Meet The SEAMLESS Study Team
Dr. Linda Carlson holds the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology, and is a Full Professor in the Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Dr. Carlson is also the Director of Research and works as a Clinical Psychologist at the Department of Psychosocial Resources at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre.
Dr. Carlson’s innovative research in Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery has been published in many high-impact journals and book chapters, and she published a patient manual in 2010 with Dr. Michael Speca entitled: Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: A step-by-step MBSR approach to help you cope with treatment and reclaim your life, in addition to a professional training manual in 2009 with Shauna Shapiro entitled The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness into psychology and the helping professions. She has published over 180 research papers and book chapters in the area of psycho-oncology, holds several millions of dollars in grant funding and is regularly invited to present her work at international conferences.
Read more about her research and publications: https://lindacarlson.ca/research
Chantal Savard is a research assistant in Dr. Carlson's lab. After graduating from Mount Royal University with a degree in Psychology (Honours), Chantal has joined to work in the Carlson Lab on various projects such as the SEAMLESS Study and the Psilocybin Assisted Therapy Trial for People with Advanced Cancer. She has worked on numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and is looking to pursue a Master's in Clinical Psychology or an MD.
Elisabeth Irving is a research assistant in Dr. Carlson’s Lab. She completed her BSc at the University of Victoria and went on to work in Dementia and Rheumatology research at the University of Calgary. Elisabeth then earned her Master’s in Research Psychology at Uppsala University in Sweden, where her thesis examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and mental health disorders among university students, and the protective role of resilience.
After returning to Canada, Elisabeth joined the Carlson Lab, where she contributes to a variety of projects, including the SEAMLESS Study. She is passionate about advancing research in psychosocial oncology and improving the quality of life for people living with cancer and their caregivers. Long term, Elisabeth plans to pursue a PhD in this field of research.
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Hanna Conradi is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Calgary. Her dissertation will examine emotion regulation as a mechanism of mindfulness within the SEAMLESS Study, building on her longstanding research interest in emotion regulation. She completed her MSc in Clinical Psychology in the summer of 2024 which focused on baseline data from the trial.
Originally from Dalian, China, where her parents worked as teachers, Hanna was first introduced to contemplative practices such as meditation during her childhood. She later pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Philosophy at Thompson Rivers University, where her academic and research focus began to center on emotion regulation.
Clinically, Hanna has completed practica in adult assessment and psychotherapy, and is currently working as a therapist at the Occupational Stress Injury Clinic, where she primarily provides trauma-focused treatment to military members and RCMP personnel.
Having experienced the personal loss of a close family member to cancer, Hanna is deeply aware of the psychological impact of serious illness on individuals and families. She is committed to integrating her clinical training, contemplative background, and research experience to better support those in psychological distress, particularly in the context of psychosocial oncology.
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Dr. Bechara Saab is the Co-founder, Chief Scientist & CEO of Mobio Interactive Inc., the developers of the Am Mindfulness mobile-app. Dr. Saab is committed to building digital tools that empower better living and faster healing by blending science and design. Dr. Saab is currently partnering with medical and academic institutions around the world, to rigorously interrogate the efficacy of Mobio’s products through multi-centre random controlled trials.
Throughout his career, Dr. Saab has been dedicated to science outreach and mentorship. He has firmly believed that face-to-face interactions between researchers and students stands to benefit society on many levels. He was instrumental in establishing the Mount Sinai Hospital Outreach Program in Toronto, was Editor-in-Chief of Hypothesis, received the inaugural CIHR Award for Mentorship, currently serves as an editor of ScienceMatters. Dr. Saab is an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and delivers keynote speeches at multiple conferences and events throughout the year.
Mr. Thoburn is the Co-founder & Chief Designer Officer of Mobio Interactive Inc., the developers of the Am Mindfulness mobile-app. At Mobio, Mr. Thoburn’s role is to create new value and new forms of competitive advantage through the integration of customer insights, experience design and business strategy. Mr, Thoburn’s role is to create new value and new forms of competitive advantage through the integration of customer insights, experience design and business strategy.
Mr. Thoburn brings a global experience of understanding people, established through written and documentary journalism undertaken in more than twelve countries on three continents. In addition to helping Mobio Interactive succeed commercially, Mr. Thoburn is dedicated to making a difference in the world, particularly with respect to patient care.
