Dr. Jamie Burr

Research Interests:

Although the role of human vascular system appears straightforward as a simple transporter of blood, its form and function are actually highly complex. In order to appropriately control blood flow and adequately supply other parts of the human body the vasculature has the ability to adapt its size and stiffness, both in the short term to address immediate demand, and more chronically to adapt to the body’s ongoing signals. How and why these changes actually occur is incompletely understood, particularly in regard to the effects of human physical activity. Current evidence suggests that changes in the stiffness and size of human arteries can be affected by the overall volume, type, intensity, frequency and duration of physical activity, but the relative influence of individual (or combined) factors is unclear. It is also unclear how different types of exercise may affect the vasculature in different regions of the body, such as arteries in the working appendage versus arteries closer to the heart. Changes in the form and function of the central vasculature has effects on almost all other organ systems in the body, particularly the heart, and can affect how efficiently these organ systems operate.
Our work aims to understand how different types and volumes of exercise affect the human vasculature considering both short and long-term changes. We are also attempting to understand how and why a stimulus may be beneficial to performance/adaptation/function at one level, but detrimental at another. We employ models that use both regularly encountered exercise, as well as exercise models that reduce or amplify certain effects in order to understand the contribution of different stresses such as inflammation and sustained or pulsatile occlusions of blood flow.

Projects Recently Completed:

• Cardiovascular function, inflammation, and exercise: potential role of anti-inflammatory supplementation to optimize health and performance
• Determining the efficacy of trans-dermally delivered chamomile to alter muscle inflammation and exercise recovery
• Effects of aerobically based eccentric exercise on arterial stiffness
• Mitigating the cardiovascular risks of old-timer hockey

Projects In Progress:

• Automated Ischemic Exercise Training and Recovery Device
• Predicting athlete overtraining through measures of cardiovascular and autonomic nervous control
• The effects of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on vascular properties
• Blow flow manipulation through external localized compression: altering acute physical performance, sub-acute physiologic response and chronic training effects

Facilities/Unique Equipment:

HHNS Exercise laboratory
TBD – currently building new lab

Funding:

2015

• NSERC- Discovery Grant – Investigating the role and response of the human vasculature in the adaptive response to stressful exercise
• Mitacs Accelerate Optimizing the use of blood flow restriction for pre-conditioning & recovery of human performance Springboard Innovation Mobilization Program MS – Second generation, single-unit prototype of ischemic training device
• Springboard- Innovation Mobilization Grant PL
• National Research Council – IRAP. Examination of a novel transdermal creatine chemical delivery system for exercise improvement and recovery
• National Research Council – IRAP. Determining the efficacy of trans-dermally delivered chamomile to alter muscle inflammation and exercise recovery

2014

• Capsaicinoid ingestion, human metabolism & exercise performance – Omniactive Health Tech.
• Cardiovascular function, inflammation, and exercise: potential role of anti-inflammatory supplementation to optimize health and performance- Omniactive Health Technologies
• The physiologic effects of Capsaicinoid ingestion on human metabolism and exercise performance -Mitacs Accelerate, Post-doctoral
• Cardiovascular function, inflammation, and exercise project – Mitacs Accelerate
• National Research Council – IRAP. Effects of Standing Desk Use on Cardiometabolic risk factors and free-living movement behaviours
  2013
• Automated Ischemic Exercise Training and Recovery Device, Pilot and Discovery- Innovation PEI
• Occlusive Exercise Device -Springboard Innovation Mobilization Program Award
• Mitigating the cardiovascular risks of old-timer hockey, UPEI Research Grant

Links:

Departmental Faculty Page
Human Performance and Health Research Lab

Students:

J. Slysz (PhD Student)
R. Aubry (MSc Student)
A. Coates (MSc Student)
K. Thompson (MSc Student, Co-supervisor)
A. Whinton (MSc Student)

Publications:

A regularly updated publications list

Cardiovascular specific articles:

1. Slysz J., Stultz J., Burr JF. The Efficacy of Blood Flow Restricted Exercise for Stimulating Adaption in Strength and Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. (Accepted, Sept 17, 2015) doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2015.09.005
2. Burr J.F, Slysz J.T, Boulter M.S, Warburton DER. Influence of Active Recovery on Cardiovascular Function during Ice Hockey. Sports Medicine – Open (DOI 10.1186/s40798-015-0026-8) 1(27), 2015.
3. Burr J.F., Boulter M., Beck K. Arterial Stiffness Results from Eccentrically Biased Downhill Running Exercise. J Sci Med Sport, 18: 230-235, 2015
4. MacEwan, B.T., MacDonald, D.J., Burr, J.F. A Systematic Review of Standing and Treadmill Desks in the Workplace, Preventive Medicine. 70: 50-58, 2015
5. Cote AT, Phillips AA, Foulds HJ, Charlesworth SA, Burr JF, Bredin SSD, Koehle MS, Warburton DER. Sex differences in cardiac function following prolonged strenuous exercise, Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 25 (3): 276-83, 2015
6. Foulds H.J., Cote A.T., Phillips A.A., Burr J.F., Warburton D.E.R. Characterization of baroreflex sensitivity of recreational ultra-endurance athletes, European Journal of Sports Science. 14: 686-694,2014
7. Burr J.F., Phillips A.A., Drury C.T., Ivey A.C., Warburton, D.E.R Temporal Response of Arterial Compliance to Ultra Marathon. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 35(08): 658-663, 2014
8. Burr. J.F. Prolonged Exercise and Vascular Changes. Journal of Physiology – Cross Talk (commentary). Epub- February, 2014. jp.physoc.org/content/suppl/2014/02/19/…/CrossTalk_9_Comments.pdf
9. Santa Mina, D., Burr, J.F. The Evolving Role and Importance of the Clinical Exercise Physiologist. Health and Fitness Journal of Canada. 6 (1): 72-77, 2013
10. Burr J.F., Drury C.T., Phillips A.A., Ivey A.C., Ku, J., Warburton, D.E.R Long-Term Ultra-Marathon Running and Arterial Compliance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 17(3) 322-325, 2014
11. Goodman J.M., Thomas S.G., Burr J.F. Cardiovascular Risks of Physical Activity in Apparently Healthy Individuals: Risk Evaluation for Exercise Clearance and Prescription. Canadian Family Physician Journal. 59 (1) 46-49, 2013
12. Burr J.F., Shephard R.J., Zehr, E.P. Clearance for Physical Activity and Exercise after Stroke and Spinal Cord Injury. Canadian Family Physician Journal. 58 (11):1236-1239, 2012
13. Phillips A., Cote A.T., Foulds H., Charlesworth S., Bredin S.D., Burr J.F., Ngai S., Ivey A. , Drury T., Fougere R., Warburton D.E.R. A segmental evaluation of arterial stiffness after prolonged strenuous exercise. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism.37 (4):690-6, 2012
14. Burr J.F., Goodman J.M., Thomas S.G., Jamnik V.K., Gledhill N. Addressing the Cardiometabolic Risk of Working in Physically Demanding Occupations. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports.6 (4): 347-354, 2012
15. Burr J.F., Bredin S.S.D., Phillips A., Foulds H., Cote A., Charlesworth S., Ivey A.C, Drury T.C, Fougere R., and Warburton D.E.R. Systemic Arterial Compliance Following Ultra-Marathon. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 33(3): 224-9, 2012
16. Phillips A., Burr J., Cote A.T., Foulds H., Charlesworth S., Bredin S.D., Warburton D.E.R. Comparing the Finapres and Caretaker Systems for Measuring Pulse Wave Velocity. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 33(2):130-6, 2012
17. Goodman J.M., Thomas S.G., Burr J. Evidence-based risk assessment and recommendations for exercise testing and physical activity clearance in apparently healthy individuals. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism. 36:(S1) S14-S32, 10.1139/h11-048, 2011
18. Thomas S.G., Goodman J.M., Burr J.F. Evidence-based risk assessment and recommendations for physical activity clearance: established cardiovascular disease. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism. 36:(S1) S190-S213, 10.1139/h11-050, 2011
19. Burr, J.F. Assessing Vascular Health via Applanation Tonometry. Health and Fitness Journal of Canada. 3(2):28-31, 2010