My thesis
On a conceptual level, organismic resilience refers to an organism’s ability to recover or optimize function following a transient pathophysiological perturbation. Differences in organismic resilience may help explain why some people experience healthier aging, while others experience disease and decline. Biological aging can be measured using epigenetic clocks, derived from DNA methylation across the genome. Advanced epigenetic age and more rapid epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are both associated with poorer health and aging outcomes. Cognitive function is also closely intertwined with aging and resilience, as cognitive decline starts at midlife and continues to age of death. Poorer baseline cognitive function has been shown to predict steeper rates of cognitive and functional decline in older adulthood. Thus, both epigenetic aging and cognitive function may be markers of organismic resilience.
The purpose of my thesis is to examine the factor structure of organismic resilience and its associated indicators using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), while also exploring the moderating effects of age and sex. Overall, my thesis aims to investigate the structure and validity of the organismic resilience construct, providing valuable insight into the health of Canadians across the lifespan.
My time in the School of Public Health Sciences (SPHS)
I have greatly enjoyed my time in the School of Public Health Sciences as both an undergraduate and graduate student. During my time as a graduate student, I have had many opportunities to be actively involved in the university community. I currently serve as the Marketing and Communications Lead for The Symposium of Aging Research (SoAR) committee and as Communications Officer for the Research and Practices in Health Sciences (RPHS) committee.
One of the most meaningful experiences during my graduate studies has been working with a few of my classmates to create the H.E.R (Health Equity Reimagined) Collective. Together, we set out to build a collaborative space dedicated to advancing health equity for women through research, innovation, art, education, and advocacy. We have had the pleasure of attending a conference in Vancouver to share our work and connect with others in the field and we have hosted several workshops at the university. We are now expanding our efforts into the local community to broaden our reach and deepen our impact.
Equally, if not more meaningful, has been the opportunity to meet so many incredible people. The Faculty is so diverse, and it has been wonderful to be surrounded by like-minded individuals while also learning from a wide range of unique perspectives. I have made lifelong friends and am grateful for all the support and mentorship I have received along the way.
Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.