Extreme Physiology & Medicine: a new journal focussed on integrative human physiology under stress

The study of integrated human physiology underpins our understanding of human pathophysiology. The characterisation of responses to external stressors - whether relating to changes in hydration, humidity or hypoxia, exertion or altitude, barometric pressure or gravity - has been especially informative. Importantly, understanding of disease states such as critical illness (in which similar challenges to oxygen delivery, thermoregulation and hydration exist) can be informed through such study [2,3]. However, recent decades have seen a waning of investment in integrative physiology in general and environmental physiology in particular [4]. Just as they have in the world of global politics and finance, revolutions in the fields of technology and computation, genomics and molecular biology, have dominated the biomedical sphere. Whilst this has been captivating and exciting, we are now learning that not all human physiology or pathophysiology can be ‘e-explored’ or understood through reductionist molecular biology alone. Whilst such studies can be hugely enhanced through the use of new technologies, there remains much to learn from the integrative physiological study of ‘whole humans’ [5].But where do the observations derived from such experiments find a home? Whilst the field of exercise physiology is reasonably served, there are few journals which publish data specifically relating to ‘extreme’ or ‘boundary’ physiology, or serve to encourage translation from these findings to the clinical setting. Fewer still encourage reflection and speculation in these spheres.Extreme Physiology & Medicine hopes to address these deficits by providing a rapid, receptive and reliable route for the publication of relevant high-quality articles. Articles will be peer reviewed by recognised world leaders in their fields, ensuring the highest standard of quality control. The ‘open access’ model of publishing brings with it distinct advantages in terms of speed of publication and global visi