.J., Roach, R.C., Christians, U., Henthorn, T.K. and Honigman, B. (2009) ‘Enhanced leukocyte HIF-1α and HIF-1 DNA binding in humans after rapid ascent to 4300 m’, Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 46(11), pp. 1551-1557. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2009.03.009.

Serkova, N.J., Reisdorph, N.A. and Tissot van Patot, M.C. (2008) ‘Metabolic markers of hypoxia: systems biology application in biomedicine’, Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, 18(1), pp. 81-95. doi: 10.1080/15376510701795769.

Hilty, P.H., Hefti, U., Bouzat, P., Gatterer, H., Horakova, L., Keyes, L.E., Lawley, J., Levine, B.D., Rodway, G., Trevena, D., Vinhaes, E. and Champigneulle, B. (2025) ‘Xenon inhalation for expeditions to high altitude: a position statement from the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme, UIAA) Medical Commission’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology. doi: 10.1089/ham.2025.0018.

Keyes, L.E., Sallade, T.D., Duke, C., Starling, J., Sheets, A., Pant, S., Young, D.S., Twillman, D., Regmi, N., Phelan, B., Paudel, P., McElwee, M., Mather, L., Cole, D., McConnell, T. and Basnyat, B. (2017) ‘Blood pressure and altitude: an observational cohort study of hypertensive and nonhypertensive Himalayan trekkers in Nepal’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 18(3), pp. 267-277. doi: 10.1089/ham.2017.0001.

Duke, C., Sallade, T.D., Starling, J., Sheets, A., Pant, S., Young, D.S., Twillman, D., Regmi, N., Phelan, P., Paudel, P., McElwee, M., McConnell, T., Mather, L., Cole, D., Basnyat, B. and Keyes, L.E. (2020) ‘Hypertension and acute mountain sickness in Himalayan trekkers in Nepal: an observational cohort study’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2020.01.004.

Kreider Carlson, G., Small, E., Burns, A., Ferrari, I., Linkus, T. and Keyes, L.E. (2025) ‘Ambulatory blood pressure in tourists at low versus high altitude: the Colorado High Altitude Monitoring Pressure Study (CHAMPS)’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 36(3), pp. 301-309. doi: 10.1177/10806032251325563.

Keyes, L.E., Mather, L., Duke, C., Regmi, N., Phelan, B., Pant, S., Starling, J., McElwee, M., Cole, D., McConnell, T., Paudel, P., Sallade, T.D., Sheets, A., Twillman, D., Young, D.S. and Basnyat, B. (2016) ‘Older age, chronic medical conditions, and polypharmacy in Himalayan trekkers in Nepal: an epidemiologic survey and case series’, Journal of Travel Medicine, 23(6), p. taw052. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taw052.

Small, E., Steins, H., Musi, M., Perry, J., Goldberg, E., Ryan, M., Crawford, L., Strickland, B., Linkus, T., Phillips, C., Paterson, R., Zona, N., Smolkin, M., Derstine, M., Lemery, J., Hoffman, J.L., Hick, S.R., Ginde, A.A., Hackett, P. and Keyes, L.E. (2025) ‘Prochlorperazine maleate versus placebo for the prophylaxis of acute mountain sickness: a double-blind randomized controlled trial’, Journal of Travel Medicine. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf044.

Hüfner, K., Caramazza, F., Stawinoga, A.E., Pircher Noeckler, E.R., Fusar-Poli, P., Bhandari, S.S., Basnyat, B., Brodmann Maeder, M., Strapazzon, G., Tomazin, I. and Sperner-Unterweger, B. (2021) ‘Assessment of psychotic symptoms in individuals exposed to very high or extreme altitude: a field study’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 22(4), pp. 369-378. doi: 10.1089/ham.2020.0210.

Hüfner, K., Caramazza, F., Pircher Nöckler, E.R., Stawinoga, A.E., Fusar-Poli, P., Bhandari, S.S., Basnyat, B., Brodmann Maeder, M., Strapazzon, G., Tomazin, I. and Zafren, K. (2022) ‘Association of pre-existing mental health conditions with acute mountain sickness at Everest Base Camp’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 23(4), pp. 338-344. doi: 10.1089/ham.2022.0014.

Paal, P., Gordon, L., Strapazzon, G., Brodmann Maeder, M., Putzer, G., Walpoth, B., Wanscher, M., Brown, D., Holzer, M., Broessner, G. and Brugger, H. (2016) ‘Accidental hypothermia–an update: the content of this review is endorsed by the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine (ICAR MEDCOM)’, Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 24(1), p. 111. doi: 10.1186/s13049-016-0303-7.

Sumann, G., Moens, D., Brink, B., Brodmann Maeder, M., Greene, M., Jacob, M., Koirala, P., Zafren, K., Ayala, M., Musi, M., Oshiro, K., Sheets, A., Strapazzon, G., Macias, D. and Paal, P. (2020) ‘Multiple trauma management in mountain environments—a scoping review: evidence based guidelines of the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine (ICAR MedCom). Intended for physicians and other advanced life support personnel’, Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 28(1), p. 117. doi: 10.1186/s13049-020-00790-1.

van Veelen, M.J. and Brodmann Maeder, M. (2021) ‘Hypothermia in trauma’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), p. 8719. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18168719.

Rauch, S., Wallner, B., Ströhle, M., Dal Cappello, T. and Brodmann Maeder, M. (2020) ‘Climbing accidents—prospective data analysis from the international alpine trauma registry and systematic review of the literature’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), p. 203. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17010203.

Zafren, K., Brants, A., Tabner, K., Nyberg, A., Pun, M., Basnyat, B. and Brodmann Maeder, M. (2018) ‘Wilderness mass casualty incident (MCI): rescue chain after avalanche at Everest Base Camp (EBC) in 2015’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 29(3), pp. 401-410. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2018.03.007.

Brodmann Maeder, M., Brugger, H., Pun, M., Strapazzon, G., Dal Cappello, T., Maggiorini, M., Hackett, P., Bärtsch, P., Swenson, E.R. and Zafren, K. (2018) ‘The STAR data reporting guidelines for clinical high altitude research’, High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 19(1), pp. 7-14. doi: 10.1089/ham.2017.0160.

Brodmann Maeder, M., Basnyat, B. and Harris, N.S. (2014) ‘From Matterhorn to Mt Everest: empowering rescuers and improving medical care in Nepal’, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 25(2), pp. 177-181. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2013.12.029.

Press and Media

We welcome the opportunity to share our story. Email us at contact@ISHAREmountains.org

We welcome the opportunity to share our story.
Email us at contact@ISHAREmountains.org