Emily LaVoy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Office Number: 135 MEL
Phone: 713.743.0829
Fax: 713.743.9860

Email: eclavoy@central.uh.edu

Mailing Address:
3875 Holman St., Rm 104 Garrison
Houston, TX 77204-6015

Website: https://grants.hhp.uh.edu/lip

Download Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

My research focuses on understanding how physical fitness and exercise impact the immune system. My long-term goal is to understand how physical fitness and exercise can improve diseases and conditions associated with immune dysregulation, such as cancer. I am also interested in how physical fitness and exercise can mitigate the impact of stress on the immune system. My lab answers these research questions using both human and animal models. I am committed to mentoring future scientists and run an active research laboratory employing undergraduate and graduate students. I am a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Physiological Society, the International Society of Exercise and Immunology, and the PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society.

Recent Publications and Research Activity

Kang, D.; Courneya, K.S.; Swartz, M.C.; Vareki, S.M.; Gordon, N.B.; Rosa Neto, J.C.; Schadler, K.L.; Simpson, R.J.; Baker, K.S.; LaVoy, E.C. (2026) Chronic exercise training intensity, immune cells, and cancer outcomes: A scoping review. JNCI Cancer Spectrum DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkag021

Clement, A., Yazdekhasti, S., LaVoy, E., Gorniak, S.L. (2025). Evaluating the effects of sports bra design, body composition, metabolic markers, and sex-hormones on kinetic measures of postural control in full-busted women during physical activity. Journal of Applied Biomechanics doi: 10.1123/jab.2024-0063 PMID: 40101740

Lacourt, T.E., Tripathy, D., Swartz, M.C., LaVoy, E.C., Heijnen, C.J. (2024) Distress and inflammation are independently associated with cancer-related symptom severity. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology doi.org/10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100269 PMID: 39469338

LaVoy, E.C. (2024) Can exercise improve treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia? Brain Behavior and Immunity 120 (2024) 119-120 doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.036 PMID: 38815660

So, C.J, LaVoy, E., Harmouch, S, Alfano, C.A. (2023) Objective and subjective sleep patterns and biomarkers of stress among women with a history of sexual abuse in childhood. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi: 10.1037/tra0001600 PMID: 37870777

Hodgman, C.F. Hunt, R.M., Crane, J.C. Elzayat, M.T., LaVoy, E.C. (2023) A Scoping Review on the Effects of Physical Exercise and Fitness on Peripheral Leukocyte Energy Metabolism. Exerc Immunol Rev. 29:54-87 PMID: 37358364

Hodgman, C.F. Hunt, R.M., Crane, J.C. Elzayat, M.T., LaVoy, E.C. (2023) A Scoping Review on the Effects of Physical Exercise and Fitness on Peripheral Leukocyte Energy Metabolism. Exerc Immunol Rev. 29:54-87 PMID: 37358364

Hunt, R., Elzayat, M., Laughlin, M., Markofski, M.M., LaVoy, EC. (2023) Characterization of Transitional Memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Mobilization During and After an Acute Bout of Exercise. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5:1120454 doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1120454 PMID: 37139298

Crane, J., Gordon, M., Basen-Engquist, K., Ferrajoli, A., Markofski, M.M., Young, C., Fares, S., Simpson, R., LaVoy, E.C. (2023) Relationships between T-lymphocytes and physical function in adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: results from the HEALTH4CLL pilot study. European Journal of Haematology 110(6):732-742. doi: 10.1111/ejh.13958 PMID: 36946440

Savage, H., Pareek, S., Lee, J., Ballaro, R., Minussi, D.C., Hayek, K., Sadullozoda, M., Lochmann, B., McQuade, J., LaVoy, E., Marmonti, E., Patel, H., Wang, G., Imanishi, M., Kotla, S., Abe, J., Schadler, K. (2023) Aerobic exercise alters the melanoma microenvironment and modulates ERK5 S496 phosphorylation. Cancer Immunology Research 11(9):1168-1183. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-22-0465 PMID: 37307577

Batatinha, H., Diak, D., Niemiro, G., Baker, F., Smith, K., Zúñiga, T., Mylabathula, P., Seckeler, M., Lau, B., LaVoy, E.C., Gustafson, M., Katsanis, E., Simpson, R.J. (2023) Human lymphocytes mobilized with exercise have an anti-tumor transcriptomic profile and exert enhanced graft-versus-leukemia effects in xenogeneic mice. Front Immunol Apr 3:14:1067369. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1067369 PMID: 37077913

Gupta P, Hodgman CF, Alvarez-Florez C, Schadler KL, Markofski MM, O'Connor D.P., LaVoy, E.C. (2022) Comparison of three exercise interventions with and without gemcitabine treatment on pancreatic tumor growth in mice: No impact on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Front Physiol. Nov 21:13:1039988. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1039988 PMID: 36479351

Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography

Professional Societies and Honors

Professional Experience

Education

B.S. in Biology at Northern Michigan University, 2005

M.S. in Biology at Northern Michigan University, 2008

Ph.D. in Kinesiology at University of Houston, 2014