Sarah Purcell

University of Alberta, PhD

Florida State University, MSc

Florida State University, BSc (Hon.)

The overarching goal of my research is to leverage energy balance concepts to develop evidence-based nutrition strategies to optimize management of obesity and other chronic diseases. Specially, my research aims to:

1) Characterize energy intake requirements and the determinants of such (e.g., altered energy expenditure, body composition, sex hormones, physical activity), and

2) Assess how perturbations in energy balance (e.g., energy intake restriction, exercise) impact other physiological and behavioral outcomes.

I utilize several techniques to meet these objectives including doubly labeled water, body composition tools, hormonal regulators of appetite, “weigh and measure” methods of objective dietary intake, dietary records and recalls, ecological momentary assessments, and self-report questionnaires of appetite and eating behavior. My aim as a professional is to work collaboratively with researchers, graduate students, and health professionals to improve human health through nutrition assessment and intervention.

BIOL 423 (3) Endocrinology (starting Winter Term 2, 2023)

Purcell SA, Marker RJ, Cornier MA, Melanson EL. Dietary intake and energy expenditure in breast cancer survivors: A review. Nutrients 2021;13:3394

Purcell SA, Mackenzie M, Barbosa-Silva TG, Dionne IJ, Ghosh S, Siervo M, Ye M, Prado CM. Prevalence of sarcopenic obesity using different definitions and the relationship with strength and physical performance in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging. Frontiers in Physiology. January 2021;(11):583825

Purcell SA, Johnson-Stoklossa C, Tibaes JRB, Frankish A, Elliott SA, Padwal R, Prado CM. Accuracy and reliability of a portable indirect calorimeter compared to whole-body indirect calorimetry for measuring resting energy expenditure. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. October 2020; (39):67-73.

Prado CM, Purcell SA, Laviano A. Nutrition interventions to treat low muscle mass in cancer. Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle. April 2020; 11(2):366-380 (Review)

Purcell SA, Elliott SA, Baracos VE, Chu QSC, Sawyer MD, Mourtzakis M, Siervo M, Prado CM. Accuracy of resting energy expenditure predictive equations in patients with cancer. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, December 2019; 34(6): 922-34

Purcell SA, Wallengren O, Baracos VE, Lundholm K, Iresjö BM, Chu QSC, Ghosh S, Prado CM. Determinants of change in resting energy expenditure in patients with stage III/IV colorectal cancer. Clinical Nutrition, January 2020; 39(1):134-140

Purcell SA, Elliott SA, Sawyer MB, Preston T, Skipworth RJS, Walter PJ, Cai, H, Prado CM. Total energy expenditure in patients with colorectal cancer: Associations with body composition, physical activity, and energy recommendations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2019; 110(2):367-376

Pereira LCR, Purcell SA, Elliott SA, McCargar LJ, Bell RC, Robson PJ, Prado CM, and the ENRICH Study Team. The use of whole body calorimetry to compare measured versus predicted energy expenditure in postpartum women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2019; 109(3):554-565

Prado CM, Purcell SA, Alish C, Pereira SL, Deutz NE, Heyland DK, Goodpaster BH, Tappenden KA, Heymsfield SB. Implications of low lean mass across the continuum of care: A narrative review. Annals of Medicine, September 2018 12:1-19

Purcell SA, Elliott SA, Baracos VE, Chu QSC, Prado CM. Key determinants of energy expenditure in cancer and implications for clinical practice. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2016;70(11):1230-8. (Review)

A full list of my journal article citations can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1TuO575k15Vkd/bibliography/public/

• 2021: Associate Editor, Environmental Science & Policy
• 2021: Multidisciplinary Panel Member, Full Proposal Stage- New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)- Exploration Competition 2021. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
• 2021: Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) Expert Panel Reviewer of report on Managing Plant Health Risks in the Canadian Context.
• 2020: Committee Member, Letter of Intent Stage Multidisciplinary/Multisectoral Review Panel- New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)- Transformation 2020 inaugural competition. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.