K. Julia Kaal, MSc, PhD

Education

• BA (University of Kansas)
• MSc (University of Edinburgh)
• PhD (University of British Columbia)
• CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship (Dalhousie University)

Research Interests

• Patient-oriented research
• Mixed methods
• Cancer care systems
• Sustainable health
• Adolescent and Young Adult cancer
• Patient-reported outcomes

Research Interests

• Learning Health Systems
• Knowledge translation and mobilization
• Applied health services research
• Embedded research
• Implementation science

Awards and Honours

• 2023 Nova Scotia Health Research Fund. ‘Developing and implementing an evidence-based provincial framework for a cancer survivorship program in Nova Scotia’ (PI).
• 2023 Research Nova Scotia New Health Investigator Award. ‘A provincial framework to organize and deliver survivorship care for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors’ (PI).
• 2023 CIHR Catalyst Grant: Policy Research for Health System Transformation - ICR - Cancer Control. ‘An evidence-based provincial framework for a psychosocial oncology program in Nova Scotia’ (PI).
• 2022 Nova Scotia Health Research Fund. ‘Defining successful transition of care for AYA cancer survivors’ (PI).
• 2022 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Canada. ‘Defining successful transition of care for AYA hematologic cancer survivors’ (PI).
• 2021 CIHR Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Recent publications

• Kaal, KJ, Boone, J, Hollenhorst, A, Hill, L, Arab, M, Flinn, J, Tarasuk, J, Howes, J, Embrett, M, Lawrence, L Smith, B, Jacquard, K, Campbell, A. (April 2025) Patient, community and health system engagement to inform the development of a framework for a provincial psychosocial oncology program. Oral presentation at the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Conference, Toronto, ON, Canada.
• Kaal, KJ, Tarasuk, J, Urquhart, R, Smith, C, Hill, L, Petrella, J, Rigby, K, Robichaud, P, Arenburg, M, Flinn, J, Hollenhorst, H. (June 2024). Patient and community engagement to inform more equitable access to cancer care in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. Oral presentation at Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Annual Conference, Lille, France.
• Kaal, J, Arab, M, Robichaud, P, Tarasuk, J, Arenburg, M, Howes, J, Stanwood, M, Jamieson, K, Morrison, MA, Hollenhorst, H. (June 2023). Expansion of community-based psychosocial oncology: a pilot project in rural Nova Scotia. Oral presentation at the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Conference, Montreal, QC, Canada.