Sunita Mathur
BScPT, MSc, PhD
Sunita Mathur is a physiotherapist and Associate Professor in the Dept of Physical Therapy. She completed her BSc in physiotherapy and MSc from Dalhousie University, PhD in Human Kinetics (Exercise Physiology) from the University of British Columbia, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Florida.
Sunita leads the Muscle Function and Performance Lab in the Dept of Physical Therapy. She is also the co-founder and co-Chair of the Canadian Network for Rehabilitation and Exercise for Solid Organ Transplant Optimal Recovery (CAN-RESTORE).
More information about CAN-RESTORE can be found at www.cntrp.ca/exercise
Sunita is also a member of the Cardiorespiratory Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, the Canadian Respiratory Health Professionals of The Lung Association and the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology.
Research Synopsis
Sunita’s research is aimed at improving the health of skeletal muscle in people suffering from profound muscle atrophy and weakness in order to help them regain function and independence so they can return to participating in the activities they enjoy. Sunita works across multiple patient populations including people with advanced lung disease, chronic kidney disease, solid organ transplantation and critical illness.
She uses a combination of non-invasive techniques to examine muscle structure and function including muscle force measurements, exercise testing, bioelectrical impedance analysis, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/MRS), muscle ultrasound and computed tomography (CT).
Sunita has collaborations with the Toronto Lung Transplant Program (Toronto General Hospital), West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and St Michael’s Hospital. She is also the co-founder and co-Chair of CAN-RESTORE, a network aimed at improving exercise and physical activity for solid organ transplant recipients.
Recent Publications
- Mathur S*, Janaudis-Ferreira T*, Wickerson L, Singer LG, Patcai J, Rozenberg D, Blydt-Hansen T, Hartmann EL, Haykowsky M, Helm D, High K, Howes N, Kamath BM, Lands L, Marzolini S, Sonnenday C. Meeting Report: Consensus Recommendations for a Research Agenda in Exercise in Solid Organ Transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2014 Oct;14(10):2235-45. (*co-principal authors)
- Rozenberg D*, Wickerson L, Singer LG, Mathur S. Sarcopenia in lung transplantation: a systematic review. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2014 Dec;33(12):1203-12 (*trainee publication)
- Robles PG*, Sussman MS, Naraghi A, Brooks D, Goldstein RS, White LM, Mathur S. Intramuscular fat infiltration is related to impaired function in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Med Sci Sports Exerc, Epub Nov 4, 2014. (*trainee publication).
- Evans RA, Kaplovitch E, Beauchamp MK, Goldstein RS, Gillies CL, Brooks D, Mathur S. Is quadriceps endurance reduced in COPD? A systematic review. Chest. 2014 Oct 23. doi: 10.1378/chest.14-1079. [Epub ahead of print].
- Wickerson L*, Mathur, S., Helm, D., Singer, L.S., Brooks, D. Early functional recovery following lung transplantation. Phys Ther, 2015 Apr;95(4):517-25. doi: 10.2522/ ptj.20140173. (*trainee publication)