Course subject: Kinesiology (KIN)

An analysis of the morphological, biophysical, molecular, and physiological properties of cardiac, and vascular smooth muscle. Topics range from the molecular regulation of cardiac muscle contraction, excitation-contraction processes, regulation of vascular smooth muscle tone, and cell signaling.

This course will examine cellular and molecular mechanisms that play a major role in causing dysfunction of a variety of relevant tissues under a number of chronic conditions including aging, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and muscular diseases. Topics to be covered include satellite cells/stem cells, apoptosis and necrosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial DNA, oxidative stress, autophagy and protein degradation, and inflammation.

Genetic variation helps determine "innate" individual characteristics of health and disease, ranging from eye colour to preferences for food flavours, to ability to metabolize specific amino acids. Genetic variation also modulates how we respond to our environments. Minor variants in genetic code can affect physiological outcomes such as changes in body mass with caloric restriction, changes in endurance capacity with exercise training, and changes in circulating cholesterol levels with high protein intakes. Understanding how genetic variability affects health outcomes will be key to providing early diagnosis and prevention measures to optimize performance, prevent disease, and maximize longevity for individuals. It will also be key to prescribing optimal personalized lifestyle interventions, ranging from diet to exercise to stress reduction and sleep modulation to promote maximal well-being. In addition, recent advances in gene editing technology will be covered, including discussion of ethical issues surrounding application to human embryos and potential for misuse bioterrorism.

An assessment of research in the biomechanics of human motion including electromyography, muscle modelling, link segment modelling and analysis, energy and power analysis. The above concepts will be utilized in the assessment of athletes and both the normal and atypical population in sport and rehabilitation contexts.

Biomechanics research typically requires the integration of experimental data collection and theoretical modeling approaches to answer complex questions. The purpose of Kin 613 is to sensitize incoming graduate students to the range, biological basis, and practicality of using or developing mathematical models for biomechanical investigations. This contrasts with KIN 612, which focuses on promoting rigorous experimental data collection and biological signal interpretation, or Kin 611, which seeks to develop the historical foundations of biomechanical research and promote critical reading of the scientific literature.

This course examines the relationships between physical and organizational aspects of the work environment and occupational musculoskeletal fatigue and injuries. Emphasis will be placed on back and upper limb injuries. Major topics covered include injury mechanisms, assessment of injury risk, reporting of injury and use of injury statistics, work site interventions and evaluation of their effectiveness and relevant legislation (including Human Rights considerations). A laboratory project using the methodologies studied in the course is an important component of the course. A project within a local industry, instead of the laboratory project is preferred but optional.

This graduate course will explore the biomechanical and motor control mechanisms that contribute to musculoskeletal and, where appropriate, neurological pathology and injury. This course will be delivered in a clinical case-based format. Students will review, critically appraise and apply neuromechanical methods (e.g., electromyography, motion capture, force measurement, modeling) to gain a deeper understanding of the pathology, assessment, and/or treatment of a clinical condition. Clinical conditions will include musculoskeletal, joint, and neurological pathologies resulting from disease and/or injury.

Clinical Epidemiology and Health Measurement will build on basic research methods to discuss issues in clinical epidemiology. Measurement and intervention research methodology will be a focus. The purpose of this course is to enhance research design and critical appraisal skills while introducing students to clinical epidemiology and health measurement concepts including: purpose of measurement; approaches to the development of health measures; validation and reliability testing; key statistical tests for health measures; intervention development and mapping; and evaluation of interventions from feasibility testing to implementation studies. After completing this course, students should expect to have mastered the ability for determining if a clinical or health measurement has value in practice or research. They will attain critical appraisal skills of various health measures and intervention studies.

An examination of current theories models and experimental literature concerned with the learning and performance of skilled movement. Topics may include: models of motor learning, expert-novice differences in skill, the automatization of skill, mental practice, the relationship between cognitive and motor skills.

The course will provide a comprehensive examination of topics related to human neuroscience as it broadly relates to movement. These topics include the central nervous system control of human movement, sensorimotor control systems and modulation, attention, psychological factors that influence emotional and behavioral adaptation to chronic illnesses, prehension, movement sequencing, limb gesturing, tool use, gait and posture.

A person-centred approach will be applied to identify and interpret individual and contextual factors that affect exercise safety, adherence, and effectiveness in apparently healthy adults. Students will learn to (in)formally assess barriers and facilitators to physical activity, posture, balance, joint mobility, physical competency, and muscular capacity, all for the purpose of designing exercise programs. Informed by best available evidence at the kinesiology theory¿practice nexus, an interdisciplinary perspective is implicitly adopted.

This course provides a multi-disciplinary examination of the relationship between physical activity and cognition function. This will include discussion of the effects of physical activity and exercise on cognition functions, and how the effects are modified by age, exercise dose, and setting. We explore growing interest in the use of exercise as a cognitive rehabilitation strategy. In addition, the effects of cognitive impairment on movement and physical activity participation will be discussed from various perspectives (neurophysiological, biomechanical, psychosocial, and legislative).

Lipids are intimately linked to all cellular functions based not only on their structural role as membrane components, but also their use as fuel, interactions with proteins, as important second messengers in cell signalling and potent regulators of gene expression. The present course will examine the properties and how they impact various biological functions and human conditions including inflammation and cardiovascular disease. The course will also examine dominant lip analytical techniques that are specific to this field of study and examine the emerging field of lipidomics.

An advanced graduate course that synthesizes the multidisciplinary issues (psychosicial, behavioural, physiological, biomechanical and legislative) related to low back disorders. A solid scientific foundation is developed from the study of anatomy, normal function and injury mechanics. This foundation is used to substantiate the best strategies for injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance training. Heldwith KIN 427.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to different ways of designing and implementing research within the topic area of work and health as well as some of the practical, political and ethical challenges. The course content will include an examination of the epistemological positions associated with different types of research questions, analysis of case studies of research in work and health, and discussions of proposed research questions and proposals that examine problems from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The course will also include presentations by researchers and practitioners from the work and health domain, who will facilitate discussions on the challenges and opportunities of conducting and applying research in this area.

This seminar is a forum for student presentations about results of or proposals for research. Invited speakers will also present results of research from time to time. Attendance at the seminar is required for two terms (i.e., during the candidates' first two years in the program). Attendance beyond that is encouraged. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of investigation in the collaborative program. Grading will be on a credit/no credit basis.

An analysis of specific topics of interest. The form of study may involve a review of literature or the planning and execution of an independent study resulting in a paper for possible publication.