A picture of Catherine Amara

Catherine Amara, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Muscle Health, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education

  • Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Muscle Health
  • Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
55 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2W6

About Catherine

Academic Training

Postdoctoral Fellow University of Washington, 2001-07 

Ph.D. University of Western Ontario, 2001 

MSc. Queen's University, 1995 

BSc. York University, 1993

Biography

Dr. Catherine Amara's an Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education and Associate Professor, Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Dr. Amara's research focuses on exercise physiology in addition to muscle health and functional capacity in people experiencing ageing or food restriction/anorexia. Her research also investigates mitochondrial function, cardiorespiratory physiology, and DXA-derived bone mineral density and soft tissue composition in humans and small animals. Her research aims to better understand factors that influence physical function, muscle performance, and healthy aging. Full profile on DiscoverResearch.

Research Interests

Muscle health and functional capacity in aging and food restriction/anorexia

Mitochondrial function

Cardiorespiratory physiology

Exercise tolerance

DXA-derived bone mineral density and soft tissue composition in humans and small animals

Selected Publications

Arnold, D. M. J., Ho, E. S., Switzer-McIntyre, S., Amara, C. E., & Agur, A. M. R. (2026). Dissection study of the innervation of the anterior elbow joint: Laying the anatomical foundation for minimally invasive pain relief procedures to treat elbow joint pain. Pain Medicine, 27(5), 534–544. 

McGee, J.G., Amara, C., Tran, J. & Agur, A.M.R. (2026). Functional compartmentalization of the anconeus: A three-dimensional study of muscle morphology and innervation patterns. Journal of Anatomy, 00, 1–10. 

Ampisi, E. S., Tran, J., Amara, C. E., Switzer-McIntyre, S., & Agur, A. M. R. (2024). The 3D muscle morphology and intramuscular innervation of the digital bellies of flexor digitorum profundus: Clinical implications for botulinum toxin injection sites. Journal of Anatomy, 244(4), 610–619. 

Katsoulis, K., & Amara, C. E. (2023). The Effects of Power Training Frequency on Muscle Power and Functional Performance in Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 37(11), 2289–2297. 

Katsoulis, K., Mathur, S., & Amara, C. E. (2021). Reliability of lower extremity muscle power and functional performance in healthy, older women. Journal of Aging Research, 2021, Article 8817231. 

 

 
Professional Memberships

American College of Sports Medicine

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology