Physical Activity & Cancer Lab

Dr. Melanie Keats is a Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance, Division of Kinesiology. She holds a research appointment with the Division of Medical Oncology with Nova Scotia Health, Co-Chairs the Physical Activity and Cancer Care Standards Working Group with the Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program and is a Senior Research Scientist with the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Keats’ research takes an interdisciplinary approach to better understanding the role of exercise in improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. This includes working with experts in the fields of behavioral medicine, exercise science, exercise oncology, medical and psychosocial oncology, chronic disease management, knowledge translation, immunology, population health, clinical trials and implementation science.

Dr. Scott Grandy is an Associate Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance, Division of Kinesiology. He holds a research appointment with the Division of Medical Oncology with Nova Scotia Health and is a Senior Research Scientist with the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute. 

Olivia Mercer is a Research Assistant in the PAC Lab. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health. Olivia loves helping people and encouraging others to be their best and what better way of doing this than through exercise. Olivia’s favourite forms of exercise are swimming and skiing.  

Kareem Robinson is a Bahamian-born Clinical Exercise Physiologist with expertise in high-performance training, lifestyle change, and chronic disease management.

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He holds a Master of Applied Kinesiology (Exercise Science) and a Bachelor of Kinesiology with a concentration in Biology from Acadia University. During his graduate studies, he developed a strong interest in genetic predispositions to chronic disease and the ways in which environmental and lifestyle factors can influence health outcomes.

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During his time at Acadia, Kareem competed as a varsity swimmer before transitioning fully into coaching and community health leadership. As a student-athlete, he served as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for multiple sports, including swimming, football, and soccer. During his master's studies, he expanded his professional responsibilities by working as a Student Clinical Exercise Physiologist within the School of Kinesiology while also serving as an Assistant Swim Coach.

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Before relocating to Halifax, Kareem played a significant role in delivering community-based exercise and wellness programs throughout Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. His contributions included leadership and program delivery for initiatives such as Active for Life (Wolfville, New Minas, and Port Williams), Fit 2 Function, Acadia Active Aging, Acadia Cardiac Maintenance, and Power Over Parkinson's. Through these experiences, he developed a reputation for mentoring participants and creating supportive, motivating environments for individuals of all ages and abilities.

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Driven by a passion for health equity, Kareem is committed to improving health outcomes within Black and Caribbean communities. His work focuses on reducing the burden of chronic disease through accessible health education, knowledge translation, and evidence-based exercise programming. He strives to empower individuals to take an active role in improving their physical literacy, confidence, and motivation towards physical activity. 

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"We might not have been able to save some of our parents, but it's never too late to save ourselves."

Deborah has over 35 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse in health care.  After many years in Critical Care, Emergency and Flight Nursing, Deborah moved towards management and administration within Nova Scotia Health.  In 2012 as NSH’s Cardiology Research Manager, she led the development of the research enterprise and in this capacity managed large-scale projects. It is in this role that she met and began working with the PAC LAB, specifically Dr Scott Grandy and Dr Melanie Keats.  In October 2017, Deborah joined Dr J. Brown’s Biomedical Engineering research team as Project Manager.  In this role she provides management and administrative support for Dr Brown’s multiple research endeavors with the focus being on the multiple medical device innovations as well as providing the same support to the amazing PAC LAB research program.

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Isabel Jeon is a Master's student with the PAC Lab. Isabel first joined the lab for an experiential learning course with Dr. Grandy, then continued to do her Honours, and has been working in the summers as a research student. She completed her BSc in Science (Medical Sciences) at Dalhousie University, where she is part of the Dalhousie women's field hockey team. Isabel enjoys getting to know the participants and seeing their confidence grow. Her favourite ways to stay active are by going to the gym and hiking. 

Chloe Cyr is a master’s student with the PAC Lab. She studies the feasibility of exercise programming in patients with pancreatic cancer. She is passionate about fighting pancreatic cancer and works with patients and families affected by the disease. Chloe was previously on the Canadian National Fencing Team and was the co-president of the Dalhousie Rowing team.  When not in the lab, you can find Chloe hiking, cycling, and paddle boarding.

Interested in joining our team? Contact Dr. Melanie Keats or Dr. Scott Grandy for more information.