During my PhD research, I contributed to the development of a mechanobiology model of the cell that incorporates fundamental physical principles. This model is particularly significant as it addresses the mechanical forces and physical constraints that are central to key cellular processes such as cell migration and cell division. By integrating these physical aspects into biological models, my work provided a deeper understanding of how cells move, interact with their environment, and divide, which are crucial for many physiological and pathological processes, including tissue repair, immune response, and cancer progression.

The integration of these gold-standard locomotion tests has been the result of a combination of thorough literature research and collaborative brainstorming with both designers and developers. The designers focus on the user experience (UX) aspect, ensuring that the implementation is intuitive and accessible for patients, while developers work on the technical execution to seamlessly integrate these assessments into the wearable platform.

Crucially, the requirements for this project were defined in close collaboration with physicians and researchers who routinely use these tests in their daily practice. Their expertise was invaluable in shaping the system to meet clinical needs, ensuring that the data collected is both clinically relevant and easily interpretable.

Recently, my work has centered on integrating gold-standard tests, such as the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, into our wearable technology to monitor patient locomotion. These assessments are critical for evaluating mobility and gait, particularly in patients with conditions that impair their ability to walk or move effectively, such as Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. By incorporating these tests into our wearable devices, we aim to provide continuous, objective data on a patient’s physical performance in real-world settings, rather than relying solely on sporadic clinical visits.

I’m currently working as a data scientist at a medical wearable company, where our focus is on developing cutting-edge wristbands capable of registering and processing a variety of biological signals, such as pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiration rate, and more. These devices enable continuous health monitoring, which is particularly valuable for providing patients with the ability to track their health remotely, often from the comfort of their homes. This approach not only empowers patients by offering more efficient and non-invasive monitoring but also plays a crucial role in advancing healthcare research.

Specifically, my role involves developing algorithms and performing data analysis that leverage these biological signals to provide meaningful insights into patient health trends and conditions. This real-time, real-world data is especially important for researchers and pharmaceutical companies, as it allows them to access continuous streams of data from everyday life, outside the controlled conditions of a clinical trial.