Jenna Gillen, University of Toronto

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Toronto profile.

Sports nutrition Exercise physiology Human nutrition and metabolism Clinical sciences on diabetes Clinical sciences on obesity Sex differences in cells, tissues and animal

Latest papers

The effects of ischemic preconditioning and placebo maneuvers are similar during arm-cranking performance in upper-body trained athletes.
European journal of applied physiology · 2026
Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases · 2026
High-intensity interval training or resistance training versus usual care in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance: a 3-arm feasibility randomized controlled trial.
Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme · 2021

All 4 publications

Latest funding

Influence of menopause on skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations to exercise training
CIHR · 2026 · Supervisor
$6,000
Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and dietary guidelines in pre and postmenopausal women
CIHR · 2023 · Principal investigator
$948,600
A novel remote intervention to decelerate the age-related decline and disease development among older breast cancer survivors
CIHR · 2023 · Co-investigator
$895,050

All 9 grants and awards

4 publications.

01

The effects of ischemic preconditioning and placebo maneuvers are similar during arm-cranking performance in upper-body trained athletes.

O'Brien L, McLaughlin M, Gillen J, Jacobs I

European journal of applied physiology2026

DOI: 10.1007/s00421-026-06197-7 PMID: 41915060

02

Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sibley D, Rishis E, Neil-Sztramko S, de Barros Gonze B, Govette A, Dojutrek A, Small S, Lee O, Christensen R, Sabiston C

Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104883

03

High-intensity interval training or resistance training versus usual care in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance: a 3-arm feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Papadopoulos E, Gillen J, Moore D, Au D, Kurgan N, Klentrou P, Finelli A, Alibhai SMH, Santa Mina D

Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme2021

DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0365 PMID: 34380000

04

Commentaries on Point:Counterpoint: Investigators should/should not control for menstrual cycle phase when performing studies of vascular control

Giersch GEW, Charkoudian N, Pereira T, Edgell H, Freeberg KA, Craighead DH, Neill M, Allison EY, Zapcic AK, Smith KJ

Journal of applied physiology202016 citations

DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00809.2020

Influence of menopause on skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations to exercise training

SupervisorCIHR2026Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Principal investigators: Graham, Kiara

Keywords: Exercise Training; Menopause; Mitochondrial Biology; Skeletal Muscle Adaptation

$6,000

Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and dietary guidelines in pre and postmenopausal women

Principal investigatorCIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Kirkham, Amy A; Gillen, Jenna

Keywords: Cardiovascular Health; Female Physiology; Health Eating; Metabolic Health; Physical Activity; Primary Prevention

$948,600

A novel remote intervention to decelerate the age-related decline and disease development among older breast cancer survivors

Co-investigatorCIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Kirkham, Amy A

Keywords: Aging; Breast Cancer; Cardiovascular Risk; Protein Intake; Time-Restricted Eating

$895,050

Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and healthful eating guidelines on pre and postmenopausal women

Principal investigatorCIHR2022Project Grant - PA: Women's Health Research - Early Career Researcher Grant

Principal investigators: Kirkham, Amy A; Gillen, Jenna

Keywords: Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Cardiovascular Health; Ectopic Fat; Female Physiology; Metabolic Health; Physical Activity

$100,000

A novel remote intervention to decelerate the age-related decline and disease development among older breast cancer survivors

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Project Grant - PA: Women's Health Research - Early Career Researcher Grant

Principal investigators: Kirkham, Amy A

Keywords: Aging; Breast Cancer; Cardiovascular Risk; Time-Restricted Eating

$100,000

Diabetes Research on physical Activity/Exercise in Women (DRAW) Planning Meeting

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Yardley, Jane E

Keywords: Diabetes; Exercise; Female; Gender; Physical Activity; Precision Medicine; Sex; Women

$16,047

Proof-of-concept of time-restricted eating as a novel lifestyle intervention for breast cancer prevention

Co-investigatorCIHR2021Operating Grant: CCS/CIHR Action Grants

Principal investigators: Kirkham, Amy A

Keywords: Cancer

$150,000

Regulation of human skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in response to exercise

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Gillen, Jenna

$165,000

Regulation of human skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in response to exercise

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Gillen, Jenna

$12,500

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Office of the Provost
Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Sarah Neil-Sztramko

Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Maureen J Macdonald

Office of the Provost

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Daniel Santa Mina

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Sports nutrition Dear Professor Gillen, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "The effects of ischemic preconditioning and placebo maneuvers are similar during arm-cranking performance in upper-body trained athletes." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and dietary guidelines in pre and postmenopausal women" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Jenna Gillen

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

The effects of ischemic preconditioning and placebo maneuvers are similar during arm-cranking performance in upper-body trained athletes.

Sleep Parameters Associated with Cardiometabolic Health in Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

High-intensity interval training or resistance training versus usual care in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance: a 3-arm feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Commentaries on Point:Counterpoint: Investigators should/should not control for menstrual cycle phase when performing studies of vascular control

Influence of menopause on skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations to exercise training

Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and dietary guidelines in pre and postmenopausal women

A novel remote intervention to decelerate the age-related decline and disease development among older breast cancer survivors

Quantifying the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of Canada's physical activity and healthful eating guidelines on pre and postmenopausal women

A novel remote intervention to decelerate the age-related decline and disease development among older breast cancer survivors

Diabetes Research on physical Activity/Exercise in Women (DRAW) Planning Meeting

Proof-of-concept of time-restricted eating as a novel lifestyle intervention for breast cancer prevention

Regulation of human skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in response to exercise

Regulation of human skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in response to exercise

Frequent collaborators

Ira Jacobs

Daniel Moore

Sarah Neil-Sztramko

Maureen J Macdonald

Catherine Sabiston

Antonio Finelli

Daniel Santa Mina