Network contributor · Germany
Heat stress & environmental physiology
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Scientific background & experience
Hanns-Christian Gunga is a professor associated with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin’s Institute of Physiology and its Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments. His research examines how the human body responds to challenging conditions, with interests in thermoregulation, cardiovascular and gravitational physiology, high-altitude and polar medicine. This physiological perspective is directly relevant to understanding heat exposure during demanding physical work. 2, 4
Gunga studied geology, palaeontology and human medicine before developing a research career in human adaptation to extreme environments. His work has included physiological investigations in space and research using sensors to measure body temperature. A Charité study of astronauts illustrates this interest in how environmental conditions alter the body’s ability to regulate heat, including during exercise. 4, 5
He is Principal Investigator of the DFG research unit’s project on heat stress, health and work capacity. The project studies physiological strain among farmers and extends this work to people with chronic respiratory conditions. Its collaboration with CRSN and KEMRI also contributes to Heat to Harvest, which links physical workload and heat exposure with agricultural production and nutrition; Gunga is a coauthor of that study protocol. 6, 7
Projects & research connections
Published study protocol
Coauthor of the published Heat to Harvest protocol; P4 collaboration contributes physiological methods
Investigating the pathway from heat exposure to farmer health, work capacity, crop yields and nutrition.
Role / research source ↗Research in development
Principal Investigator of P4 heat-stress/work-capacity research, including COPD/asthma focus
Studying heat, activity and sleep alongside asthma, COPD and lung-function assessment.
Role / research source ↗Authored publications
These selected papers list Prof Hanns-Christian Gunga as an author. Labels distinguish the CHEERS and connected-research library from selected wider scholarship.
Heat to Harvest studies the pathway from heat exposure through work capacity and crop yields to child nutrition.
Examines gender-specific physical effort and behavioral adaptation among subsistence farmers exposed to heat.
Tests research-grade wearables for monitoring heat stress among subsistence farmers in Siaya HDSS.
Tests research-grade wearables among 40 farmers in Nouna over four weeks and reports data yield, acceptability and practical limitations.
Compares consumer-grade and established research devices under standardized conditions for field research in Africa.
View 9 authored publications in the website library ↗
This is a selected research bibliography. The institutional profile provides further information about the researcher’s work.
Profile references
Profile reviewed 12 November 2026. Suggest an update ↗