Browsing by Author "Balaji, Adhitya"

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    11039 Indiana CTSI High-School STEM Summer Research Program: Future opportunities from a 2020 virtual program
    (Cambridge University Press, 2021) Sanders, Elmer; Cruz, Leigh-Ann; Speidell, Emily; Schnabel, Rose; Balaji, Adhitya; Hogarth, Elise; Miller, Jade; Vaides, Sofia; Allen, Matthew R.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    ABSTRACT IMPACT: The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute K-12 STEM Outreach Program’s pivoted to a virtual program in summer 2020 which yielded novel approaches that could be retained in future years to extend the reach/impact of our pipeline program. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Provide students with a meaningful and safe research experience during the COVID Pandemic. Develop new modules and approaches that could be delivered virtually. Engage students from communities that were not possible in previous years when in person meetings were required. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The program has historically supported over 100 high school students per year in a summer research internship for the last 5 years. Students are placed with academic research mentors in various Schools and Departments across the IUPUI campus, and also with industry laboratories. COVID-related restrictions required development of 100% virtual program. Key aspects of the virtual program included: cohort-based research mentor assignments with 1-4 mentees matched per research mentor, research projects that could be conducted virtually, heavy engagement of high-school teachers to facilitate the research experience with cohorts of mentees, a more rigorous virtual seminar series that included new modules such as COVID-specific programming and thus enhancing public education about COVID. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The program served 130 students in summer 2020. We were able to recruit new faculty and industry mentors involved in data science research. As a result, we have now increased our mentor pool to serve more students in the future. Because student participation was virtual, we were able to accept students from further distances (up to 120 miles away) across the state. We were also able to accept local economically disadvantaged students that may have not been able to participate because of lack of reliable transportation. A positive unanticipated outcome was that mentees relationships with the mentors was established virtually thus increasing the potential for students to remain engaged in their research. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Adapting to a virtual platform provided research experience to high school students during a time when traditional approaches were not possible. Given some research experiences do not require in-person activities, this newly established model could be used moving forward to allow more statewide engagement in research experiences.
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    A Reference Database for the DNA-Based Identification of North American Calliphorinae
    (North American Forensic Entomological Association (NAFEA), 2023) Picard, Christine J.; Balaji, Adhitya; Benson, Diamond
    DNA-based species identifications are a robust tool for the forensic entomologist to identify immature or damaged specimens to species or genus taxonomic levels for further forensic analyses. However, much of that identification is dependent on the use of a reliable database that encompasses all species possible for a given geographic area. Here, we queried databases for DNA records of COI sequence data of 18 species of Calliphorinae present in North America to determine the applicability and reliability of DNA-based identifications, and to provide a resource for the community. Our results indicate that approximately 650bp of the standard DNA barcode is sufficient to classify most Calliphorinae species, however, some species the ~650bp COI barcode is insufficient to resolve to species for the North American Calliphorinae subfamily. We tested this reference dataset by selecting records that were deemed reliable (using the same criteria as establishing the reference dataset) to test the accuracy of the identifications based on DNA COI sequences and found that all test specimens were accurately identified except for the two paraphyletic species present in the dataset. We furthermore state what species can and cannot be reliably classified and provide guidance on using this database in future applications.
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    Assessing the Risk of Interfacility Transport in Pregnant Patients Due to Progression of Labor: Lessons From a Specialized Maternal-Fetal Transport Program
    (Springer Nature, 2024-09-30) Lardaro, Thomas; Balaji, Adhitya; Yang, David; Kuhn, Diane; Glober, Nancy; Brent, Christine M.; Couturier, Katherine; Breyre, Amelia; Vaizer, Julia; Hunter, Benton R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Pregnant laboring patients sometimes require interfacility transfer to a higher level of care. There is a paucity of evidence to inform when it is safe to transfer a laboring patient and when delivery may be too imminent to transfer. Methods: This is a retrospective study of pregnant patients undergoing interfacility transfer with a specialized obstetric transport team deployed from a large Midwest regional healthcare system. The primary outcome was delivery prior to or within one hour of arrival at the receiving institution due to progression of labor. Data collected included basic demographics, vital signs, gravidity, parity, gestational age, contraction frequency if contractions were present, and cervical dilation. We sought to define the association between these variables and the primary outcome to inform risk assessment for precipitous delivery among patients being considered for interfacility transfer. Results: Of the 370 pregnant patients for whom the specialized transfer team was requested, 11 (3%) met the primary outcome. Those with more advanced cervical dilation and those who did not receive regular prenatal care were more likely to meet the criteria for the primary outcome. For every centimeter of cervical dilation, the odds of meeting the primary outcome increased 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.5-3.4). Conclusions: We identified risk factors for early delivery among pregnant patients for whom an interfacility transfer was requested and described patients who were high-risk for obstetric interfacility transport due to the progression of labor. Our results can help inform risk assessments for transferring potentially high-risk laboring patients.
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    Building a virtual summer research experience in cancer for high school and early undergraduate students: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
    (BMC, 2021-08-09) Corson, Timothy W.; Hawkins, Shannon M.; Sanders, Elmer; Byram, Jessica; Cruz, Leigh-Ann; Olson, Jacob; Speidell, Emily; Schnabel, Rose; Balaji, Adhitya; Ogbeide, Osas; Dinh, Julie; Hinshaw, Amy; Cummings, Laura; Bonds, Vicki; Nakshatri, Harikrishna; Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
    Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic posed a unique challenge for summer research programs in 2020, particularly for programs aimed at hands-on experience for younger trainees. The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center supports two pipeline programs, which traditionally immerse high school juniors, seniors, and early undergraduate students from underrepresented populations in science in hands-on projects in cancer biology labs. However, due to social distancing policies during the pandemic and reduction of research operations, these students were not physically allowed on campus. Thus, the authors set out to strategically pivot to a wholly virtual curriculum and evaluate the Virtual Summer Research Experience in Cancer outcomes. Methods The virtual program included four components: 1. a core science and professional development curriculum led by high school teachers and senior undergraduates; 2. faculty-delivered didactic sessions on cancer science; 3. mentored, virtual research projects with research faculty; and 4. online networking events to encourage vertical mentoring. Outcomes data were measured using a locally created 11-item Research Preparation Scale, daily electronic feedback, and weekly structured evaluation and feedback via Zoom. Results Outcome data suggested high self-reported satisfaction with the virtual program. Outcome data also revealed the importance of coordination between multiple entities for seamless program implementation. This includes the active recruitment and participation of high school teachers and further investment in information technology capabilities of institutions. Conclusions Findings reveal a path to educate and train high school and early undergraduate students in cancer research when hands-on, in-person training is not feasible. Virtual research experiences are not only useful to engage students during public health crises but can provide an avenue for cancer centers to expand their cancer education footprints to remotely located schools and universities with limited resources to provide such experiences to their students.
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    Lessons Learned and Opportunities for CBEMS Growth Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
    (The Journal of Collegiate Emergency Medical Services, 2022-11-30) Balaji, Adhitya; Robishaw-Denton, Jacob