Lab Members

Dr. Lauren Walker is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology, Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine and the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts. She is also a registered clinical psychologist in the province of Alberta who provides counselling to individuals with sexual and/or relationship concerns. Dr. Walker received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Calgary in 2013. As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Walker blends her research with her clinical work and uses each aspect of her work to inform each other. Staying up to date on the latest scientific evidence helps her to be a better health care provider, and working actively with patients on a day-to-day basis helps keep her apprised of important areas that inform her program of research. A significant portion of Dr. Walker's work to date has been related to prostate cancer and sexuality, as well as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer. She was a founding member of the National ADT working group which formed in 2008 and continues to develop and deliver services for patients undergoing ADT. More information about the ADT Education Program can be found at www.LIFEonADT.com  Dr. Walker continues to works collaboratively with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre to develop and offer sexual rehabilitation resources for prostate cancer patients. She was also a founding team member (2013-2018) of the Oncology and Sexuality, Intimacy and Survivorship Program, now operated by Cancer Control Alberta. Dr. Walker is dedicated to the teaching of research students and also to continuing education for health care providers. Her work has been supported by Prostate Cancer Canada, Movember, the Canadian Cancer Society, The Alberta Cancer Foundation, the Calgary Foundation, the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute and the Daniel Family Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. 

Recent publications: 

2023

• Walker, L. M., & Santos-Iglesias, P. (2023). Sexual satisfaction in prostate cancer: a multi-group comparison study of treated patients, patients under active surveillance, patients with negative biopsy, and controls. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-023-01420-2

• Sears, C., Millman, R., Brotto, L. A., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Feasibility and Acceptability of a Group-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder Following Breast Cancer Treatment. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 49(5), 533–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2154296

• Sears, C., Santos-Iglesias, P., Millman, R., Jacox, N., Wiebe, E., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Implementation of individually tailored treatment plans in a group-based intervention for women with mixed vulvo-vaginal and sexual health concerns following cancer treatment: A feasibility study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 63, 102236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2022.102236

• Henkelman, M., Toivonen, K., Tay, J., Beattie, S., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Characterizing sexuality and assessing predictors of sexual satisfaction in patients with multiple myeloma and other hematological cancers. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, Manuscript accepted for publication.

• Henkelman, M., Toivonen, K., Tay, J., Beattie, S., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Patient reported disease-specific concerns relating to sexuality in multiple myeloma. Manuscript submitted for publication.

2022

• Fu, F., Duthie, C. J., Wibowo, E., Wassersug, R. J., & Walker, L. M. (2022). Openness to Using an External Penile Prosthesis for Maintaining Sexual Intimacy by Individuals with Erectile Dysfunction: A Cross-Sectional Study. Sexual medicine, 10(5), 100559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esxm.2022.100559
• Walker, L. M. (2022). Sexual recovery interventions following prostate cancer treatment. Nature Reviews Urology. 19, 329-330. IF:14.43
• Bilash, T. & Walker, L. M. (2022). Spare Parts: navigating ovarian cancer as a transgender man, Journal of Clinical Oncology. Mar 20;40(9):1027-1029 doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01249. IF: 44.54
• Matthew, A. G., Trachtenberg, L. J., Yang, Z. G., Robinson, J., Petrella, A., McLeod, D., Walker, L., Wassersug, R., Elliott, S., Ellis, J., Jamnicky, L., Fleshner, N., Finelli, A., Singal, R., Brock, G., Jarvi, K., Bender, J., & Elterman, D. (2022). An online Sexual Health and Rehabilitation eClinic (TrueNTH SHAReClinic) for prostate cancer patients: A feasibility study. Supportive Care in Cancer: Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 30(2), 1253-1260. doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-06510-4. IF: 2.698

2021

• Shah, F. I., Ramage, K., Scime, N. V., Brennand, E. A., & Walker, L. M. (2021). Pelvic organ prolapse takes up space in the bedroom: A mixed method exploration of the circular sexual response cycle in women with pelvic organ prolapse. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery. Advance online publication. IF: 2.091
• Walker, L.M., Sears, C. S., Santos-Iglesias, P. (2021). Hard times: Prostate cancer patients’ experiences with erectile Aids. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18(10), 1775-1787. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.07.012. IF: 3.151
• Mainwaring, J. M., Walker, L. M., Robinson, J. W., Wassersug, R. J., & Wibowo, E. (2021). The psychosocial consequences of prostate cancer treatments on body image, sexuality, and relationships. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 765315. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.765315. IF: 2.99
• Phelan, R., Im, A., Hunter, R. L., Inamoto, Y., Lupo-Stanghellini, M. T., Rovo, A., Badawy, S. M., Burns, L., Eissa, H., Murthy, H. S., Prasad, P., Sharma, A., Suelzer, E., Agrawal, V., Aljurf, M., Baker, K., Basak, G. W., Buchbinder, D., DeFilipp, Z., Walker, L. M., … Tichelli, A. (2021). Male-specific late effects in adult hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients: A systematic review from the Late Effects and Quality of Life Working Committee of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research and Transplant Complications Working Party of the European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, S2666-6367(21)01329-4. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtct.2021.10.013. IF: 5.772
• Walker, L.M. (2021). Psychosocial contributors to patients’ and partners’ post-prostate cancer sexual recovery: 10 evidence-based and practical considerations. International Journal of Impotence Research, 33(4), 464-472. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00369-5. IF: 1.517
• Walker, L. M., Sears, C. S., Booker, R., Doll, C., Glaze, S., Phan, T., Brennan, K., & Robinson, J. W. (2021). Perspectives of health care providers referring patients to a newly implemented sexual health program in a Canadian cancer center. Supportive Care in Cancer, 29(12), 7131-7134. doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-06289-4 IF: 2.698
• Walker, L. M., Sears, C. S., Booker, R., Doll, C., Glaze, S., Phan, T., Brennan, K., Millman, R. D., & Robinson, J. W. (2021). Development, implementation, and evaluation of a multidisciplinary oncology sexual health clinic in a Canadian cancer care setting. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 15(5), 755-766. doi: 10.1007/s11764-020-00967-8. IF: 3.303
• Toivenen, K. Santos-Iglesias, P., & Walker, L. M. (2021). Impact of Vulvovaginal symptoms in women diagnosed with cancer: A psychometric evaluation of the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA) Questionnaire. Journal of Women’s Health, 30(8), 1192-1203. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2019.8262. IF: 2.322
• Toivenen, K., Williamson, T.M., Carlson, L.E., Walker, L.M., Campbell, T.S. (2020). Potentially modifiable factors associated with adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy among breast cancer survivors: A systematic review, Cancers, 13(1), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13010107. IF: 6.126

Carly received her Psychology BA (Hons) degree in 2017 from the University of Calgary, and completed an honours thesis project, “Evaluation of a Vaginal and Sexual Health Workshop for Women Diagnosed with Cancer,” under the supervision of Dr. Lauren Walker and Dr. John Robinson.

From 2016-2019, Carly implemented an evaluation of a vaginal and sexual health educational workshop for women, called The LowDown on Down There: A vaginal health information session for women affected by cancer treatment. She has worked as a research assistant with Dr. Walker and Dr. Robinson since 2017, and has helped to coordinate a variety of projects involving sexual health support programs for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Carly is currently involved with the LowDown on Down There project, the BREAST (Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Breast Cancer) study, the Androgen Deprivation Therapy Program Evaluation, and the Experiences with Erectile Aids project for prostate cancer patients.

Carly is now completing a Master’s degree in Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary.

Selection of recent publications:  

• Sears, C., Santos-Iglesias, P., Millman, R., Jacox, N., Wiebe, E., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Implementation of individually tailored treatment plans in a group-based intervention for women with mixed vulvo-vaginal and sexual health concerns following cancer treatment: A feasibility study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 63, 102236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2022.102236

• Sears, C., Millman, R., Brotto, L. A., & Walker, L. M. (2023). Feasibility and Acceptability of a Group-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder Following Breast Cancer Treatment. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 49(5), 533–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2154296

• Millman, R.D., Jacox, N., Sears, C., Robinson, J.W., Turner, J., & Walker, L.M. (2019). Patient Interest in the Lowdown on Down There: Attendance at a Vulvovaginal and Sexual Health Workshop Post-Cancer Treatment. Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer. doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-05162-9. 
• Sears, C. S., Robinson, J. W., & Walker, L. M. (2018). A comprehensive review of sexual health concerns after cancer treatment and the biopsychosocial treatment options available to female patients. European Journal of Cancer Care, 27, e12738. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12738

Mira received her Psychology BA (Hons) degree in 2022 from Toronto Metropolitan University. She completed her thesis project “Intimacy in Isolation: An Exploration of Online Casual Sexual Relationships, Consent and Desire During the COVID-19 Pandemic” under the supervision Dr. Maria Gurevich. Until 2023, Mira worked as the Project Manager on Dr. Lauren Walker and Dr. Richard Wassersug's Life On ADT Educational Program. She is also assisted the Oncology Sexual Health Lab with multiple projects including the EXPAND-TNB study and a new project researching Trauma Informed Gynecological Care. Creating changes in sexual education, specifically increasing visibility in education for LGBTQ+ folks, as well as committing critical feminist views to research is a great interest and passion of Mira's.

Gloria received her BA (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 2022. Supervised by Dr. Lauren Walker, Gloria began her undergraduate thesis, EXPAND-TNB, as a PURE Award recipient. EXPAND-TNB is a qualitative interview-based study intended to characterize the nature of sexual expression and experiences of sexual function in a diverse sample of TNB individuals. The study also investigated how the use of anatomy and sexual aids inform an individual’s sexual practices and relation to their body.  As a two-part study, the project involved two main research frameworks, IAP2 and the ORBIT model. 

Fatima Shah received her BSc (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 2021. Supervised by Dr. Lauren Walker, Fatima’s undergraduate thesis was a mixed methods study with a major qualitative component exploring the impact of pelvic organ prolapse on the psychosocial aspects of female sexuality using the Circular Sexual Response Cycle as a framework. This research was presented at the Canadian Sex Research Forum (CSRF), and published in the Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) journal. 

Currently, Fatima is pursuing her MSc in Community Health Sciences, with a specialization in Health Services Research at the University of Calgary. Her research aims to explore avoidable acute care use by patients with inflammatory arthritis conditions and seeks to identify the root causes of hospitalizations. At the Oncology Sexual Health Lab, Fatima is currently working with Dr. Lauren Walker on research that seeks to identify sexual adaptation styles amongst prostate cancer survivors.

Shah, F. I., Ramage, K., Scime, N. V., Brennand, E. A., & Walker, L. M. (2022). Pelvic Organ Prolapse Takes Up Space in the Bedroom: A Mixed Method Exploration of the Circular Sexual Response Cycle in Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery, 28(5), 315-320.

Megan Henkelman received her BA (Honours) in Psychology with a minor in English from the University of Calgary in 2020. Megan wrote her undergraduate thesis on sexuality in multiple myeloma and other hematological cancer patients with her supervisor Dr. Lauren Walker, and presented her research at the annual Charbonneau Research Symposium. She is a recipient of the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Linda Singleton summer research studentship, and is currently working on expanding her thesis project, as well as assisting with two additional sexuality-related research projects. Her research interests include sexual health, consent-based sexual education, as well as intersectional gender and LGBTQ2+ issues. 

Dr. John Robinson is a clinical psychologist in the province of Alberta and has been a member of the Genito-urinary and Gyneoncology Groups at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta since 1986. Balancing clinical service and research which aims to develop new ways to ease the psychological burden of cancer on patients and their loved ones. He has academic appointments in both the Department of Oncology, Division of Psychosocial Oncology and the Psychology Department at the University of Calgary. While he retired from clinical work in 2019, Dr. Robinson continues with some of his academic interests. The bulk of his research has been in the area of prostate and gynecological cancers. His research interests include treatment decision making, sexuality and intimate relationships, survivorship and quality of life. 

Selection of recent publications:  

• Lambert, S., Ould Brahim, L., Morrison, M., Girgis, A., Yaffe, M., Belzile, E., Clayberg, K., Robinson, J., Thorne, S., Bottorff, J., Duggleby, W., Campbell-Enns, H., Kim, Y., Loiselle, C. (2019). Priorities for caregiver research in cancer care: An international delphi survey of caregivers, clinicians, managers, and researcher. Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer.
• Feldman-Stewart, D., Tong, C., Brundage, M., Bender, J., Robinson, J. (2018). Making their decisions for prostate cancer treatment: Patients’ experiences and preferences related to process. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 12. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.5113
• Feldman-Stewart, D., Tong, C., Brundage, M., Bender, J., Robinson, J. (2018). Prostate cancer patients’ experience and preferences for acquiring information early in their care. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 12, E219-E225. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.4754
• Carlson, L. E., Ruleau, R. C., Speca, M., Robinson, J., Bultz, B. D. (2017) Brief supportive-expressive group therapy for partners of men with early stage prostate cancer: Lessons learned from a negative randomized controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer, 25, 1035-1041. doi: 10.1007/s00520-016-3551-1
• Beck, A., Robinson, J. W. (2014). Sexual resiliency in couples. In K. Skerrett & K. Fergus (Eds.), Couple resilience - Emerging perspectives (pp. 63-82). New York, NY: Springer.

Dr. Pablo Santos-Iglesias was a Research Associate in the Department of Oncology, at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine from 2015-2019. Dr. Santos-Iglesias received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Granada (Spain) in 2012, his MA in 2007, and his BA degree in 2005. During his doctoral training, he took the opportunity to complete several research internships at different universities in Spain, and also in Portugal, El Salvador, and Canada. He was recipient of a prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship granted by Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Santos-Iglesias' research interests focus on factors, such as sexual communication, that contribute to or detract from sexual health and well-being both in the general population and among people living with chronic illnesses. He is also passionate about psychometrics and interested in the development and validation of sexuality-related measures.

You can find Pablo now on Faculty at Cape Breton University. https://www.cbu.ca/faculty-staff/directory/pablo-santos/

Selection of recent publications:

• Santos-Iglesias, P., Bergeron, S., Brotto, L. A., Rosen, N. O., & Walker, L. M. (2020). Preliminary validation of the Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form: Applications to Women, Men, and Prostate Cancer Survivors. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 46(6), 542-563 IF: 1.725
• Santos-Iglesias, P., & Walker, L. M. (2020). On the relationship between erectile function and sexual distress in men with prostate cancer. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(5): 1575-1588. doi: 10.1007/s10508-019-01603-y. IF: 3.458
• Santos-Iglesias, P., Rana, M., & Walker, L.M. (2020). A Systematic Review of Sexual Satisfaction in Prostate Cancer Patients. Sexual Medicine Reviews. 8(3):450-465. doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.09.001 IF: 3.11
• Santos-Iglesias, P., & Byers, E. S. (2018). Development and initial validation of the Verbal and Nonverbal Sexual Communication Questionnaire in Canada and Spain. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. doi: 10.1080/14681994.2018.1442569
• Pascoal, P.M., Byers, E.S., Alvarez, M.J., Santos-Iglesias, P., Nobre, P., Pereira, C.R., & Laan, E. (2018). A dyadic approach to understanding the link between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in heterosexual couples. The Journal of Sex Research. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1373267
• Santos-Iglesias, P., Mohamed, B., & Walker, L. M. (2018). A systematic review of sexual distress measures. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 15, 625-644. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.02.020
• Santos-Iglesias, P., Mohamed, B., Danko, A., & Walker, L. M. (2018). Psychometric properties of the Female Sexual Distress Scale in male samples. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47, 1733-1743. doi: 10.1007/s10508-018-1146-2
• Quinta Gomes, A. L., Janssen, E., Santos-Iglesias, P., Pinto-Gouveia, J., Fonseca, L. M., & Nobre, P. J. (2018). Validation of the Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) in Portugal: Assessing gender differences and predictors of sexual functioning. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47, 1721-1732. doi: 10.1007/s10508-017-1137-8
• Santos-Iglesias, P., Moyano, N., Castro, A., Granados, R., & Sierra, J. C. (2018). Validation of the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale in Spanish samples. Journal of Personality Assessment, 100, 421-430. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2017.1328424

Dr. Pablo Santos-Iglesias was a Research Associate in the Department of Oncology, at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine from 2015-2019. Dr. Santos-Iglesias received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Granada (Spain) in 2012, his MA in 2007, and his BA degree in 2005.