Assistant professor
College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Department of Respiratory Therapy
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
Room 331 – 771 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6
Phone: 204-480-1375
Email: nicole.brunton@umanitoba.ca
Nicole Brunton, PhD
Research achievements
Research summary
Dr. Brunton’s research program aims to improve the prognosis and health-related quality of life in individuals with chronic respiratory disease. Her work focuses on integrative systems physiology with an emphasis on respiratory function. She also leverages novel methods for causal inference to enhance understanding of respiratory disease occurrence and progression throughout the lifespan.
Keywords
- Epidemiology, Causal inference
- Exercise physiology
- Rehabilitation
- Respiratory disease
- Respiratory physiology
Undergraduate research opportunity: Undergraduate Research Awards 2025
Abstract name
Cardiopulmonary responses to exercise in individuals with a history of vaping
Abstract
Vaping is a significant public health concern, particularly among youth, with unclear effects on lung development. Electronic-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) is not well-characterized, particularly in adolescents, and reported changes in lung function are inconsistent. Early signs of functional impairment may not be detectable at rest, therefore placing the body under physiological stress, like exercise, may provide a more sensitive and non-invasive means of detecting early EVALI.
However, little is known about the cardiopulmonary responses to exercise in adolescents and young adults with a history of vaping. Therefore, I am interested in conducting a narrative review to synthesize results from existing studies that describe exercise responses in this population, identify knowledge gaps, and inform future investigations.
The student involved in this project will assist in developing the search strategy, screen studies for inclusion, extract data, and participate in the synthesis and organization of information for publication.
Biography
Nicole Brunton is an assistant professor in the Department of Respiratory Therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba. Her research focuses on improving the prognosis and health-related quality of life for individuals with chronic respiratory disease. Dr. Brunton's work emphasizes integrative systems physiology, particularly respiratory function, and she uses novel methods for causal inference to better understand the occurrence and progression of respiratory diseases throughout the lifespan.
Her research interests include epidemiology, exercise physiology, rehabilitation, and respiratory physiology. Dr. Brunton is currently accepting master’s and PhD students and offers an undergraduate research opportunity through the Undergraduate Research Awards for 2025. One of her current research projects examines the cardiopulmonary responses to exercise in individuals with a history of vaping, specifically focusing on early functional impairments and how exercise can provide a more sensitive and non-invasive means of detecting Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) in adolescents and young adults.
Dr. Brunton’s clinical career began as a registered kinesiologist in an acute care hospital in Northwestern Ontario, where she worked alongside health professionals and conducted clinical research with local physician-scientists. This experience deepened her understanding of the complexities and challenges of delivering culturally sensitive healthcare in rural and remote communities.
After completing graduate studies at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Brunton conceptualized and led a novel exercise intervention to alleviate dyspnea in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She later pursued PhD training in epidemiology at the University of Manitoba, focusing on causal inference and chronic disease development across the life course.
She holds a PhD in Applied Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba (2024), a Master of Science in Health and Exercise Science from the University of British Columbia (2018), and a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia (2013).
Dr. Brunton’s multidisciplinary training equips her with the skills to study complex chronic respiratory diseases from both the individual and population levels, with the ultimate goal of improving care and outcomes for individuals living with these conditions.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 2024
- Master of Science (MSc) in Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, 2018
- Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Human Kinetics, University of British Columbia, 2013
Contact us
College of Rehabilitation Sciences
P304 - 770 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6 Canada
204-789-3897
204-789-3927