Schmitz elected to National Academy of Kinesiology; serves as editor of new book on exercise oncology
Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, professor of public health sciences and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Penn State College of Medicine, was recently elected to the National Academy of Kinesiology.
The academy honors those who have contributed to the art and science of human movement and physical activity. Since 2001, Dr. Schmitz has received $25 million in funding for research and has led several clinical trials on exercise and cancer prevention. She has translated her work into clinical practice.
Dr. Schmitz is the principal investigator for The ONE Group (Oncology, Nutrition and Exercise) at Penn State Cancer Institute/Penn State College of Medicine. Her expertise in exercise oncology has resulted in more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers.
In addition, Dr. Schmitz is the founder of Moving Through Cancer and served as the president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2018. While president, she was the lead author of the first ACSM Roundtable on Exercise for Cancer Survivors, which published guidelines for cancer survivors.
Through her work, she chaired an international multidisciplinary roundtable on exercise and cancer prevention and control, which inspired her to take on a new project – serving as editor of a new book titled “Exercise Oncology: Prescribing Physical Activity Before and After a Cancer Diagnosis.”
As editor, Dr. Schmitz coordinated the book and wrote its first and last chapter.
She viewed the book as an opportunity to gather all of the innovative science presented at the roundtable into one place and present it in a practical way to highlight the importance of physical activity in the context of cancer prevention and treatment.
“The two-day meeting was packed with brilliant scientific presentations,” Dr. Schmitz said. “Thankfully, the majority of the scientists who presented at the roundtable agreed to contribute a chapter, so the table of contents is a veritable who’s who in the field of exercise oncology. As a team, we are proud to have this first-ever edition completed.”
The book examines the dynamic field of exercise oncology over the years. The 21 chapters are divided into themed sections and cover an array of cancer-related topics, such as primary prevention, diagnosis, treatment options, recovery, physical activity and survivorship.
The book highlights behavioral, logistical and policymaking considerations, while presenting a multidisciplinary approach to exercise oncology.
Dr. Schmitz considers the book to be a go-to resource for sports medicine clinicians, physicians, oncologists, physical therapists, rehabilitation specialists and cancer patients. Exercise Oncology, which was published by Springer, is available for purchase online.
If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email the Penn State College of Medicine web department.