lab team
The brilliant minds powering the Digital Athlete Lab
KNB 436
Faculty of Kinesiology
Human Performance Laboratory
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
I’m Dr. John Holash, leading the Digital Athlete Lab at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Kinesiology. My research focuses on muscle physiology, including the mechanisms of muscle activation, adaptation, and performance.
With a background in computational biology and exercise science, I combine high-tech approaches with practical applications. My work includes developing 3D stochastic models of muscle sarcomeres, investigating calcium diffusion in skeletal muscle, exploring the physiological effects of exercise across varied populations, and building digital-health infrastructure through the ACTIVATION Health platform.
Beyond the lab, I’m passionate about outdoor activities that blend with my research interests - from cross-country skiing and cycling to canoeing and sailing. These experiences inform my understanding of human performance and help me connect theory with real-world application.
I’m dedicated to mentoring the next generation of exercise physiologists and researchers, fostering an environment where students can develop their scientific curiosity through hands-on experience, digital tools, and cutting-edge methodologies.
“The future is faster than you think!”
Where Science Meets Performance
At the Digital Athlete Lab, we study muscle function, exercise physiology, and digital learning tools that help students and researchers understand the body in motion. Our team combines muscle physiology, computational modeling, and applied exercise science to connect laboratory measurements with performance, health, and education.
Current Master’s Students (Committee Member)
Alyssa Federico
MSc Student, Dr. Joe Kenal's Lab
Passed her candidacy exam for her master's project, "Assessing surgical recovery in sarcoma using the Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Information System (PROMIS) and mobility metrics: a prospective cohort study."
Recent Doctoral and Graduate Completions (Committee Member)
Jim Griffiths
PhD, April 10, 2026
Dr. MacInnis's Lab
Developed novel heart rate detection methods to enhance monitoring capabilities in clinical and performance settings.
Alex Iwasyk
MSc, defended May 13, 2026
Faculty of Medicine
Completed graduate work on ACTIVATION: MSK Oncology, Mobility and Patient Reported Outcomes.
Keanen McDougal
PhD, July 29, 2025
Dr. Aboodarda's Lab
Investigated alterations in fatigue, efficiency, and pedaling mechanics during incremental and constant-load high-intensity cycling.
Earlier Graduate Completions (Committee Member)
Brynn Lindstrom
MSc (2022-2024)
Dr. Murias's Lab
Examining critical power thresholds in experienced exercisers, challenging conventional testing methods.
Timi Ajayai
MSc (2023-2024)
Dr. MacInnis's Lab
Applying detrended fluctuation analysis to heart rate data during constant intensity exercise.
Gabriele Marinari
PhD (2022-2024)
Dr. Murias's Lab
Pioneering new approaches to characterize the V̇O2 slow component and its physiological mechanisms.
Marissa Doroshuk
MSc (2022-2024)
Dr. Doyle-Baker's Lab
Developing novel recruitment methods for ovulation research using mobile applications.
Alissa Kazakoff
MSc (2022-2024)
Dr. Doyle-Baker's Lab
Advancing methodologies for ovulation research using mobile technology.
Mary Mackie
MSc (2021-2022)
Dr. Millet's Lab
Evaluating the "Step-Ramp-Step" Protocol for determining V̇O2 response time during exercise testing.
Undergraduate Researchers
The Digital Athlete Lab provides cutting-edge research opportunities for talented undergraduate students, helping them develop hands-on skills in laboratory techniques, data analysis, and scientific inquiry.
Current and Recent Undergraduate Projects
Sunnie Vuong
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award, 2025
Characterizing structural properties of adductor longus and gracilis muscles from children with cerebral palsy in collaboration with Dr. Walter Herzog's lab. Also contributing to MELT lab videos on muscle preparations and protein analysis with Mauricio Delgado, who leads filming and video editing, and Dr. Venus Joumaa.
Abdul-Samad Ahmed
PURE Award, 2025
Studying structural properties and mitochondrial function of cardiac muscle after high-fat and high-sucrose diet exposure in female rats. Also contributing to MELT lab videos on muscle preparations and Western blot workflows with Mauricio Delgado, who leads filming and video editing, and Dr. Venus Joumaa.
Andrew Filewich
Kinesiology Honours, 2024-2025
Completed an honours project filming KNES 375 activities within the MELT project, producing demonstration videos and multimedia tools for applied physiology assessment skills. Poster.
Undergraduate Projects (2023-2024)
Arianna Hu
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award, 2024
Investigating the effect of flash freezing on active force production of skinned muscle fibers, exploring preservation techniques for biological samples.
Latif Oerkhil
Summer Student Internship, 2024
Examining active force and sarcomeric protein content in gracilis muscle of children with cerebral palsy, contributing to our understanding of muscle adaptations in this population.
Conner Hass
Kinesiology Honours 590, 2023-2024
Exploring palmar cooling effects on metabolic work production and exercise performance, investigating targeted thermoregulation strategies.
Thomas Manktelow
Kinesiology Honours 590, 2023-2024
Analyzing cross-country skiing double poling efficiency with biomechanical analysis and performance metrics.
Past Undergraduate Projects (2020-2022)
| Researcher | Program | Year | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Matesic | KNES 466 | 2022-2023 | Relative Hip Drop Timing in Cross-Country Skiing Double Poling: Performance and Force Production Analysis |
| Gavin Thomas | PURE Studentship | 2022 | Active Force in Skeletal Muscle Fibres from Children with Cerebral Palsy |
| Allysan Lui | KNES 490 Honours | 2021-2022 | Aerobic Power Assessment in Collegiate Contemporary Dance Using High-Intensity Dance Performance Test |
| Chantal Vogel | KNES 490 Honours | 2021-2022 | Virtual Reality Effects on Cycling Performance: Zwift's Virtual Environment Compared to Traditional Stationary Cycling |
| Andreas Cordido | KNES 490 Honours | 2021-2022 | Exercise Thresholds: Functional Threshold Power on Exergaming Platform vs. Respiratory Compensation Point |
| Maleeka Malik | BME Summer Studentship | 2021 | Titin Isoform Changes in Skeletal Muscles of Obese Rats |
| Ashley Lorenz | KNES 490 Honours | 2020-2021 | Physical Activity Intensity in Virtual Reality Exergames for Recreationally Active Young Adults |
Interested in joining our team? The Digital Athlete Lab is always looking for passionate undergraduate and graduate students who want to explore the frontiers of exercise physiology and muscle function. Contact Dr. Holash to discuss potential research opportunities.