Science on top of the world

In Grenoble, researchers focus on hypoxia, i.e. the lack of oxygen in the blood that can occur at altitude and its consequences on the body. A first study was carried out in France at various altitudes on subjects living in the plains. Then a multidisciplinary mission, Expedition 5300, focused on subjects living permanently at very high altitudes. The mission carried out a study in several cities in Peru, including Lima and La Rinconada, the highest city in the world, where a significant proportion of the population suffers from acute or chronic mountain sickness. The blood samples and the data collected were then analysed in France in several laboratories, including the Institut pour l'Avancée des Biosciences (institute for the advancement of biosciences) in Grenoble.