Exercise and Health Sciences

Faculty

Sarah Camhi, PhD, University of Maryland

Physical Activity
Obesity
Cardiometabolic Health

Rachel Drew, PhD, University of Birmingham, UK

Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology
Autonomic Control of Blood Pressure
Effect of Healthy Aging and Health Disparities on Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise

Richard Fleming, PhD, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment
Physical Activity and Oral Health Promotion in People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Philip Gona, MPH, PhD, Boston University

Statistical Methods for Public Health
Chronic and Infectious Diseases
Epidemiology; Time-to-Event Analysis; Meta-Analysis

Ana Cristina Lindsay, DrPH, Harvard School of Public Health

Child Health and Nutrition
Childhood Obesity Prevention
Community-based Research
Program Evaluation
Minority Health
Global Health with a Focus on Latin America

Laurie Milliken, PhD, University of Arizona

Body Composition Assessment
Obesity Prevention
Obesity Treatment

Heidi Stanish, PhD, Oregon State University

Physical Activity Promotion for Individuals with Disabilities

Philip Troped, PhD, University of South Carolina

Physical Activity and Public Health
Environmental Determinants of Physical Activity
Use of Accelerometers and GPS Devices in Determinants and Intervention Studies

Jessica Whiteley, PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Clinical Health Psychology
Health Promotion Interventions

Julie Wright, PhD, University of Rhode Island

Computer-assisted Self-care Interventions
Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment

Huimin Yan, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cardiometabolic Risk
Health Disparities
Exercise Training Intervention

Tongjian You, PhD, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Metabolic and Physical Dysfunctions Associated with Obesity and Aging
Adaptations to Diet and Exercise.

Kai Zou, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Skeletal Muscle Physiology
Energy Metabolism
Metabolic Dysfunction Associated with Metabolic Diseases (Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes)
Cancer, the Role of Lifestyle Modification (Diet and Physical Activity) on Metabolic Health

The Programs

The Department of Exercise and Health Sciences (EHS) offers two programs of graduate study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MS) degree, respectively. Departmental faculty are nationally recognized for their cutting edge research, with expertise ranging from work at the cellular level (molecular mechanisms) to the society at large (community and population studies). Many collaborative research efforts focus on exercise, physical activity, and obesity in children and youth, adults, older adults, and special populations.

EHS faculty have access to two dedicated laboratory spaces to support research. Both laboratories are fully equipped to perform body composition and exercise testing, as well as other physiological tests.

The primary teaching lab for laboratory courses is the Exercise Physiology Lab, housed in the Center for Clinical Education and Research; it offers approximately 1,100 sq. ft. of research space and is fully equipped with exercise and physiology equipment for use in student and faculty research projects.

GoKids Boston is UMass Boston’s unique research and practice-based center for working to prevent and treat childhood obesity and related diseases through physical activity and the promotion of healthy living while reducing health disparities in underserved families. GoKids offers a comprehensive program for youth aged 8-18, embracing physical activity that includes state of the art “exergaming” in combination with nutrition and lifestyle counseling. GoKids is unique in that it provides a controlled environment for research that can evaluate program effectiveness and impact. GoKids provides 5,400 sq. ft. of space dedicated to fitness training, research, and teaching by our Exercise and Health Sciences faculty as well as faculty from other UMass Boston departments.