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

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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 major awards and accomplishments include:

  • Invited speaker, Translational Cardiac Arrhythmia Day, 18th November 2022. Title: Autonomic Conflict. (2022)
  • Session Chair, Translational Cardiac Arrhythmia Day, 18th November 2022. Trainee Session. (2022)
  • Robertson Plenary Lecture, Invited speaker, 33rd International American Autonomic Society Conference in Maui, Hawaii, USA. Title: Autonomic regulation in spinal cord injury. (2022)
  • Session Chair, Symposium: Towards a solution for autonomic dysfunction (33rd International Symposium of the American Autonomic Society Virtual Meeting, 2022)
  • Invited speaker, Simon Fraser University Certificate Program in University Teaching and Learning. Title: Academic Integrity – tales from recent experience. (2022)
  • 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 Postdoctoral Fellows Research Staff
Stefan Vukovic Erin Williams Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci Maureen McGrath
Matthew Dorton Janelle Pennington
Rebekah Lee
Allison Campbell
Raffaele Massarotto
Normand Richard

*indicates recent graduates

Trainee Awards

Year Name Award
2024 E.L. Williams 1st place, Three-Minute Thesis competition at SFU Competition
2024 E.L. Williams 1st place, Three-Minute Thesis competition at SFU Faculty of Science Competition
2024 E.L. Williams 1st place, Three-Minute Thesis competition  at BPK Research Day
2024 A. Campbell Science Communication Award, BPK Research Day, SFU, Canada
2024 V.E. Lucci Best Oral Presentation Award, SFU Postdoctoral Research Day
2024 R.H.Y. Lee Best Poster Award, INCREASE BC, CDN $500
2023 A. Campbell Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $7000
2023 M. Dorton Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology Annual Research Day Poster Presentation Award
2023 R.H.Y. Lee Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $1,000
2023 R.H.Y. Lee Best Poster Award, American Autonomic Society, Annual Meeting, CAD $250
2023 R.H.Y. Lee International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Trainee Travel Award, CDN $1,000
2023 R.H.Y. Lee Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award, CAD $105,000
2023 R.H.Y. Lee Travel and Minor Research Award, SFU, Graduate Studies, Canada, CDN $900
2023 R. Massarotto Graduate Fellowship Research Award (2023), SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $3500
2023 E. Sober-Williams Best Poster Award, INCREASE BC conference
2023 E. Sober-Williams Best Poster Award, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Annual Research Meeting
2023 E.L. Williams Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award, CAD $105,000
2023 E.L. Williams Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $1,000
2023 Matthew Dorton Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology Annual Research Day Poster Presentation Award
2023 Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci Best Poster Award, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Annual Research Meeting (2023)
2023 Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci Best Poster Award, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Trainee Symposium (2023), CDN $500
2023 Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci Best Poster Award, American Autonomic Society, Annual Meeting (2022), CAD $250
2023 Normand Richard Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2023) (CAD $150,000)
2022-2023 Normand Richard British Columbia Graduate Scholarship, SFU, Canada, CDN $15,000
2022-2023 Normand Richard Dean’s Graduate Fellowship, SFU, Canada, CDN $5000
2022 Normand Richard Travel and Minor Research Award, SFU, Graduate Studies, Canada, CDN $1000
2022 Rebekah Lee Travel and Minor Research Award, SFU, Graduate Studies, Canada, CDN $850
2022 Rebekah Lee Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $6500
2022 E.L. Williams Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $6500
2022 E.L. Williams 1st place, Three-Minute Thesis competition at BPK Research Day
2022 E.L. Williams People’s Choice Award, SFU Faculty of Science Three-Minute Thesis competition
2022 E.L. Williams Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology Annual Research Day Poster Presentation Award
2021-2022 Rebekah Lee TriCouncil Canada Graduate Student MSc CIHR award (2021-2022), CAD $35,000
2020-2022 E.L. Williams TriCouncil Canada Graduate Student MSc CIHR award, CAD $36,000
2022 Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
2022 Dr. Vera-Ellen Lucci MSFHR Research Trainee Award
2022 Raffaele Massarotto Graduate Fellowship Research Award (2022), SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $7000Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2023) (CAD $150,000)
2022 Allison Campbell Graduate Fellowship Research Award, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $7000
2022 Matthew Dorton International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Trainee Travel Award (2022), CDN $1000
2022 Matthew Dorton Graduate Fellowship Research Award (2022), SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $7000
2022 Farhaan Khan Graduate Fellowship Research Award (2022), SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $6500
2022 Farhaan Khan Selected Showcase Poster, American Autonomic Society (2022), Annual Meeting
2022 Dr. Brooke Hockin Bastion of BPK Convocation Award (2022), Simon Fraser University
2022 Dr. Brooke Hockin Graduate Travel and Minor Research Award (2022), SFU, Burnaby, Canada, CDN $850
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:

vc-christopher-dana-reeve-foundation-logo          vc-craig-h-neilsen-foundation-logo

vc-heart-stroke-foundation        vc-CIHR-logo

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

  • Williams, EL, Mathias, CJ, Sanatani, S, Tipton, MJ, Claydon, VE. 2024. In at the deep end: the physiological challenges associated with artistic swimming.. Clin Auton Res. doi: 10.1007/s10286-024-01070-z.
  • Sober-Williams, EK et al.. 2024. Bowel burdens: a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationships between bowel dysfunction and quality of life after spinal cord injury.. Spinal Cord. doi: 10.1038/s41393-024-01002-8.
  • Hutcheon, EA et al.. 2023. Comparing neuronal oscillations during visual spatial attention orienting between normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia.. Sci Rep. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-45308-8.
  • Massarotto, RJ, Campbell, AJ, Kreiter, E, Claydon, VE, Cote, AT. 2024. Effects of detraining on left ventricular mass in endurance-trained individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. Eur J Prev Cardiol. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwad327.
  • Dorton, MC, Kramer, JK, de Groot, S, Post, MWM, Claydon, VE. 2023. Relationships between cardiovascular disease risk, neuropathic pain, mental health, and autonomic function in chronic spinal cord injury.. Spinal Cord. doi: 10.1038/s41393-023-00933-y.
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