Dr. Michael Delp received a B.S. degree in Biomedical Chemistry from Oral Roberts University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Georgia in Exercise Physiology. He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Konstanz in Germany and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Missouri. His research examines the effects of physical activity on the cardiovascular system. Work from the Delp laboratory uses aging, microgravity (simulated and actual) and type 2 diabetes to investigate the effects of low levels of physical activity on vascular function, and exercise training to determine whether elevations in physical activity improve indicators of vascular health. According to the American Heart Association, physical inactivity is a major risk factor for developing coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disorders. It also contributes to other risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, low levels of HDL cholesterol, and diabetes. Work from the Delp laboratory has focused on the full spectrum of physical activity on smooth muscle and endothelial cell function of arteries, and how activity-related alterations in vasomotor function alters control of arterial pressure and tissue perfusion.