Our Team

Tracy E. Crane, PhD, RDN

Associate Professor, Medical Oncology
Co-Lead, Cancer Control Research Program
Director, Digital Health and Lifestyle Medicine

tecrane@miami.edu
(305) 243-8255

Dr. Crane is an Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at the Miller School of Medicine. As the Director of Lifestyle Medicine and Digital Health at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, she is committed to building an evidence-based foundation for mobile health interventions to reach the greatest number of cancer survivors.

Grey Freylersythe, NBC-HWC

Senior Manager, Research Support
CRANE Lab

g.freylersythe@miami.edu
(305) 243-9832

Grey is the Senior Manager in Research Support for Dr. Crane’s research lab. Grey is a board-certified health and wellness coach with eight years of experience in lifestyle and behavioral research.

Aylin Espinosa

Manager, Administrative Operations
CRANE Lab

abarrios6@miami.edu
(305) 243-5013

Aylin is Dr. Crane's executive assistant with a love for all things creative and cooking. Aylin is an professional entrepreneur with a degree in Health Information Technology from DeVry University's College of Health Sciences & Applied Sciences.

Paola Rossi, MD

Lifestyle Medicine Clinical Program Director

pxr495@miami.edu

Paola is the Lifestyle Medicine Clinical Program Director for Dr. Crane’s research lab, as well as an exercise physiologist and family and palliative care physician. She is spearheading the development of programs to meet the needs of cancer patients at Sylvester Cancer Center and the broader community.

Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, PhD, RDN

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Cancer Control Training in Disparities and Equity Program (C-TIDE)

mlopez-pentecost@miami.edu

Melissa is a Registered Dietitian and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Translational Sciences at the University of Arizona.

Loren Yavelberg, PhD, CEP

Post-Doctoral Associate

l.yavelberg@med.miami.edu

Dr. Loren Yavelberg is a graduate of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. He completed his PhD on the effects of intermittent fasting and exercise.

Dr. Loren Yavelberg's master's research work revolved around wearable technology during varying intensities and modalities of physical activity, and artificial pancreas investigations for individuals with Type 1 Diabetes.

Dr. Yavelberg has had the opportunity to work with a range of persons across the health continuum, including elite and professional athletes, as well as individuals with chronic disease. In addition to his role in searching for ground-breaking weight loss techniques, Dr. Yavelberg has been extensively involved in a number of research projects such as the development of a National Fitness Standard for Canadian Wildland Firefighters and Police Officers, as well as, The Pre-diabetes Physical Activity Intervention Project.

Harleen Kaur, PhD

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Cancer Control Training in Disparities and Equity Program (C-TIDE)

hxk629@med.miami.edu

Your brief, informal third-person bio – Harleen is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her dissertation training encompassed the implementation of both digital and community-based diet and physical activity interventions tailored for cancer survivors. The focus of her dissertation was to elucidate the operative mediators of web-based interventions for cancer survivors, to advance the understanding and efficacy of lifestyle interventions to enhance dietary and physical activity behaviors. As a researcher, her ultimate aspiration is to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors through the provision of personalized diet and physical activity interventions across the cancer continuum.

Mary Martos, MD, MPH

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

mpm153@med.miami.edu

Mary is a general surgery resident and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. A NIH T32 Training Grant recipient, she is focusing her research on the intersection of cancer outcomes and social determinants of health.

Ross Johnston, BSc

Senior Software Developer

rxj574@miami.edu

I'm Ross Johnston, a full-stack software developer with a BSc in Computer Science and a minor in Software Engineering from Western University, Ontario Canada. My career has taken me through diverse industries, including financial services, food and beverage (Restaurant Brands International - Burger King & Tim Hortons), and gaming (Ubisoft). I have built and optimized high-traffic web and mobile applications used by millions, ensuring top-notch performance, stability, and user experience. Outside of coding, I'm passionate about playing guitar and running, drawing on my background as a varsity sprint hurdler.

Our Partners

We have the privilege of collaborating with a diverse team of healthcare professionals from Sylvester Cancer Center. Our collaborative efforts extend to physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and many other experts in their respective fields. Their expertise and passion enable us to provide comprehensive and holistic care to cancer survivors, and we are honored to have them as part of our team.