Laura Banks
PhD, RKin

Research and expertise

• Background and interests

  Dr. Banks has expertise in cardiac function and exercise physiology across the continuum of high performance sport, health, and disease. 

  She completed her undergraduate and CIHR-funded graduate degrees in the areas of Kinesiology and Medical Science at the University of Toronto (2003-2013). Subsequently, she was awarded a CIHR-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto where she investigated the long-term cardiac consequences of excessive exercise (2013-2017). She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University Health Network on the role of high-intensity interval exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness and glucose control in type 2 diabetes (2017-2019). In 2019, she joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University. 

  Most recently, Dr. Banks finished her Master of Arts in Education at Ontario Tech University (2024). Her teaching scholarship has focused on case-based learning in the health sciences, flipped classroom instructional design, and the use of digital tools. 

  She is a current recipient of the Teaching Scholar in Residence program here at Ontario Tech University.

• Education
  • BPHE, Physical Education and Health, University of Toronto, 2007
  • MSc, Exercise Science, University of Toronto, 2009
  • PhD, Medical Science, University of Toronto, 2013
  • MA, Education, Ontario Tech University, 2024
• Courses taught

  Courses taught (past and present) at the undergraduate level:

  • Human anatomy and physiology
  • Altered physiology
  • Exercise rehabilitation
  • Issues in women’s health
• Publications

  For a full list of Publications, visit PubMed

  Referred Publications  (2018 - Recent)

  Bentley, R.F., Dorian, P., Vecchiarelli, E., Banks, L., Connelly, K.A., Yan, A.T., Osman, W., Goodman, J.M. The effect of chronic exercise training and acute exercise on power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 49(2):148-156, 2024. 

  Sheikh, H., Walczak, N., Rana, H., Tseng, N.W.H., Syed, M.K., Collier, C., Rezk, M., Gong, I.Y., Tan, N.S., Ali, S.H., Yan, A.T., Randhawa, V.K., Banks, L. Temporal Trends of Enrollment by Sex and Race in Major Cardiovascular Randomized Clinical Trials. CJC Open. 6(2Part B):454-462, 2023. [Senior Author] 

  Ghisi, G.L.M., Banks, L., Cotie, L.M., Pakosh, M., Pollock, C., Nerenberg, K., Gagliardi, A., Smith, G., Colella, T.J.F. Women's Knowledge of Future Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Complications of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review. CJC Open. 6(2Part B):182-194, 2023. 

  Banks, L., Kay, R. Exploring Flipped Classrooms in Undergraduate Nursing and Health Science: A Systematic Review. Nurse Education in Practice, 64: 103417. 2022. [First Author] 

  Kallas, D., Sandhu, N., Gandilo, C., Schleicher, M., Banks, L., Colella, T.J.F., Sharma, A., Connelly, K.A., Randhawa, V.K. Use of Digital Health Technology in Heart Failure and Diabetes: A Scoping Review. Journal Cardiovascular Translational Research, 16(3): 526-540. 2022. [Co-Author]. 

  Lee, L., Banks, L., Colella, T.C., Oh, P.I., Brooks, D. Capturing the perspectives of women with coronary artery disease regarding interval training or continuous exercise in cardiac rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(1), 68-78, 2022. [Second Author] 

  Marzolini, S., Banks, L., Oh, P. Sex Differences in Predictors of Completion of a 6-month Adapted Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for People with Type 2 Diabetes and No Known Cardiac Disease. Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 46(3), 277-286, 2022. [Second Author] 

  McKay, B., Tseng, N.W.H., Sheikh, H., Syed, M., Pakosh, M., Caterini, J.E., Sharma, A., Colella, T.J.F., Konieczny, K.M., Connelly, K.A., Graham, M.M., McDonald, M., Banks, L.*, Randhawa, V.R.* Sex, Race and Age Differences of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy RCTs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. CJC Open, 3(12 Supplement), S192-S201, 2021. [Corresponding Author] 

  Syed, M., Sheikh, H., Tseng, N.W.H., McKay, B., Pakosh, M., Caterini, J.E., Sharma, A., Colella, T.J.F., Konieczny, K.M., Connelly, K.A., Graham, M.M., McDonald, M., Banks, L.*, Randhawa, V.R.* Sex, Race and Age Differences of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator RCTs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. CJC Open, 3(12 Supplement), S209-S217, 2021. [Corresponding Author] 

  Glibbery, M., Banks, L., Altaha, M.A., Bentley, R.F., Konieczny, K., Yan, A.T., Dorian, P., Deva, D.P., Goodman, J.M., Connelly, KA. Atrial morphology in middle-aged endurance athletes: a cardiac magnetic resonance study. Clinical Cardiology, 44(10), 1467-1474, 2021. [Second Author] 

  Banks, L., Sparrow, L., Sandison, N., Oh, P., Colella, T. Post-exercise hypoglycemia is related to insulin medication use in adults with Type 2 Diabetes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(12), 3361-3367, 2021. [First Author] 

  Dorian, D., Chatterjee, D., Connelly, K.A., Goodman, J.M., Yan, A.T., Bentley, R.F., Banks, L., Hamilton, R.M., Dorian. P. A Novel Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) Biomarker Anti-DSG2 is Absent in Athletes with Right Ventricular Enlargement. CJC Open, 3(12), 2021. [Co-Author] 

  Banks, L., Randhawa, V.K., Colella, T.F., Dhanvantari, S., Connelly, K.A., Robinson, L., Mak, S., Ouzounian, M., Mulvagh, S.L., Straus, S., Allan, K., Yip, C.Y., Graham, M.M. Cardiovascular Physicians, Scientists, and Trainees Balancing Work and Caregiving Responsibilities in the COVID-19 Era: Sex and Race-Based Inequities. Canadian Journal of Cardiology Open, 3(5), 627-630, 2021. [First Author] 

  Banks, L., Al-Mousawy, S., Altaha, M., Koneiczny, K., Osman, W., Currie, K.D., Connelly, K., Yan, A., Sasson, Z., Mak, S., Goodman, J., Dorian, P. Cardiac remodeling in middle-aged endurance athletes: relation between signal-averaged electrocardiogram and LV mass. American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 320(1), H316-H322, 2021. [First Author] 

  Caterini, J., Adreak, N., Cheung, C.C., Gupta, S., Randhawa, V.K., Banks, L. Opportunities for Advancing Sponsored Mentorship: Highlighting Early Career Transitions in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 37(2), 176-179, 2021. [Corresponding Author] 

  Banks, L., Randhawa, V.K., Caterini, J., Colella, T.J.F., Dhanvantari, S., McMurtry, S., Connelly, K.A., Robinson, L., Anand, S.S., Ouzounian, M., Zieroth, S., Mak, S., Straus, S., Graham, M.M. Sex, Gender and Equity in Cardiovascular Medicine, Surgery, and Science in Canada: Challenges, Successes, and Opportunities for Change. Canadian Journal of Cardiology (CJC) Open, 2(6), 522-529, 2020. [First Author] 

  Banks, L., Altaha, M.A., Yan, A.T., Dorian, P., Konieczny, K., Deva, D., La Gerche, A., Akhavein, F., Bentley, R.F., Connelly, K.A., Goodman, J.M. Left ventricular fibrosis in middle-aged athletes and physically-active adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 52(12), 2500-2507, 2020. [First Author] 

  Bentley, R., Vecchiarelli, E., Banks, L., Dorian, P. Konieczny, K., Yan^, A.T., Connelly, K.A., Goodman, J.M.  Heart rate variability and recovery following maximal exercise in endurance athletes and physically-active individuals. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45(10), 1138-1144, 2020. [Co-Author] 

  Konieczny, K., Banks, L., Osman, W., Connelly, K.A., Yan, A.T., Goodman, J.M., Sasson, Z., Dorian, P. Prolonged P Wave Duration is Associated with Left Atrial Dimensions, but not Atrial Arrhythmias, in Middle-Aged Endurance Athletes. Journal of Electrocardiography, 56, 115-120, 2019. [Second Author] 

  Banks L., Bentley, R.F., Currie, K.D., Vecchiarelli, E., Aslam, A., Yan, A.T., Konieczny, K., Dorian, P., Sasson, Z., Connelly, K.A., Goodman, J.M. Cardiac remodeling in middle-aged endurance athletes and recreationally-active individuals: Challenges in defining the “Athlete’s Heart”. Letter to the Editor. Journal of American Society of Echocardiography, 2019. [Co-First Author] 

  Banks, L., Connelly, K. Pre-exercise stress testing in type 2 diabetes: Another case of choosing wisely? Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 35(2), 150-152, 2019. [First Author] 

  Banks, L., Cacoilo, J., Carter, J., Oh, P.I. Age-related improvements in Peak Cardiorespiratory Fitness among Coronary Heart Disease Patients Following Cardiac Rehabilitation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8(3), 310, 2019. [First Author] 

  West, S.L., Banks, L., Dogra, S., Schneiderman, J.E., Caterini, J.E., Wells, G.D. Physical Activity for Children with Chronic Disease; A Narrative Review and Practical Applications. BMC Pediatrics, 19(1), 12, 2019. [Second Author] 

  Banks, L., Goodman, J.M., Dorian, P. Correspondence Letter: “Does High-Intensity Endurance Training Increase the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation? A Longitudinal Study of Left Atrial Structure and Function”. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 11(8):e006645, 2018. [First Author] 

  Bonsignore, A. & Banks, L. Defining lifelong exercise frequency and arterial stiffness changes in older adults: Considerations for sex differences and exercise dose. Journal of Physiology, 596(16), 3459-3460, 2018. [Second Author] 

  West, S., Caterini, J., Banks, L., Wells, G.D. The epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity; will we ever see a change? Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 3(2), 34, 2018. [Co-Author] 

  Goodman, J.M., Banks, L., Connelly K.A., Yan, A.T., Backx, P., Dorian, P. “Excessive” Exercise in Middle-Aged Endurance Athletes: Is Atrial Fibrillation an Unintended Consequence? Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 43(9):973-976, 2018. [Second Author] 

  McKillop, A., Grace, S.L., Melo Ghisi, G., Allison, K.R., Banks, L., Kovacs, A.H., Schneiderman, J.E., McCrindle, B.W. Adapted Motivational Interviewing to Promote Exercise in Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: A Pilot Trial. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 30(4):326-334, 2018. [Co-Author] 

  Wan, D., Cheung, C., Tsirigotis, D., Banks, L. Facilitating Mentorship: The Canadian Cardiovascular Society Trainee Committee Experience. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 34(1): 1-3, 2018. [Senior Author] 

  Books

  Banks, L., Balogh, R., Cole, A., Lemonde, M., Nonoyama, M., Partosoedarso, E., Sanchez, O., West, S. Multi-Course Case Studies in Health Sciences Version 2, Pressbooks, 2023. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/casestudieshealthsciences/ 

  Banks, L., Barth, B., Balogh, R., Cole, A., Nonoyama, M., Partosoedarso, E., Sanchez, O., Multi-Course Case Studies in Health Sciences, Pressbooks, 2021. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/casestudieshealthsciences/ 

  Book Chapters

  Sharon Lauricella, Laura Banks, Christopher Craig. Thriving Online: A Guide for Busy Educators, “Interactive Lectures” (Book Chapter). OER Editors: Robin Kay and Bill Hunter, 2021. [Co-Author] 

  Banks, L. & McCrindle, B.W. Exercise testing in the obese child. In “Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in children and adults”. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2018.  [First Author – Book Chapter]

• Grants
  1. Case based Learning for the Health Sciences. Government of Ontario, eCampus Ontario FSL Digital by Design OER & Ancillary Resources project, 2023-2024, $24,954. 
  2. Multi-Course Case Studies in the Health Sciences. Government of Ontario, eCampusOntario Virtual Learning Strategy, 2022-2023, $35,424
  3. Multi-Course Case Studies in the Health Sciences. Ontario Tech University, Teaching Innovation Fund, 2020-2022, $7,540.
  4. Evaluation of Gender Equity in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Planning and Dissemination Grant. 2018-2019, $9,500 (Co-PI with Dr. Varinder Randhawa)