Dr. Tavis Campbell
Director
Dr. Tavis Campbell is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Oncology at the University of Calgary.
Campbell is a behavioural medicine specialist with a program of research focused on mechanisms underlying behaviour change. This work has produced over 300 peer-reviewed published journal articles, book chapters and abstracts, including several behaviour-based RCTs in the areas of chronic disease management.
Campbell has held several leadership roles in national organizations, including Chair of Care Delivery for Hypertension Canada and Chair of the Health section of the Canadian Psychological Association. He is a service consultant with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Indigenous Services Canada. Campbell has also served as a consultant to the Calgary Emergency Management Agency on public communications.
In partnerships with both industry and non-profit organizations, he has delivered teaching and training to over 10,000 healthcare providers globally (e.g., specialist physicians, nurses, allied health) as well as to several thousand members of the general public regarding motivation and health behaviour change.
Research Focus: Behavioural Medicine, Chronic Disease
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), University of Calgary Clinical Research Fund, Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation., Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, The Lawson Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Innovation Grant, Abbvie, Canadian Pain Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC)
Current Students
Tamara Williamson
PhD Candidate
Tamara is a PhD candidate in the Clinical Psychology program. She previously received a B.Sc. in Biology at the University of British Columbia and completed her B.A. and M.Sc. degrees in Psychology at the University of Calgary. For her Master’s thesis, Tamara explored the impact of patient education on knowledge, attitudes, and exercise adherence in cardiac rehabilitation (the IMPART study). Tamara is also interested in investigating psychosocial predictors of weight and quality of life outcomes after bariatric (weight-loss) surgery. Tamara co-conceptualized and now helps to facilitate the BE-EMPOWERED study, exploring a mindfulness-based intervention for eating disorder symptoms among bariatric surgery candidates. For her dissertation research, Tamara will be investigating a behavioural weight loss treatment, delivered during cardiac rehabilitation, for promoting weight loss and improving symptom burden among patients with atrial fibrillation and obesity.
Outside of the lab, Tamara enjoys playing the bass guitar in her band, skiing, running, and spinning.
Research Focus: Cardiac rehabilitation adherence, behavioural weight loss treatment, bariatric surgery, mindfulness
Funding: CIHR Doctoral Scholarship; Alberta Innovates Graduate Scholarship in Health; CIHR Master's Award; Alberta Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (AbSPOR) Graduate Studentship, Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada (CANet) Graduate Studentship
Joshua Tulk
MSc Student
Joshua Tulk is an MSc student in Clinical Psychology training in the Behavioral Medicine lab at the University of Calgary.
In 2021, he completed a BSc in Psychology at Memorial University, studying rural-urban differences in mental health and social support of young adults with cancer in Canada. Generally, Joshua is interested in health psychology, specifically focusing on psychosocial oncology, behavioural sleep medicine, health economics, and public health. He is also interested in learning more about chronic illness management and behavioural medicine.
Outside the lab, Josh enjoys reading, studying history and culture, and volunteering in the community.
Research interests: psychosocial oncology, health behaviour change, implementation science, health economics
Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s program
Sydney Seidel
PhD Student
Sydney is a MSc student in Clinical Psychology. Sydney earned her BA (Honours; First Class) in Psychology from the University of Calgary in June 2020. Dr. Daniel McGrath and Dr. Tavis Campbell supervised her honours thesis entitled "An Exploration of the Psychosocial Patterns of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Young Adults" using an ecological momentary assessment methodology. For her Master’s thesis, Sydney will be looking at a web-based behavioural intervention addressing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in Canadian adults. Sydney is particularly interested in the role of health behaviour change and adherence throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Broadly, Sydney is interested in developing behavioural interventions to promote adherence to a variety of health behaviours.
In 2020, Sydney was named one of Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council's (SSHRC) Top 5 Finalists for her presentation on e-cigarette use among young adults. Currently, Sydney is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canadian Graduate Scholarship. When Sydney is not busy with school and research, she enjoys checking out new restaurants, travelling, and having fun with her nieces and nephews.
Research Interests: vaccination adherence and hesitancy, health behaviour change
Funding: Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Canadian Graduate Scholarship
Stuti Patel
MSc Student
Stuti has her BSc in Psychology (Honours) from the University of Calgary. She began her undergraduate degree in Engineering and serendipitously found her love for psychology after taking her first introductory psychology course. As she followed that passion for psychology, she trained under Dr. Gerald Giesbrecht at the Developmental Psychobiology Lab for two years. During that time, her thesis focused on the gut microbiome and how that relates to prenatal depression and infant temperament. At the Behavioural Medicine lab, Stuti is primarily involved in the Living Well With Psoriatic Arthritis trial. Along with psychology, she is passionate about studying Sanskrit and making gouache paintings.
Research Interests: Gut microbiome, health behaviour change, chronic illness management.
Laura Hernandez
MSc Student
Laura is an incoming MSc student in the Clinical Psychology program. Laura earned her BA (Honours; First Class) in Psychology and a BFA in visual studies (with distinction) from the University of Calgary in June 2020. Dr. Joshua Madsen supervised her honours thesis entitled: “Romantic relationship satisfaction and sleep in undergraduate students”. Laura is particularly interested in biopsychosocial research in chronic illness and healthcare use, the experience of racial and ethnic minorities with health and the healthcare system, social relationships associations to health, and behavioural interventions that help manage chronic illness and promote healthy behaviours. Laura is currently funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canadian Graduate Scholarship. When not busy with school and research, Laura enjoys travelling, exploring nature hikes, photography, painting and reading.
Research interests: Cardiac rehabilitation, chronic illness, health behaviour change, diversity
Funding: Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Canadian Graduate Scholarship
Anna Pedersen
Honours Student
Anna is completing her undergraduate degree with a major in Psychology and minor in Sociology. As she progresses into her Honours program in the Behavioural Medicine Lab, her focus has grown from studying perceptions of Chronic Pain to include experimental treatment and adherence to treatment plans. Anna is excited to investigate the effects of experimental pain management through the use of Oxytocin via her thesis project. Aside from her interests in Health Sciences, Anna is an avid rugby player, casual artist and is always on the lookout for the next adventure.
Research Staff
Braiden Valdarchi
Research Coordinator
Braiden recently graduated from the University of Calgary's BSc psychology program (First Class Honours). He discovered he was deeply interested in how psychology relates to health and wellness after taking several courses taught by Dr. Campbell and his graduate students. His research interests include how chronic illness and pain can be managed using methods rooted in biopsychosocial frameworks. Braiden joined the Behavioural Medicine Lab in 2022, where he now works full-time as a research coordinator. He is currently involved in a couple of randomized controlled trials examining how chronic pain may be treated using oxytocin nasal spray and how a behavioural weight loss intervention might reduce symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Braiden also enjoys curling, climbing, photography, and gardening in his free time.