Paula Robson
Contact
Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health
Scientific Director, Cancer Research, Cancer Control Alberta, Alberta Health Services
- Phone
- (780) 643-4368
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
cancer diet nutrition
About
My background is in the nutrition sciences. I have conducted research into the impact of diet on various aspects of health and have had a specific interest in methods used to assess diet in free-living human populations.
Between 2006 and 2017, I led Alberta's Tomorrow Project, a longitudinal cohort of adults aged 35-69 established to enable a broad range of studies into the etiology of cancer and chronic disease.
Since 2012, I have also worked closely with Rhonda Bell and her team at the University of Alberta on the ENRICH project exploring approaches to optimizing gestational weight management in pregnant and post-partum women in Alberta.
Since October 2017, I have been the scientific director (cancer research) at CancerControl Alberta and the Cancer Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) in Alberta Health Services. My role in these positions is to champion a broad provincial cancer research agenda with a focus on generating and applying research evidence to achieve the goals of Alberta's Cancer Plan to 2030. By 2030, Alberta will be a place where more cancers are prevented, more cases of cancer are cured and the suffering of people affected by cancer is greatly reduced.
I am currently developing a model based in a research-practice partnership paradigm that will engage researchers, clinicians and people/patients in identifying priority areas for research that will help optimize outcomes and experiences of people across the cancer continuum.
To date, much of my work has embraced the ideals of engaged scholarship, as I have attempted to bridge academia and practice in health services domains. I intend to continue using this approach in my role as scientific director with CancerControl Alberta and the Cancer SCN.
Degrees
PhD, University of Ulster, 1995
BSc, (Hons), University of Ulster 1991
Scholarly Activities
Research - Determinants of cancer stage at diagnosis
Co-Primary Investigator
Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research project grant
Research - Investigating the role of dietary intakes of red and processed meat, vegetables and fruit and fibre on cancer incidence in a large cohort of adults in Alberta's Tomorrow Project
Co-Investigator
Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research operating grant
Research - Promoting appropriate maternal body weights in pregnancy and post-partum through healthy dietary intake
Co-Lead
Funded by Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions; Collaborative Research Innovation Opportunity (CRIO)
Featured Publications
The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project: a Pan-Canadian platform for chronic disease prevention research
Dummer T, Awadalla P, Boileau C, Craig C, Fortier I, Goel V, Hicks J, Jacquemont S, Knoppers BM, Le H, McDonald T, McLaughlin J, Mes-Masson A-M, Nuyt A-M, Palmer L, Parker L, Purdue M, Robson PJ, Spinelli J, Thompson D, Zawati M
Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2018 April;
Systemic use of antibiotics and risk of diabetes in adults: A nested case-control study of Alberta's Tomorrow Project
Ye M, Robson PJ, Eurich DT, Vena JE, Xu JY, Johnson JA
Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. 2018 January; 20 (4):849-857
Self-report dietary assessment tools used in Canadian research: A scoping review
Kirkpatrick SI, Vanderlee L, Raffoul A, Stapleton J, Csizmadi I, Boucher BA, Massarelli I, Rondeau I, Robson PJ
Advances in Nutrition. 2017 January; 8
Gestational weight gain is often excessive and early in pregnancy
Jarman M, Yan Y, Paksehresht M, Robson PJ, Bell RC
CMAJ Open. 2016 January; 4 (2):e338-e345
Are physical activity levels linked to nutrient adequacy?
Csizmadi I, Kelemen LE, Speidel T, Yuan Y, Friedenreich CM, Dale L, Robson PJ
Nutrition and Cancer. 2014 January; 66 (2):214-224