The LIFT Lab now has three new members – Graduate Students Nick Leahy and Yogesh Kumaran, and Lab Staff Najhee Purdy. They are each performing key roles in the Lab, and contribute greatly to the LIFT Lab’s efforts to strengthen Quality Improvement in Health Systems. Here are their introductions and goals, in their own words:
Nick
I grew up in Westfield, Indiana with a family of Buckeyes and an ingrained fondness for the Scarlet and Grey. I graduated from Ohio State in 2022 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, and I earned Honors Research Distinction through my work in heart failure and ophthalmic surgery research. At Ohio State, I also competed as a Cross-Country and Track athlete, persisting despite numerous injuries. Running remains a big part of my life today, in addition to my lifelong passions of classical piano, crossword puzzles, and outdoor adventure.
I have been working on the Surgeon Athlete project – a concept which explores the idea that a surgeon’s optimal performance in the operating room is related to an elite athlete’s performance in his or her respective sport. While athletes routinely use data-driven monitoring to measure and enhance the performance of their bodies and minds, few groups have leveraged these wearable technologies in surgeons.
For this project, the LIFT Lab has been working closely with the Human Performance Collaborative here at Ohio State, whose research team specializes in validating the accuracy of wearable devices. Our effort aims to assess the feasibility of surgeons wearing continuous glucose monitors, heart rate sensors, sweat sensors, and sleep sensors both in and out of the operating room. We are hoping that these wearable technologies will create solutions which allow surgeons to properly gather and analyze information that can improve surgeon performance in the operating room.
Yogesh
I am an MD/PhD student from the University of Toledo Colleges of Medicine and Engineering with a background in biomedical engineering and a focus on orthopedic biomechanics. Currently, I am assisting the LIFT-Lab on two projects: SPIRIT Club and Carestream. Alongside a team of Researchers and Clinicians, I am helping design and implement a program through SPIRIT Club for patients rehabilitating from chronic brain injury (CBI). Through Carestream, I serve as a peer mentor and preceptor in the emergency department, where I oversee students engaged in the Carestream curriculum. I particularly enjoy guiding students through their early clinical experiences and helping them with their first patient interactions as they prepare for careers in medicine, PA school, or nursing.
My goals include gaining valuable experience in medical education, clinical trial design, and implementation, as well as honing my skills in grantsmanship pertaining to medicine, rehabilitation, and research implementation. I also aim to develop my abilities to work in team science environments – I believe collaborative research efforts are crucial for addressing complex medical challenges in my future research career.
The LIFT Lab provides an ideal setting for achieving these objectives.
Najhee
I am the newest project manager for The Ohio State University Quality Improvement (QI) Hub. As a project manager, I will assist the lead project manager, Riley Summers, in coordinating daily operations for the QI Hub. The QI Hub is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Medicaid and its global aim is to reduce complications associated with hypertension in adults (18-85) while addressing health equity.
I am originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in Biochemistry with a certificate in Global Health. I am currently a MD/MPH student at The Ohio State University. My overall career goal is to become a physician focused on serving populations that are historically marginalized and advancing equitable health policy solutions.