Olivia Buth
Positions
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: Concussions are a growing public health concern, particularly among adolescents, where rates of sport-related concussion (SRC) continue to rise. Despite the prevalence and impact of these injuries, current diagnostic tools rely heavily on subjective symptom reporting, and standard imaging often fails to detect subtle brain changes. This study aims to investigate the role of blood-based cytokines—proteins involved in immune response and tissue repair—as potential objective biomarkers for SRC in adolescents. By examining the relationship between ten candidate cytokines and symptom outcomes in adolescent athletes, this research seeks to improve early diagnosis and enhance individualized recovery predictions. Ultimately, this project aims to contribute to the development of more accurate, biologically-informed tools for managing concussion in youth sport.
Awards
- Graduate Recruitment Scholarship in Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute. 2025
- Citizenship Award, Graduate Students’ Association. 2025
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