Dr. Victoria Claydon

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University
Affiliated Investigator, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute

Research Interests

Cardiovascular health; Fainting; High altitude

In addition to the well-known motor and sensory consequences of spinal cord injury (SCI), cardiovascular pathways can also be affected, which can cause life-threatening problems in cardiovascular control. In fact, a leading cause of mortality in SCI patients is cardiovascular disease. Through her research, Dr. Claydon hopes to shed light on the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular dysfunction after SCI.

Dr. Claydon also studies the patterns of cardiovascular adaptation that occur in response to permanent residence at high altitude. These studies have important implications for the millions of people who live and work at high altitude.

Another area of interest concerns the mechanisms underlying fainting spells, where affected individuals experience unexplained loss of consciousness, and their optimal treatment and management.

Dr. Claydon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. She is also a Principal Investigator at ICORD.

Affiliation with organizations and societies:

American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
American Autonomic Society
Physiological Society

Awards

Some of Dr. Claydon’s recent major awards and accomplishments include:

Travel Award (Physiological Society, 2011)
New Investigator Award (Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2009)
Best Paper Award for Excellence in Spinal Cord Injury (ASIA, 2006)
Best Poster Award (American Paraplegia Society, 2005)
Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Rick Hansen Man in Motion Research Foundation, 2005)
Post-Doctoral Fellowship (National Health Services, 2001)

Current Lab Members

M.Sc. Students	Ph.D. Students	Research Staff
	Vera-Ellen Lucci	Maureen McGrath
	Matthew Dorton	Janelle Pennington
Natalie Heeney	Brooke Hockin

Recent graduates include: Esther Maas (M.Sc.), Matthew Lloyd (Ph.D.)

Trainee Awards

Year	Name	Award
2014	Jessica Inskip	Panerai Award for Best Graduate Student Poster Presentation in the category of Experimental Biology (Cerebral Autoregulation Network) CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health Young Investigator Forum Travel Award (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
	Kimiya Sabbaghan	Poster Presentation Award at the Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology 6th Annual Research Day (Simon Fraser University)
2013	Jessica Inskip	Institute of Circulatory & Respiratory Health Young Investigator’s Forum Travel Award (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Graduate Student Award of Merit (Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada)
2012	Jessica Inskip	Frederick Banting & Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship, 2012-2014 (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health Young Investigator’s Forum Travel Award (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Graduate Fellowship Research Award (Simon Fraser University)
	Rianne Ravensbergen	Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health Young Investigator’s Forum Travel Award (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Graduate Fellowship Research Award (Simon Fraser University) President’s PhD Scholarship (Simon Fraser University) Skills Development Travel Award (CIHR) Graduate Student Society Professional Development Grant (Simon Fraser University)
	Brett Shaw	Graduate Fellowship Research Award (Simon Fraser University) Sulzer Bingham Pumps Graduate Scholarship (Simon Fraser University) Mahama Ghandi Graduate Scholarship in Kinesiology (Simon Fraser University) Institute Community Support Travel Award (CIHR) Best Master’s Poster at the Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology Research Day (Simon Fraser University)
2010	Anastasia Dikareva	Best Poster by an undergraduate student (Disabilities Health Research Network)
	Jessica Inskip	Certificant of Excellence for Outstanding Poster Presentation (CIHR) CD Nelson Entrance Award (Simon Fraser University) Commemorative Medal and Diploma (International Paralympic Committee)
	Indejeet Sahota	Best poster by a master’s student (Disabilities Health Research Network)
2009	Inderjeet Sahota	Graduate Fellowship (Simon Fraser University)

Current Opportunities in the Lab

Dr. Claydon is actively seeking graduate trainees at both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels. Please contact Dr. Claydon with inquiries.

Funding

Dr. Claydon’s research program is supported by funding from the following agencies:

Funding has also been provided from an ICORD Seed Grant made possible with the support of the Rick Hansen Foundation, ICORD and the BICP.

Recent publications

Taylor, CE et al.. 2021. Women in clinical autonomic research and the autonomic societies: how far have we come in thirty years?. Clin Auton Res. doi: 10.1007/s10286-021-00768-8.
Dorton, MC et al.. 2020. Evaluation of cardiovascular disease risk in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury.. Spinal Cord. doi: 10.1038/s41393-020-00566-5.
Lucci, VM et al.. 2020. Longitudinal Assessment of Autonomic Function during the Acute Phase of Spinal Cord Injury: Use of Low-Frequency Blood Pressure Variability as a Quantitative Measure of Autonomic Function.. J Neurotrauma. doi: 10.1089/neu.2020.7286.
Shi, YP et al.. 2020. The hERG channel activator, RPR260243, enhances protective I_Kr current early in the refractory period reducing arrhythmogenicity in zebrafish hearts.. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00038.2020.
Figueroa, JJ et al.. 2020. Autonomic function testing in the COVID-19 pandemic: an American Autonomic Society position statement.. Clin Auton Res. doi: 10.1007/s10286-020-00702-4.

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