Dr. Neal Pollock, Université Laval’s Department of Kinesiology

In this episode, Dr. Neal Pollock, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and hyperbaric and diving research chair at Université Laval, joins Dr. Matias Nochetto, vice president of medical services at DAN. Dr. Pollock shares insights from his distinguished career in diving and hyperbaric medicine research and education, including his years with Duke University and DAN.

The conversation highlights the flying after diving project and its 2002 DAN workshop that established guidelines still recognized worldwide. They also discuss landmark initiatives like Project Dive Exploration, which collected hundreds of thousands of dive profiles to analyze decompression risk factors. In addition, Dr. Pollock addresses factors in decompression stress and the evolution toward personalized decompression approaches in dive planning.

This episode was recorded at Anse Chastanet Resort in St. Lucia during the DAN/UHMS Spring 2025 Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine CME. Faculty included Neal W. Pollock, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Hyperbaric and Diving Research Chair, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.

0:00 Introduction and Career
2:04 Research Studies That Shaped Diving Guidelines
3:48 Flying After Diving
6:05 Understanding DAN's Data
9:50 Path from Aquatics to Diving Research
13:47 Project Dive Exploration
18:22 Dehydration and DCS
22:52 Personalized Decompression and Gradient Factors
28:30 Diving Medical Education
32:50 Hyperbaric Chambers
35:55 Continuous Learning