Champions Institute Topics: Understanding Immunity in Athletes, Warfighters, and Astronauts
January 15, 2026
Extreme physical, psychological, and environmental stress can weaken the immune system, increasing illness risk in athletes and tactical populations. Understanding how stress alters immune responses is essential for protecting health and readiness in demanding conditions.
Topic: Immune Function and Extreme Environments
Types of Athletes Involved: Competitive, Tactical (Warfighters and Astronauts)
Problem
Athletes and tactical professionals operating under extreme physical, psychological, and environmental stress are at higher risk of weakened immune systems. Over time, these stresses can increase susceptibility to infections, illnesses, and cancers, threatening both performance and long-term health.
Solution
This research studies how different stressors—from intense exercise and academic or competitive pressure to isolation and microgravity—affect the body’s immune defenses. By examining changes in immune cells under real-world conditions, the work helps clarify how stress disrupts immune resilience in both competitive athletes and tactical populations.
Impact
The findings are guiding efforts to strengthen immune health in demanding environments. This work supports LSU and partner organizations in developing strategies and countermeasures that help athletes, warfighters, and astronauts stay healthier, recover more effectively, and sustain performance under extreme conditions.
Studies have improved understanding of how spaceflight alters immune function and identified academic and competitive stressors linked to weakened immune responses in otherwise healthy student-athletes.
Findings have contributed to peer-reviewed publications and public-facing stories, and the work continues to inform collaborations with space agencies and athletic organizations focused on immune resilience.
Publications
- How Our Lady of the Lake Health and LSU Research Is Unlocking Immune Resilience
- Allostatic stress load and CMV serostatus impact immune response to maximal exercise in collegiate swimmers
- B cell homeostasis is maintained during long-duration spaceflight
- Space travel does not damage a major part of the human immune system, new study says
Key Partners / Funders
NASA, Wu Tsai Human Alliance Foundation