Assistant professor
College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Department of Occupational Therapy
Room 331 – 771 McDermot Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6
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
Dr. Brunton’s clinical career began as a registered kinesiologist working within a team of health professionals at an acute care hospital in a small community in Northwestern Ontario. Through delivering hands-on treatment and performing clinical research with local physician-scientists, Dr. Brunton gained an appreciation for the complexities and challenges of delivering culturally sensitive healthcare in rural and remote communities.
Upon returning to the University of British Columbia for graduate studies, Dr. Brunton conceptualized, designed, and led a novel exercise intervention to alleviate dyspnea in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Upon completion, she moved to the University of Manitoba to pursue PhD training in epidemiology with a focus on causal inference and chronic disease development across the life course.
By pursuing multidisciplinary training, Dr. Brunton has developed a diverse skill set to study complex chronic respiratory disease from the individual to the population level.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba (2024)
Master of Science in Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia (2018)
Bachelor of Science 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