Jasna Twynstra

Dr. Jasna Twynstra

Job Title:

 Associate Professor, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences

Type:

 Full-Time Faculty

Email:

 jasna.twynstra@uwo.ca

Phone:

 519.432.8353 x20107

Office:

 Ursuline Hall 344

Academic Background

  • Ph.D., University of Guelph 
  • B.Sc., University of Guelph 

Representative Publications

  • Wong, S. P. W., Twynstra, J., Gilliland, J. A., Cook, J. L., & Seabrook, J. A. (2020). Risk Factors and Birth Outcomes Associated with Teenage Pregnancy: A Canadian Sample. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol, 33(2), 153-159. 
  • Smith A, Twynstra J, Seabrook JA. Antenatal depression and offspring health outcomes. Accepted Article: Obstetric Medicine. 
  • Jackson D.N., Novielli N.M. and Twynstra J. Neurological Regulation of the Circulation. 2018. In: Vasan R., Sawyer, D.(eds.) The Encyclopedia of Cardiovascular Research and Medicine. Vol.[3], pp. 477-491. Oxford: Elsevier. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
  • Killey, C., Cleary, S., Orr, J., Frisbee, J. C., Jackson, D., & Twynstra, J. (2018). The contribution of muscarinic-receptor-mediated responses to epineurial vascular diameter at the sciatic nerve. Can J Physiol Pharmacol, 96(8), 855-858. 
  • Dakkak, H., Brown, R., Twynstra, J., Charbonneau, K., & Seabrook, J. A. (2018). The perception of pre- and post-natal marijuana exposure on health outcomes: A content analysis of Twitter messages. J Neonatal Perinatal Med, 11(4), 409-415. 
  • Twynstra, J., & Dworatzek, P. (2016). Use of an Experiential Learning Assignment to Prepare Future Health Professionals to Utilize Social Media for Nutrition Communications. Can J Diet Pract Res, 77(1), 30-34. 
  • Twynstra, J., Medeiros, P. J., Lacefield, J. C., Jackson, D. N., & Shoemaker, J. K. (2012). Y1R control of sciatic nerve blood flow in the Wistar Kyoto rat. Microvasc Res, 84(2), 133-139. 
  • Twynstra, J., Ruiz, D. A., & Murrant, C. L. (2012). Functional coordination of the spread of vasodilations through skeletal muscle microvasculature: implications for blood flow control. Acta Physiol (Oxf), 206(4), 229-241. 

Representative Conferences

  • Wong S, Twynstra J, Gilliland J, Cook J, Seabrook J. Risk factors and birth outcomes associated with teenage pregnancy: A Canadian sample.  Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction Issues of Substance 2019: Evidence and Perspectives, Compassion and Action. Ottawa, Ontario, November 2019. 
  • Twynstra J. Corrective and confirming feedback lead to better academic performance. Western Conference for Science Education, 2019, London, Ontario, Canada. 
  • Thomson M, Madill J, Twynstra J. Midwives’ experience with nutrition education for pregnancy. Canadian Association of Midwives Annual Conference, 2018, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  
  • Cleary S, Orr J, Killey C, Jackson D, Frisbee J, Twynstra J. Effects of Phenylephrine and Norepinephrine on the Diameter of the Epineurial Vessels Supplying the Sciatic Nerve. Experimental Biology, 2018, San Diego, CA, USA. The FASEB Journal. 32 (1) supplement. Abstract #705.3. 
  • Killey C, Cleary S, Orr J, Frisbee J, Jackson D, Twynstra J. Muscarinic Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Epineurial Blood Vessels of the Sciatic Nerve. Experimental Biology, 2018, San Diego, CA, USA. The FASEB Journal. 32 (1) supplement. Abstract #705.2. 
  • William E, Klein AT, Jackson D, Twynstra J. (2017) Vasoactivity of the Vasculature Directly Supplying the Rat Sciatic Nerve. Poster Presentation. Experimental Biology, 2017, Chicago, IL, USA. The FASEB Journal. 31 (1) supplement. Abstract #835.4. 

Areas of Teaching 

  • Research Methodology and Statistics (HE4411) 
  • Nutrition and Metabolic Processes (FN4471) 
  • Nutritional Epidemiology and Statistics (FN9711) 

Research Specialization(s)

My research fits under the umbrella of nutrition knowledge and education. It can be split into two main branches: 

  1. Nutrition education and knowledge of health care professionals related to pregnancy. Specifically, I am interested in health care providers’ experience with nutrition within their practice and how it compares to current trends. 
  2. Student educational experiences and ways to improve student learning, academic performance, and/or success. 

Awards and Recognition

  • Deans Honor Roll of Teaching – Brescia University College 
  • Faculty of Health Sciences Recognition of Achievement for outstanding contribution  
    to teaching in the Faculty of Health Sciences - The University of Western Ontario 

Other Relevant Information: 

Member of the following societies: 

  • Allied member of the Canadian Association of Midwives 
  • Dietitians of Canada 
  • Canadian Nutrition Society 
  • Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 
  • Microcirculatory Society