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Zachary C. Pope, PhD, ACSM-EP

Zachary C. Pope, PhD, ACSM-EP

Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health

zachary-pope@ouhsc.edu

Zachary C. Pope, Ph.D., ACSM-EP, is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and the TSET Health Promotion Research Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. Pope has been an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM ID#: 698528) since 2012 and specializes in the interventional and epidemiological study of how environmental exposures and/or health behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, diet) impact various cardiometabolic and/or psychosocial outcomes through different mechanistic pathways in diverse populations. The main thrust of his research involves using wearables and smartphone applications to implement personalized health behavior change interventions informed by established behavior change theories. The aim is to improve cardiometabolic and psychosocial outcomes using these methods among those living with and beyond cancer, those with multiple chronic conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome), those with physical or intellectual disabilities, and those battling addiction (e.g., smoking). Pope serves as Co-Director of the Active Living & Vitality (ALVY) Lab with Dr. Michael C. Robertson.

Education:

Degree-Granting Institutions
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, Fitness Evaluation and Programming, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho (May 2012)

Master of Kinesiology in Exercise Science and Sport Studies, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho (May 2014)

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology, with Freestanding Minor in Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 2018)

Postgraduate Training
NIH-NHLBI T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2018-2020)

Funding:

Reflects select grant funding over the last five years. Please see CV for more specific information regarding grant roles/responsibilities and other funding.

Cerebrovascular, Cognitive, Pro-Inflammatory, and Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Cancer Survivors with and without Type II Diabetes Reporting Chemo-Brain: Baseline Differences and Impact of Activity (Harold Hamm Diabetes Center-Stephenson Cancer Center Team Science Grant - HR23-061-2; MPIs: Pope, Z.C., Yabluchanskiy, A., & Kellawan, J.M.). Funding Amount: $300,000 (07/01/2024 – 06/30/2027; contingent on competitive renewal in Years 2 and 3). Role: Contact Multiple Principal Investigator.

Moving Moments: Developing and Evaluating an mHealth Intervention to Promote Active Living in Advanced Cancer (Health Promotion Research Center FY25 Pilot Seed Grant; PI: Robertson, M.C.). Funding Amount: $100,000 (07/01/2024 – 06/30/2026). Role: Co-Investigator.

A Digitally Mediated Occupational Therapy Program to Increase Physical Activity in Urban and Rural Breast Cancer Survivors Who Have Undergone Breast-conserving Surgery or Mastectomy (American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant - IRG-23-1143225-04; MPIs: Klinedinst, T.C., Robertson, M.C., & Pope, Z.C.). Funding Amount: $60,000 (03/01/2024-11/30/2025). Role: Multiple Principal Investigator.

Self-Acceptance and Supportive Accountability for Active Living Among Older Adults Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. (Presbyterian Health Foundation Seed Grant; PI: Robertson, M.C.). Funding Amount: $74,905 (01/01/2025 – 12/31/2025). Role: Other Significant Contributor.

Using a Transdiagnostic Sleep Health Intervention Approach to Improve Sleep Quality and Subsequent Daytime Fatigue, Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Cognitive Function in Cancer Survivors (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences College of Allied Health Faculty Seed Grant; PI: Ludwig, R.M.). Funding Amount: $5,000 (08/01/2024 – 07/31/2025). Role: Co-Investigator and Mentor.

Effects of Walking in Greenspace and the Built Environment in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial (National Institutes of Health - 1R01HL170504; MPIs: Pereira, M.A. & Horton, T.H.). Funding Amount: $3,198,947 (07/01/2023-06/30/2028). Role: Co-Investigator.

Association of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Incident Cardiovascular Disease Event Risk and All-Cause Mortality: Role of Heart Rate Variability and Influence of Diabetes Status (National Institutes of Health - 5R21HL150428; PI: Pereira, M.A.). Funding Amount: $116,250 (09/01/20-06/30/24). Role: Listed as NHLBI T32 Postdoctoral Fellow; Now functioning operationally as Co-Investigator post-Fellowship.

The Influence of Physical Activity on the Gut Microbiome among Pre-diabetic Adults (5R21DK125933; MPIs: Demmer, R.T. & Pereira, M.A.). Funding Amount: $232,500 (08/12/20-06/30/23). Role: Listed as NHLBI T32 Postdoctoral Fellow; Now functioning operationally as Co-Investigator post-Fellowship.

Influence of Exercise on the Gut Microbiome of Overweight and Obese Adults with Prediabetes: A Pilot and Feasibility Trial (University of Minnesota Obesity Prevention Center - now renamed, ‘University of Minnesota Healthy Weight Research Center’; PI: Pope, Z.C.). Funding Amount: $29,590 (09/30/19-08/31/20). Role: Principal Investigator.

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Select Publications:

*Mentored first author

    • *De La Torre, I., Hébert, E.T., Kezbers, K.M., Walters, D., Pope, Z.C., Mao, B., Benson, L., Shi, D., Stanley, N., & Businelle, M.S. (2025). Associations between cannabis use and same-day health and substance use behaviors. Addictive Behaviors. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108239. PMID: 39756126. PMCID: PMC11805613.
    • Lutsey, P.L., Misialek, J.R., Young, M.T., Berman, J., Leiser, C.L., Pope, Z.C., Cushman, M., Folsom, A.R., & Kaufman, J.D. (2024). Air pollution is associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Blood. DOI: 10.1182/blood.2024026399. PMID: 39652776.
    • Mathew, M., Pope, Z.C., Schreiner, P., Jacobs, Jr., D., VanWagner, L., Terry, G., & Pereira, M. (2024). Non-alcoholic fatty liver modifies associations of BMI and waist circumference with cardiometabolic risk: The CARDIA study. Obesity Science and Practice. DOI: 10.1002/osp4.751. PMID: 38655127. PMCID: PMC11036547.
    • McDonough, D., Pereira, M., Schreiner, P., Jacobs, D., VanWagner, L., Terry, G., Carr, J., Pope, Z.C., Gabriel, K.P., & Reis, J. (2023). Aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity, sedentary behavior, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: the CARDIA study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. DOI: 10.3390/jcm12175603. PMID: 37685671. PMCID: PMC10488389.
    • *Coleman, C.J., McDonough, D.J., Pope, Z.C., & Pope III, C.A. (2022). Dose-response association of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity with mortality: A national cohort study of 426,651 U.S. adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105519. PMID: 35953241. PMCID: PMC10064988.
    • *Brito, J.N., Pope, Z.C., Mitchell, N.R., Schneider, I.E., Larson, J.M., Horton, T.H. & Pereira, M.A. (2020). Green walking improves heart rate variability: A pilot crossover study. Environmental Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109408. PMID: 33072714. PMCID: PMC7538636.
    • Pope, Z.C. & Gao, Z. (2020). Feasibility of smartphone application and social media intervention on college student health: A pilot randomized trial. Journal of American College Health. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1726925. PMID: 32150514.
    • Pope, Z.C., Gabriel, K.P., Whitaker, K.M., Chen, L.Y., Schreiner, P.J., Jacobs Jr., D.J., Sternfeld, B., Carr, J.J., Lloyd-Jones, D.M., & Pereira, M.A. (2020). Association between accelerometer-estimated physical activity intensity and heart rate variability: Mediation by cardiovascular disease risk factors (CARDIA). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002259. PMID: 32427750. PMCID: PMC7275933.
    • *Brito, J.N., Pope, Z.C., Mitchell, N.R., Schneider, I.E., Larson, J.M., Horton, T.H. & Pereira, M.A. (2019). Changes in psychological and cognitive outcomes after green versus suburban walking: A pilot crossover study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16162894. PMID: 31412602. PMCID: PMC6719990.
    • Pope, Z.C., Gao, Z., Zeng, N., Li, X., & Liu, W. (2019). Accuracy of smartwatches in assessing energy expenditure during rest and exercise. Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour. DOI: 10.1123/jmpb.2018-0037.
    • Pope, Z.C., Barr-Anderson, D.J., Lewis, B.A., Pereira, M.A., & Gao, Z. (2019). Use of wearable technology and social media to improve physical activity and dietary behaviors among college students: A 12-week randomized pilot study. International Journal of Enviromental Research and Public Health.16. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16193579. PMID: 31557812. PMCID: PMC6801802.
    • Pope, Z., Lee, J.E., Zeng, N., & Gao, Z. (2018). Feasibility of smartphone application and social media intervention on breast cancer survivors’ health outcomes. Translational Behavioral Medicine. DOI: 10.1093/tbm/iby002. PMID: 29471477.
    • Pope, Z., Zeng, N., Zhang, R., Lee, H.Y., & Gao, Z. (2018). Effectiveness of combined smartwatch and social media intervention on breast cancer survivor health outcomes: A 10-week pilot randomized trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7, 140. DOI: 10.3390/jcm7060140. PMID: 29880779. PMCID: PMC6025572.

Please see CV for a fuller list of publications.