I am a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Director of the Movement Disorders Research and Rehabilitation Centre.

I received my PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience and Kinesiology with a concentration on neuromechanical study of movement disorders from the University of Waterloo in 2004 and my MSc in Human Biodynamics from McMaster University in 2000.

I am primarily interested in neural control of movement and how it is affected by various movement disorders as well as how exercise can play a role in the treatment and management of these disorders. This research provides insight into the types of exercise that can benefit those with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.

My research interests also span a number of underlying mechanisms that may be present in movement disorders. This research into identification and treatment of specific mechanisms can provide insight into strategies to help improve the lives of those with movement disorders. 

Current research grants include: Michael J. Fox Foundation, NIH - SPARX3 Exercise Trial for Parkinson's Disease, CIHR - Canadian Consortium for Neurodegeneration and Aging (CCNA) Site Leader

• Ontario Volunteer Service Award, Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries - For 10 years of service as the Vice-Chair, Assistant Judge-In-Chief for the Waterloo Wellington Science and Engineering Fair. (2021)

• Faculty Mentoring Award, WLU - For outstanding mentorship and support to undergraduate students and/or graduate students while the students are completing independent research. (2013)

• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal - For outstanding contribution to Parkinson Society Canada. (2013)

• Wilfrid Laurier University Merit Award - For outstanding contribution to research and teaching at the University. (2012)

• Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award, North American Society for the Psychology of Sport & Physical Activity. (2012)

• Rick Hansen – 25^th Anniversary Man in Motion Tour; selected as “Difference Maker”, 1 of 7000 medal bearers in honour of contributions to Canada. (2011)

• Patient’s Choice, Selected by the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry - For the article entitled “Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: A perceptual cause for a motor impairment?” Within the top 45 most sought after articles (by patients) published in the journal. (2010)

• ‘Top 5’ Ranked Most Read Articles by NeurologyLinx - For the article entitled “Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: A cause for a motor impairment?” (2009)

• Top 40 Under 40 for Waterloo Region Selected by “The Record Newspaper” Editorial Board. (2009)

• Wilfrid Laurier University Merit Award - For outstanding contribution to research and teaching at the University. (2009)

• John Charles Polanyi Prize for Physiology & Medicine - For outstanding research in the early stages of their career (2007)

• Petro-Canada Young Innovators Award (2005)

• Franklin Henry Young Scientist Award - National award presented annually by the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Behaviour to the top young scientist in the field of motor control/motor behaviour (2004)

Chow, R. Tripp, B.P., Rzondzinski, D., Almeida, Q.J. (2021). Investigating therapies for freezing of gait targeting the cognitive, limbic and sensorimotor domains. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair.

Pieruccini-Faria,F., Black, S.E., Masellis,M., Smith, E., Almeida, Q.J., Li, K., Camicioli, R., Montero-Odasso, M. (2021) Gait Variability Across Neurodegenerative and Cognitive Disorders: Results from the Canadian Consortium of Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Ehgoetz Martens, K., Peterson, D., Almeida, Q.J., Lewis, S.J.G., Hausdorff, J.M., Nieuwboer, A. (2020). Behavioural Manifestations and Associated Non-Motor Features of Freezing of Gait. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 116:350-364. doi:  10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.026. Epub 2020

Sangarapillai, K., Norman, B., Almeida, Q.J. (2020). Analyzing the effects of  PDSAFEx on motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: A retrospective study. NeuroRehabilitation. May 30. doi: 10.3233/NRE-203025

Mirelman, A., Bonato, P., Camicioli, R., Ellis, T., Giladi, N., Hamilton, J.L., Hass, C.J., Hausdorff, J.M. Pelosin, E., Almeida, Q.J.  (2019) Gait Impairments in Parkinson’s disease. 200 years after James Parkinson's essay:  what do we know about gait in PD and where should we be headed? Lancet Neurology. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(19)30044-4.

• KP464 - Movement Disorders & Clinical Aspects of Neural Control
• KP390 - Inferential Statistics
• KP361/161 - Motor Control & Learning

Our Research in the News

• Impact of Exercise on Parkinson's disease (CBC News)
• Investigating Therapies in Parkinson's disease (CTV News)

Funding Successes

• NIH - Study in Parkinson's Disease of Exercise (SPARX3) Phase 3 Clinical Trial
• CIHR - Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA)
• Michael J. Fox Foundation - Gait as a biomarker for mechanisms and treatment of Parkinson's disease

International Keynotes

• 92nd Annual Congress of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dallas, TX “Innovation in gait assessment in Parkinson’s disease (2015)
• University of Texas at Arlington, Texas American College of Sports Medicine, 58th Semi-Annual Lecture, “Learning Motor Control Through Neurodegeneration: A Parkinson’s Perspective (2015)

• University of Minnesota, Centre for Clinical Movement Science Research Day, “Mechanisms Underlying Movement Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: Distinguishing between Proprioception and Attention" (2015)

• Universidade de Brasilia (University-Wide Lecture) “Parkinson’s disease: A Canadian Approach to Understanding and Treating Motor Dysfunction” (2012)
• Natal Neuroscience Institute, “A Sensory-Perceptual Perspective of Motor Deficits in Parkinson’s disease” (2010)
• International Delegates from Chongqing, China “Revolutionizing Treatment & Understanding of Parkinson’s disease through Research” (2010)
• Harvard Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience Seminar, Harvard University, Boston “Basal ganglia function from experiment to theory” (2004)