Diana Sanchez-Ramirez, PhD, MPH, PT

Dr. Diana Sanchez-Ramirez is an assistant professor in the department of respiratory therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. She is a registered physical therapist with clinical experience passionate about identifying ways to improve health-related quality of life in people living with chronic conditions, especially among vulnerable populations (older adults, Indigenous people, Immigrants).

Education

• Erasmus Mundus joint doctorate degree (PhD) in biomedical sciences.  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• Erasmus Mundus joint master’s degree in public health (MPH). Copenhagen University, Denmark & Granada University, Spain.
• Physical Therapy (BSc PT). Industrial University of Santander, Colombia.
• Postdoctoral Training -Injury Prevention Centre. School of Public Health-. University of Alberta. 

Awards

• Physiotherapy Foundation of Canada Research Grant in Long COVID (2023). Physical activity levels and cardiovascular responses in post-COVID-19 (Principal Investigator). Funding:  $4,000. 
• Manitoba Medical Service Foundation Research Grant (2023). Effect of Pulmonary Telerehabilitation and Telemonitoring for patients with chronic respiratory diseases: a feasibility study (Principal Investigator). Funding:  $29,000.
• University Collaborative Research Program. University of Manitoba (2022). Self-management of post-COVID-19 syndrome using wearable biometric technology (Co-PI with Dr. Rodrigo Villar). Funding: $24,978.
• The Lung Association, Manitoba Inc. Operating Grant (2022). Association between physical activity, cardiorespiratory responses and symptom exacerbation in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome (Co-PI with Dr. Sandra Webber, Brenda Tittlemier and Shelley Sargent). Funding: $30,000.
• The Health Sciences Centre Foundation Allied Health Grant (2021). Pulmonary Rehabilitation post-COVID-19: a pilot study (Co-PI with Greg Hodges; Melissa Colbeck, Brenda Semenko). Funding: $22,428.
• University Research Grants Program (URGP). University of Manitoba (2021). Using technology to engage patients with interstitial lung disease in a home exercise program (Principal Investigator). Funding: $9,994.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramirez is a co-investigator in the studies Long COVID Web: Pan-Canadian Post-COVID Condition Research Network (CIHR Operating Grant 2022- $20,000.000) led by Dr. Angela Cheung; and Canadian ADAptive Platform Trial of COVID-19 Therapeutics in Community Settings (Can-ADAPT COVID) (CIHR Operating Grant 2022- $10,000,000) led by Dr. Andrew Pinto.