Dr. Jayne Kalmar

Assistant Professor, Kinesiology & Physical Education

Contact Information

Email: jkalmar@wlu.ca
Phone: 519-884-0710 ext.2033   |  lab 519-884-0710 ext.3334

Office Location: Bricker Academic Building, BA502
Office Hours: By appointment.

Academic Background

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Spinal Cord Research Centre, University of Manitoba (2005-2008)

PhD (Biology), York University (November 2005)

MSc (Kinesiology), York University (September 1998)

Biography

Dr. Kalmar is currently recruiting MSc Students interested in 'Neural Activation of Muscle'.

Please click here for more information ...

Research Interests:

The purpose of my NSERC-funded program of research is to determine how spinal reflex circuits integrate input from the brain and peripheral sensory receptors to maintain optimal voluntary drive to muscle during fatigue.  I am also interested in the inhibitory pathways that modulate the excitability of the primary motor cortex during fatigue.  This research is significant because until we understand the central mechanisms that modulate muscle output in healthy people, we cannot fully understand the mechanisms of impaired motor function in injury, aging, and disease.

NSERC Discovery Grant:  Spinal and Supraspinal Mechanisms of Fatigue

Publications:

Kalmar, J.M., Caffeine.  Encyclopedia of Exercise and Medicine in Health and Disease. in press

Cahill F., Kalmar J.M., Pretorius T., Gardiner P.F., and Giesbrecht G.G. (2011)  Whole-body hypothermia has central and peripheral influences on elbow flexor performance.  Exp Physiol 96:528-538.

Kalmar, J.M., Button, D.C., Gardiner, K., Cahill, F., Gardiner, P.F. (2009) Caloric restriction does not offset age-associated changes in the biophysical properties of motoneurons. J. Neurophysiol. 101(2):548-57.

Button, D.C., Kalmar, J.M., Gardiner, K., Marqueste, T., Zhong, H.,  Roy, R.R., Edgerton, V.R., and P.F. Gardiner (2008) Does elimination of afferent input modify the changes in rat motoneurone properties that occur following chronic spinal cord transection? J. Physiol.(Lond.) 586(2):529-44.

Button, D.C, Kalmar, J.M., Gardiner, K., Cahill, F., and P.F. Gardiner (2007) Spike-frequency adaptation of rat hindlimb α-motoneurones J. Appl. Physiol. 102(3):1041-1050.

Kalmar, J.M., C. Del Balso, and E. Cafarelli (2006) Increased spinal excitability does not offset central activation failure.  Exp. Brain Res. 173(3):446-57.

Kalmar, J.M., E. Cafarelli (2006) Central excitability does not limit postfatigue voluntary activation of quadriceps femoris.  J. Appl. Physiol. 100:1757-1764 (article selected for editorial comment, see J. Appl. Physiol. 100:1749-1750)

Kalmar, J.M. (2005)  The influence of caffeine on voluntary muscle activation.  Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 37(12): 2113-2119. (Symposium proceedings, Invited Review)

Kalmar, J.M., and E. Cafarelli (2004) Caffeine:  A valuable Tool to Study Central Fatigue in Humans?  Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. 32(4): 143-147. (Invited Review, artwork selected for cover)

Kalmar, J.M., and E. Cafarelli (2004) Central fatigue and transcranial magnetic stimulation:  Effect of caffeine and the confound of peripheral transmission failure. J. Neurosci. Meth. 138: 15-26.

Walton, C.C., Kalmar, J.M., and E. Cafarelli (2003)  Caffeine increases spinal excitability in humans.  Muscle Nerve 28: 359-364.

Walton, C.C., Kalmar, J.M., and E. Cafarelli (2002)  The effect of caffeine on self-sustained firing in human motor units.  J. Physiol. (Lond.) 545(2): 671-679.

Kalmar, J.M. and E. Cafarelli (1999)  Effects of caffeine on neuromuscular function.  J. Appl. Physiol.  87(2):  801-808.

Additional Information

Courses Taught 

KP122 - Biodynamic Aspects of Physical Activity

KP220 - Human Physiology

KP425 - Neuromuscular Function in Exercise