The research institute Eurac Research has launched the scientific project MAHE ( Moderate Altitude Healthy Exposure), an initiative aimed at studying the effects of living at moderate altitudes on the human body.
Unlike most research, which focuses on extreme mountaineers or athletes, this study is aimed at ordinary people to understand how altitude affects daily life, metabolism, and sleep.
What will the selected participants do at the mountain hut?
The selected volunteers will have the opportunity to live for four weeks at the Nino Corsi Mountain Hut (at an altitude of about 2,300 meters), in the stunning setting of the Val Martello, in the Stelvio National Park. The offer is definitely tempting: room and board are completely free, and participants will also receive a gross stipend of 400 euros. However, there’s a catch: this isn’t just a vacation. To avoid skewing the study’s results, volunteers must maintain a calm and “normal” routine, without engaging in intense physical activity and without ever changing altitude.
The program consists of three steps:
- Preliminary phase (July/August): initial medical screening conducted at facilities in Bolzano and Silandro.
- The stay (mid-August/early October): 4 weeks at the mountain hut with continuous medical monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep quality, and mental well-being.
- Final phase: concluding examinations upon return to compare physical parameters before, during, and after the stay at high altitude.
How far is it from Rome?
Although spots for this project are already filled (the research team, due to the extremely high number of applications, has asked that no more application emails be sent), you might be interested in visiting the beautiful valley in the province of Bolzano, which begins in Laces and is also known as the “Valley of Berries” for its delicious strawberries.
All you need to do is take a high-speed train to Bolzano and then rent a car to reach Laces (about 1.20 h).
