Olivia Buth
Affiliations
Casual Research Assistant
Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre
Master's Student
Brain Neurorehabilitation Laboratory | BNR, Grad Students
Master's Student
Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre
Master's Student
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Community Health Sciences
Contact information
Background
Credentials
Certified Phlebotomist, CIMT, 2024
Educational Background
BHSc Honours Bachelor in Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 2021
Biography
Olivia is a Master of Science student in Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She is co-supervised by Dr. Carolyn Emery (Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre) and Dr. Chantel Debert (Brain NeuroRehabilitation Lab). Olivia holds an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Ottawa (2021) and brings diverse experience from working in numerous healthcare and research settings.
Oliva’s thesis research explores the trajectory of blood-based cytokines and their relationship to symptom presence and severity following sport-related concussions in adolescents. Her work is embedded within the SHRed Concussions study, a pan-Canadian initiative focused on improving prevention, detection, and management of youth sport-related concussion.
A lifelong athlete and former competitive soccer, basketball, and volleyball player, Olivia is passionate about translating research into real-world impact for young athletes. She is also a strong advocate for mental health, youth mentorship, and community engagement.
Outside of the lab, Olivia enjoys travelling, practicing hot yoga, playing recreational sports, and exploring local coffee shops.
Projects
Overview: Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a growing public health concern, particularly among adolescents, who experience high rates of participation in organized sport and may face both immediate and long-term consequences following injury. Despite the prevalence and clinical impact of SRC, current approaches to diagnosis and recovery monitoring rely heavily on subjective symptom reporting and clinical assessment.
This research investigates the role of blood-based cytokines—small immune-signalling proteins involved in inflammation and tissue repair—as potential objective biomarkers of SRC in adolescents. Using longitudinal data from adolescent athletes in the SHRed Concussions study, this work examines plasma concentrations of ten candidate cytokines before injury and during the early post-injury period. It also explores whether cytokine profiles are associated with concussion-related symptom burden, including overall symptom number and severity as well as specific symptom domains
By characterizing the temporal pattern of inflammatory cytokines following SRC and examining their relationships with clinical symptoms, this research seeks to improve understanding of the biological processes that may contribute to variability in symptom presentation and recovery. Ultimately, this project aims to contribute to the development of more accurate, biologically informed approaches to assessing and managing concussion in youth sport.
In North America youth account for over half of more than three million concussions. Reducing the burden of concussions in youth is paramount. SHRed Concussions is a Canadian research study funded by the National Football League’s Scientific Advisory Board and World Rugby. There are ten Canadian Universities involved, as well as more than 30 community, government and industry partners across five provinces. The primary objective of SHRed Concussions is to develop a greater understanding of concussions and their consequences among high school athletes with a focus on Prevention, Detection, Assessment, and Treatment.
For more information, please visit https://shredconcussions.ca
Awards
- Jim Dewald Emerging Leaders Scholarship, Calgary Chamber. 2026
- Keith Sharkey Graduate Travel Award, Hotchkiss Brain Institute. 2026
- Integrated Concussion Research Program Trainee Travel Award, Hotchkiss Brain Institute. 2026
- Professional Development Grant, Graduate Students’ Association . 2026
- ACHRI Travel Award, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute. 2025
- Graduate Recruitment Scholarship in Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute. 2026
- Citizenship Award, Graduate Students’ Association. 2025
- MDCH Travel Award, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary. 2025
- Graduate Recruitment Scholarship in Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute. 2025
- Citizenship Award, Graduate Students’ Association. 2024
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