Dr. Damjana Čabarkapa is an Assistant Professor at Singidunum University, a Research Associate at the University of Belgrade, and the owner and co-founder of D2 Lab. She earned her Doctorate in Exercise Physiology at the University of Kansas, becoming the youngest doctoral student in the program’s history. She completed her undergraduate studies in Health Education at the University of Cincinnati, where she played volleyball and was a three-time NCAA Division-I tournament participant, before obtaining her Master’s degree at the University of Novi Sad in Physical Education and Sport. Damjana is the author of more than 50 scientific papers published in reputable international journals and has received numerous prestigious awards, including recognition from the NSCA and the Best Doctoral Student Award at the University of Kansas. Her work is dedicated to bridging science and practice, leveraging advanced technologies and data analysis to deliver objective evaluation, safe progress, and sustainable improvement of performance, health, and overall quality of life. A particular emphasis of her research is focused on studying female athletes, an underrepresented population in sports science, with an ultimate goal of advancing knowledge and practice to better support their performance needs and overall well-being.
Dr. Dimitrije Čabarkapa is an Associate Director of Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory at the University of Kansas, part of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and a co-founder of D2 Lab. He earned his Doctorate in Exercise Physiology from the University of Kansas, where he defended his dissertation with honors. Dimitrije also holds a Master of Science in Nutrition and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from James Madison University, where he distinguished himself by receiving seven prominent academic awards. Strongly influenced by his personal experience as an athlete, he started his research career at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. As an accomplished researcher, Dimitrije has published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles in reputable scientific journals. His scholarly contributions were recognized in 2024 when he received the prestigious NSCA Outstanding Young Investigator Award, honoring his notable impact on the field of sport science and strength and conditioning. He has served as a peer reviewer for more than 30 esteemed international scientific journals and has been a strong advocate for advancing the dissemination of sports science knowledge. He has presented his research to multiple NBA teams and at numerous domestic and international conferences, including ECSS, NSCA, and ACSM. His expertise has also been sought as a consultant for various government-related projects, and he has advised several national-level sports organizations on high-performance team development, helping design organizational systems that enhance athlete performance, resilience, and long-term success.