People: Meet Sabrina Cao, PhD student

I’m Sabrina, currently a PhD student in the BonES lab. Growing up, I was always interested in how sport and movement can improve health. During my undergraduate kinesiology degree, I got to fuel this curiosity working with researchers and clinicians in cancer rehabilitation. As I spent more time with people with cancer, I found that I was struggling to answer questions about managing bone loss due to cancer and its treatment; there just wasn’t enough information out there. Now, I focus my research on improving bone health in people with cancer, using education and exercise to prevent falls and fractures.

My Journey & Goals

I finished my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I did my MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of British Columbia, under the supervision of Dr. Kristin Campbell. I am now in the Aging, Health and Well-being PhD program at the University of Waterloo.

I want my career to improve health outcomes by being deliberate about how we implement new and emerging research. I believe that evidence-based care–especially in our public healthcare system–can help support better care for everyone when done thoughtfully. I’m also interested in education and always excited to learn new ways to communicate or encourage conversations about research.

Awards & Achievements

I am currently supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, which funds my studies and allows me to focus on my PhD work full-time. As a MSc student, my research was supported by a Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s award through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Beyond academic achievements, I am proud of my work on student-led organizations. I have held leadership and executive positions on department and university student associations. I am currently spearheading the transition of the Waterloo Aging Network for Trainees into a Graduate Student Association Club as we look to grow over the next few years. I also serve as the Communications Executive on the Kinesiology Graduate Student Association, where I spend a lot of time designing communication materials with the goal of improving engagement with the student body.

A Personal Note

I love hiking, reading, and watching and/or playing sports. My favourite genre of books are modern classics from the Western literary canon, especially gothic horror; I always recommend Dracula by Bram Stoker (peak of gothic horror, in my opinion) and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (beautiful writing).