RESEARCH TEAM

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Kerry Courneya, OC, Ph.D.

Dr. Courneya is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Physical Education from the University of Western Ontario, and his Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois. In 2023, Dr. Courneya was appointed an Officer in the Order of Canada for his groundbreaking research in exercise oncology.

Dr. Courneya spent five years as an Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Calgary (Calgary, Canada) before moving to the University of Alberta in 1997. His research program focuses on the role of physical activity in cancer control including primary prevention, coping with treatments, rehabilitation after treatments, and secondary prevention and survival. His research interests include both the outcomes and determinants of physical activity for cancer control as well as behavior change interventions.

CO-INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Margaret McNeely, Ph.D., PT

Dr. McNeely is a Professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta, a Physical Therapist, and expert in head and neck cancer rehabilitation. She holds a joint appointment in the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Oncology and performs clinical research at the Cross Cancer Institute. Dr. McNeely research interests focus on physical activity and cancer, specifically, Impairment-based cancer rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise, shoulder function in survivors of cancer, cancer-related peripheral nerve injury, and cancer-related symptoms of pain, fatigue and lymphedema.

CO-INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Carla Prado, Ph.D., RD

Dr. Prado is a Professor in the Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, a Registered Dietitian. She is an expert in nutritional interventions to prevent and treat low muscle mass especially in patients with cancer. Dr. Prado is interested in the study of nutritional assessment and status, and investigates the prevalence of abnormal body composition and its relationship to health outcomes in different cohorts of patients. Her expertise also includes the assessment of energy metabolism and the regulation of body weight and composition.

STUDY COORDINATOR

Stephanie Ntoukas, MSc, RKin

Stephanie is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Faculty of Kinesiology and a research assistant in the Exercise Oncology Research Laboratory at the University of Alberta. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Toronto, Post-Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research from Michener Institute of Education, a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Alberta, and is an active, out-of-province Registered Kinesiologist with the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario. Stephanie held a 3-year research position at a world-leading cancer research hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Stephanie’s research interests are in the field of strength training for head and neck cancer populations with the goal of enhancing quality of life, mitigating disease- and treatment-related side effects, while further examining the potential anti-cancer role of strength training. She is also a three-time pediatric/young adult survivor of head and neck cancer and enjoys lifting heavy things in her free time.

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST

Myriam Filion, MSc

Myriam has a master's in clinical epidemiology from the Faculty of Medicine of Université Laval. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate and Research Assistant in the Exercise Oncology Research Laboratory at the University of Alberta. Her research examines the efficacy of physical activity mobile apps in breast cancer populations. Myriam has 15 years of experience in the field of exercise oncology, and she has implemented the “My Active Health” program from the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.