Anna Stadelman, MPH, PhD(c)

Nominated From: University of Minnesota

Research Site: Makerere University

Research Area: Infectious Disease, Data Science

Primary Mentor: David Boulware

Research Project

Developing and Validating a Diagnostic Algorithm for Tuberculosis Meningitis

Improving diagnostics for tuberculosis meningitis using machine learning techniques and external validation in hospitals in Uganda

Research Significance

There is currently no “gold standard” for diagnosing tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) because current microbiologic methods lack the sensitivity and specificity to reliably detect cases. As a result only 10% of TBM cases are diagnosed within a week. By utilizing machine learning methods we can develop a diagnostic algorithm for TBM based on clinical data collected within the first 48 hours of patient presentation. In the second study, we seek to externally validate the clinical scoring system based on the diagnostic algorithm in hospitals in Uganda.

Advice for Potential Candidates

I would recommend that potential candidates seek out strong mentors and develop relationships with them. I would also recommend that potential candidates look for support from their peers as well – they are a wealth of knowledge and are looking for opportunities to demonstrate it. It’s a great opportunity to form collaborations!

Publications

View on PubMed

Mentors

Facebooktwitterlinkedin