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Jennifer Heisz

she/her

Science

Contact Information

905 525 9140 ext. 21944
heiszjj@mcmaster.ca

Additional links

Overview

Jennifer Heisz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Her research examines the interplay between brain and body fitness in the promotion of health. Jennifer directs the NeuroFit lab within McMaster’s Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE), which studies the long-term effects of regular physical exercise on cognitive health. This research will help to determine the optimal dose and type of exercise that mitigates cognitive decline in healthy older adults and individuals with mild cognitive impairment. The ultimate goal of her research program is to understand how lifestyle choices such as exercise can be used for disease prevention. Jennifer’s research interests include health psychology and neuroscience.

Affiliations

Assistant Professor
Faculty of Science, McMaster University
Member, McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA), McMaster University
Member, McMaster Institute for Music & the Mind, Faculty of Science
Member, McMaster Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE), Faculty of Science
Associate Professor, Kinesiology, Faculty of Science
Member, American College of Sports Medicine

Education

BSc, McMaster University
PhD, McMaster University
PostDoc Fellow, Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest

Related Projects

Defining and understanding healthy aging among Canadian adults: A longitudinal analysis of data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Raymond and Margaret Labarge Chair in Research and Knowledge Application for Optimal Aging Fellowship
Physical and mental health correlates in aging adults with autism
2025 MIRA PhD Scholarship
Investigating the roles of ovarian sex hormones on cerebral hemodynamics in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women
2025 MIRA Master’s Scholarship
Comprehensive prediction of osteoporosis fracture through machine learning and DXA (bone density) imaging
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Investigating the influence of age and gender on perceptions of public transit and public transit safety
2025 Labarge Mobility Master’s Scholarship
Adaptation of the CP@clinic program to improve quality of life and healthy aging in low-income urban dwellers
MIRA | Dixon Hall Research Grant
Brain Health Resources and Integrated Diversity (BRAID) Hub
A knowledge mobilization hub integrating education, resources, and supports informed by a two-way exchange between researchers and knowledge users to move high-quality evidence-based guidelines into practice.
Promoting optimal aging among migrant returnees
2024 MIRA Catalyst Grant in Mobility and Aging
Evaluating and improving the inclusivity and accessibility of a community-based frailty intervention portal
2024 AGE-WELL MIRA Co-funded EPIC-AT Fellowship
PET tracers for diagnosis of basal forebrain neurodegeneration in aging
2024 MIRA PhD Scholarship | 2022 MIRA Master’s Scholarship
Applying convolutional neural networks to predict vertebral fracture risk in the lumbar spine using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry images
2024 MIRA | sMAP Master’s Scholarship
PACIFIC – A Post-Acute Care Intervention for Frailty using Information and Communication Technology
Leveraging today’s health technology to co-design a complex community-based frailty intervention for older post-acute care patients.
EMPOWrD – Enhancing Mobility and Participation for Older Adult Wellness through Digital Inclusion
Improving mobility and wellness among older Canadians by utilizing effective design to bridge divides in access, use and embracement of technology.
A pilot validation study for a food-frequency questionnaire assessing muscle-health nutrients in older adults 65 years of age
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
The effects of high repetition, lower resistance strength training alongside protein supplementation on mobility, muscle mass and strength over a 12-week period in obese and overweight older adults
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
POWER Exercise for Stroke Recovery (POWER): Ensuring fit for diverse abilities after stroke
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
Retinal imaging in prediction and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
Age-related microstructural changes at the osteochondral junction: Investigating cellular network in osteoarthritis
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
Barriers in living spaces and homes for individuals living with dementia
2024 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
Dixon Hall’s rooming house initiative: Scoping the design and implementation of social housing in Ontario to inform priorities and practice
2024 MIRA | Dixon Hall Centre Knowledge Synthesis Grant
The promotion and sustainability of digital literacy skills for marginalized older adults
2024 MIRA | Dixon Hall Centre Knowledge Synthesis Grant
McMaster Monitoring My Mobility (MacM3)
Major Program of Research
The EMBOLDEN trial: Enhancing physical and community MoBility in OLDEr adults with health inequalities using commuNity co-design
Researchers, older-adult citizens and community service providers co-design, implement and evaluate an innovative community-based intervention with the goal of improved physical and community mobility, nutrition, and social participation in older adults.
Intergenerational Study on Aging (MIRA-iGeN): Building a platform for intergenerational research
Major Program of Research
Context-aware multisensory monitoring for aging-in-place applications
2023 LCMA | sMAP (Smart Mobility for Aging Populations) Master’s Scholarship
Utilizing context-aware smart-home technology for remote surveillance of mobility and sleep behaviors in elderly individuals to anticipate complex age-related health complications
MIRA EPIC-AT Fellow (Master’s level)
Evaluating the use of the Fit-Frailty App in inpatient rehabilitation units to monitor frailty in older adults
MIRA EPIC-AT Fellows (Master’s level)
Validating a health literacy proxy measure in community-dwelling, low-income, older adults in Ontario, Canada and Khon Kaen, Thailand
MIRA PhD Scholarship
Exploring the use of tele-rehabilitation for older adults with chronic conditions
LCMA PhD Scholarship
Role of impaired resolution of inflammation on post-pneumonia cognitive decline in mouse aging model
MIRA | Global Nexus PhD Scholarship
Quantitative measurements of chronic pain
2023 IPRC Catalyst Grant
PRG-4: Application in the treatment of dry age related macular degeneration
PI: Heather Sheardown
Understanding antecedents to misinformation susceptibility for older adults
2022 Labarge Catalyst Grant in Mobility in Aging
The influence of age on cerebrovascular stiffness, cognitive function, and mobility
2022 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Understanding how aging leads to amyloid diseases and neurodegeneration
2022 MIRA PhD Scholarship
Life-space mobility in the Canadian Longitudinal Study On Aging
2022 Labarge Master’s Scholarship
Corticomuscular coherence brain-computer interface to treat chronic neck pain
2022 IPRC Catalyst Grant
TNF impairs macrophage killing of Streptococcus pneumoniae
2022 MIRA/Global Nexus PhD Scholarship
Mapping how, where, and when sedentary behaviour occurs in older adults who are frail: A mixed methods longitudinal study
2022 AGE-WELL/MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Remote monitoring of mobility and sleep patterns in older adults using context-aware smart-home technology to predict abnormal aging in early Alzheimer’s onset
2022 AGE-WELL/MIRA Master’s Scholarship
Understanding pain phenotypes in individuals with early knee osteoarthritis
2022 MIRA IPRC PhD Scholarship
Designing a virtually administered walking speed test for older adults
2022 MIRA/AGE-WELL Epic PhD Award
Integrating innovative technologies into an orthopaedic clinic to support decision-making and personalized care: a feasibility study
2022 Catalyst Grant
The experiences of Black Canadians living with dementia in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area and their care partners in providing care
2022 Catalyst Grant
A pilot randomized controlled trial of a virtual peer-support exercise intervention for older adults with cancer
2022 Catalyst Grant
DRL-based physics modeling of aged locomotion for motion simulation, stability analysis and data augmentation
2022 Catalyst Grant
The digital empowerment of vulnerable senior living: A case study of digital literacy training at CityHousing Hamilton
2022 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Is GDF15 important for the anti-aging effects of metformin?
2022 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
An interdisciplinary approach to understanding the biological pathways through which body composition impacts mobility: An analysis using longitudinal data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
2022 Labarge Postdoctoral Fellow
Women growing older: Older women’s experiences of accessing cannabis information and support through virtual community
2022 Catalyst Grant
Assessing validity and sensitivity of remotely collected wearable sensor data in patients
2021 Labarge Ph.D. Scholarship
A transdisciplinary approach to older adults’ care in a Canadian primary healthcare setting: exploring the possibility in an interprofessional education program
2021 Labarge Ph.D. Scholarship
Understanding how aging affects blood pressure through oxidative stress
2021 MIRA Master’s Scholarship
Promoting optimal aging through equitable access to “care of the elderly” family physicians
2021 MIRA Ph.D. Scholarship
Persistent post-surgical pain, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and resilience in older people undergoing elective knee surgery: A mixed method project to explore associations and underlying mechanisms
2021 IPRC Catalyst Grant
Examining the intersection between sex-and gender-based considerations and exercise-based telerehabilitation in individuals with stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial
2021 AGE-WELL /Labarge Scholarship (PhD)
Enhancing digital literacy and online mobility for under-represented older adults: a pilot project with Arabic-speaking communities in Hamilton
2021 Catalyst Grant
Long-term care network capacity planning with considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion
2021 Catalyst Grant
Developing a real-world framework for remote patient monitoring technologies that promote optimal aging
2021 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Relationship between biomarkers and musculoskeletal pain and falls in older adults – A cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data
2021 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Identification of older adults’ mobility decline trajectories in longitudinal studies using machine learning approaches
2021 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Ageism in the time of technological innovation: Understanding older people’s digital landscapes
2021 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Examining the role of frailty in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine response in older adults
2021 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Building on what we know: Using design thinking to tailor routine assessments and interventions for fall and fracture prevention in long-term care
2021 Labarge Postdoctoral Fellow in Mobility
Annotating virtual tai chi sessions to improve learning and health outcomes for older adults
2021 Catalyst Grant
Studying aging, mobility and chronic low back pain in older adults using remote monitoring
2021 Catalyst Grant
Improving physical and mental health via live online physical activity for older persons: A pilot randomized control trial
2021 Catalyst Grant
Designing new futures: Co-creating housing and support pathways for “aging in community” to reduce premature long-term care intake
2021 Catalyst Grant
Using technology-enabled community engagement strategies to identify community needs of people impacted by dementia
2020 MIRA Ph.D. Scholarship
Tracking real-world changes in osteoarthritic gait patterns using wearable sensors
2020 MIRA Master’s Scholarship
Development of clinical tools to guide diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in older adults
2020 Labarge Ph.D. Scholarship
Secondary analysis of shared risk factors affecting osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, aging and mobility
2020 Labarge Master’s Scholarship
Feasibility study to assess the added value of integrated musculoskeletal bioffeedback device (imbed) combined with neuromuscular exercise and education (GLA-D TM) to decrease chronic pain in older adults with osteoarthritis: A user-centered approach to develop a pre-surgical rehabilitation program for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis
2020 IPRC Catalyst Grant
The effectiveness of MIRA’s educational program around competency building and interest in older adult care among undergraduate students using a program logic model
2020 McMaster Education Research, Innovation & Theory Postdoctoral Fellow
How can we screen frailty to prevent falls in older adults?
2020 CFN Interdisciplinary Fellowship (PhD)
Evaluating impact of a community co-design process
2020 MIRA/CHEPA Postdoctoral Fellow
Investigation of CARM1 in aging-induced skeletal muscle atrophy
2020 CFN Interdisciplinary Fellowship (Master’s)
Remote monitoring of older adults with COPD for infection and fall detection using smart-home technology
2020 AGE-WELL/MIRA Scholarship (PhD)
The #CareMongering social media campaign: Understanding its impact and adaptability to combat social isolation among older adults affected by COVID-19
2020 LCMA COVID-19 Catalyst Grant
Relieving social isolation and loneliness through storytelling at the time of a pandemic
2020 LCMA COVID-19 Catalyst Grant
The IMPACT Hamilton study – Investigating mobility and participation among older Hamiltonians during COVID-19: A longitudinal tele-survey
2020 LCMA COVID-19 Catalyst Grant
An in vitro study on the effect of exercise on brain health in the elderly: Studying the crosstalk between brain, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues
2020 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Designing a real-time cybercrime alert system for older adults: Neurophysiological solution during COVID-19
2020 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Enhancing the quality of life for older adults with end-stage knee osteoarthritis through patient phenotyping to tailor the clinical management
2020 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
How can we improve mobility through alternative transportation modes for seniors? Measuring what works and what does not work in road safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists
2019 Catalyst Grant
Addressing trends in social connectedness and well-being of older adults: Social isolation, loneliness, and the interplay of digital technologies
2019 Catalyst Grant
Writing of age: linguistic markers of cognitive, emotional, and social well-being among older adults
2019 Catalyst Grant
Movement sonification for testing mobility in the context of interacting with complex environments
2019 Catalyst Grant
Bioprinted 3D in-vitro models to determine mechanisms of cognitive benefits of exercise in the elderly
2019 Catalyst Grant
A multidisciplinary approach to addressing mobility limitations after orthopaedic joint replacement surgery
2019 Catalyst Grant
Modeling deviations in gait coordination and mobility in older adults
2019 Labarge Master’s Scholarship
Improving physical activity and mobility during a pandemic via live online exercise sessions for older persons: a pilot RCT
2019 Labarge Master’s Scholarship
Linguistic markers of social well-being in late adulthood
2019 AGE-WELL/MIRA Postdoctoral Fellowship
Physical activity and nutrition recommendations for older adults living with frailty
2019 AGE-WELL/MIRA Postdoctoral Fellowship
Emerging issues in older adults’ digital inequality
2019 AGE-WELL/MIRA Postdoctoral Fellowship
Promoting optimal aging through equitable access to specialized geriatric services in Ontario
2019 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Understanding older adults’ active travel
2019 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
Accelerating the aging trajectory through prenatal adversity
2019 MIRA Postdoctoral Fellow
A user-centered approach toward the development of a pre-surgical rehabilitation program for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis
2019 IPRC Catalyst Grant

Jennifer Heisz

Overview

Affiliations

Education

Related Projects

All Faculty