Faculty
Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose
PhD, PT

Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PhD, PT, is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity, Mobility, and Cognitive Health. She is the Research Director of the Vancouver General Hospital Falls Prevention Clinic (www.fallsclinic.ca) and Director of the Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Health Laboratory (https://cogmob.rehab.med.ubc.ca). Dr. Liu-Ambrose is an associate member of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.
Dr. Liu-Ambrose has a leadership role in two major Canadian Institutes of Health Research initiatives in aging – the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA) and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Recognition of Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s research excellence include her national research chair award (Canada Research Chair), 2 national salary awards (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada), 1 provincial salary award (Michael Smith Foundation of Canada), and 2 institution research excellent awards (Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement in Clinical Research and Peter Wall Scholar Award). She also received the Royal Society of Canada’s Alice Wilson Award as a postdoctoral fellow.
Dr. Liu-Ambrose is known internationally for her work in randomized controlled trials of exercise with cognitive and mobility outcomes in older adults. Her research findings have been implemented in health authorities, translated into a provincial-wide program, and influenced international practice guidelines to promote healthy aging.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Cindy Barha
PhD
CIHR and MSFHR/PARF Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Cindy Barha is a postdoctoral research fellow supervised by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. Cindy’s primary research interests focus on the interactions between the stress and reproductive axes in determining developmental trajectories across the lifespan, with a concentration on how these interactions influence normal age-associated cognitive decline as well as risk for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, she is interested in understanding how sex differences in the cognitive-enhancing ability of exercise training are related to hormones and genotype. Cindy received a PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia. She completed a CIHR-funded postdoctoral fellowship in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University and the a joint fellowship from MSFHR and the Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation (PARF) at the University of British Columbia. She recently received a 3-year joint fellowship from Brain Canada and Alzheimer Association of USA.
Nárlon Cássio Boa Sorte Silva
PhD
CIHR and MSFHR/PARF Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Nárlon Cássio Boa Sorte Silva is a postdoctoral research fellow in Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s lab. He received a PhD degree in Kinesiology from Western University in London, Ontario. Originally from Brazil, Narlon received a BSc degree in Physical Education from Nove de Julho University in São Paulo. The overarching goal of Narlon’s research is to investigate the impact of physical exercise on health outcomes in older adults at risk of dementia. In Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s lab, he is investigating whether exercise can prevent or slow down pathological processes affecting the white matter of the brain, in older adults with vascular cognitive impairment. He has established international collaboration in dementia research through the Vascular Cognitive Disorders Professional Interest Area (VPIA) within the Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART). His postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s lab is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and a joint grant by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR)/Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation (PARF). Narlon is passionate about research, exercise, poetry, music, and Brazilian food.
Contact: narlon.silva@ubc.ca
Deborah Jehu
PhD
MSFHR Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
The objective of Deborah’s research has been to generate new insights into improving therapeutic intervention techniques, develop novel cognitive and mobility assessment approaches, and contribute to increasing the knowledge on compensatory strategies across numerous populations with cognitive and mobility impairment. Deborah completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa, and has collaborated with numerous researchers, interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, and industry partners in Ontario, Hong Kong, and Portland, Oregon. Now funded by the MSFHR and working with Dr. Liu-Ambrose, Deborah is studying the effect of therapeutic interventions with the use of fMRI.
Contact: deb.jehu@ubc.ca
PhD Trainees
Rachel Crockett
PhD
Rachel Crockett is a PhD student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program under the supervision of Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. Previously, she completed her B.Sc. in Psychology and her M.Sc. in Brain Imaging and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Her research focus is in motor neuroscience and the effect of exercise on the structure and function of the brain.
Contact: rachel.crockett@hiphealth.ca
Elizabeth Dao
PhD

Previously, Liz completed her BA (Hons) in Psychology at the University of British Columbia. In her undergraduate training, she looked at the role of mind wandering in visual attention using event related potentials (ERPs) with Dr. Todd Handy. After completing her undergraduate degree, Liz worked as a coordinator on several research studies investigating the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in promoting neuroplasticity and motor recovery after stroke with Dr. Lara Boyd. Currently, Liz is a PhD candidate under the supervision of Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. Her PhD work focuses on the pathophysiology of small vessel ischemic disease and how it may affect cognitive and physical function in older adults. Specifically, Liz utilizes conventional and novel neuroimaging methods to assess the role of demyelination, white matter hyperintensities, and cerebral amyloid deposition in cognitive and physical impairments. In addition, her PhD work investigates the role of lifestyle interventions, such as aerobic exercise, in modifying small vessel ischemic pathology to improve clinical outcomes for older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Contact: lizdao@hiphealth.ca
Ryan Falck
PhD

Lisanne ten Brinke
PhD

MSc Trainees
Kim Bennett
B.Kin.
Kim is a MSc student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program and is supervised by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. She previously completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia.
Contact: kimbenn@mail.ubc.ca
Matthew Noseworthy
B.Sc.
Contact: mattnose@alumni.ubc.ca
Ryan Stein
B.Kin.
Ryan Stein is a MSc Student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program and is under the supervision of Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. He completed his BSc in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria under the supervision of Dr. Brian Christie in the UVic Concussion Lab.
Contact: ryan.stein@alumni.ubc.ca
Madison Welch
B.Kin.
Madison is a MSc student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program and is supervised by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. She previously completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology degree at the University of the Fraser Valley. Her research focuses on the role physical activity has in pregnancy.
Contact: madison.welch@hiphealth.ca
Research Coordinator
Stephanie Doherty
B.A.
Research Assistants
Alexis Bullock
B.Sc., M.Kin.
Patrick Chan
B.Sc.
Albert Ho
B.Kin.

Sofia Grant
B.Sc.
Nancy Rutherford
B.Sc.
Connor Sullivan
B.Sc.
Daria Tai
B.Sc.
Undergraduates
Daniel Backhouse
Daniel is an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia completing his degree in Engineering Physics. Within the lab he works on pre-processing data for ongoing research studies. Daniel is interested in pursuing a career in medicine. In his spare time he enjoys playing piano, boxing and hiking.
Mij Santos
Mij is an undergraduate Psychology student at the University of British Columbia. She is the Falls Prevention Clinic Admin Assistant. She supports the Falls Clinic Coordinator in her day-to-day work and assists with other research activities. She hopes to work in healthcare after graduation. In her free time, Mij likes watching movies, going to concerts, and visiting new places.
Jasmine Sindhar

Alumni
Masters Students
Tracy Dignum, PT, M.Ed
Walid Al Keridy, MD
Elizabeth Dao, B.A.
Lauren Marcotte, B.Sc.
Liang Hsu, B.Sc.
Lindsay Nagamatsu, B.A.
PhD Students
Liang Hsu, PhD
Lindsay Nagamatsu, PhD
Niousha Bolandzadeh, PhD
Jennifer David, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellows
Research Associates
John Best, PhD
Jennifer C Davis, PhD