Miss Natalie Vear
Research biography
Natalie graduated with a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences (Honours) with a Major in Clinical Exercise Physiology from the University of Queensland in 2016. During her undergraduate degree, she completed various practical placements specialising in exercise delivery and testing for healthy populations, as well as cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal clinical populations. She also completed a volunteer placement for one month specialising in sports development and teaching English in a youth-led community centre in Casablanca, Morocco. Her honours thesis investigated the effects of an 8-week nutrition therapy intervention on functional status in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy.
Natalie has completed a variety of courses to aid in both skills and professional development, and is currently trained in the specialised skills of phlebotomy, electrocardiogram interpretation, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography testing.
Research interests
Natalie has a strong interest in the effects of exercise on clinical outcomes for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Her PhD is focusing on the effects of exercise (both aerobic and resistance in nature) on cardiovascular function in both women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, as well as men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Her primary outcomes comprise of early markers of cardiovascular dysfunction, including changes to vascular structure and function, and autonomic nervous system function.
Her research interests also include exercise interventions in individuals with mental health issues, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Project title
The Effects of Exercise on Cardiovascular Structure and Function in Cancer Patients and Survivors