Faculty and Staff
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Dikha graduated from Boston University School of Public Health with a Master of Public Health degree in 2022, specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation. She also completed her Bachelor's in Dental Surgery at Manipal College of Dental Sciences, India, in 2018. During her master's program, she discovered her passion for large-scale epidemiological studies, coding, and public health in general. Her primary interests include data analytics using SAS and SQL, as well as communicating and implementing research for a broader audience. At the Seddon Lab, she serves as a Biostatistician III, where her responsibilities include maintaining various databases, extracting data, performing analyses, creating visualizations, and contributing to ongoing research on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other maculopathies. Currently, in addition to her various project responsibilities, she is assisting in translating updated risk prediction models into the AMD Risk Calculator. Before coming to the United States for her higher education, Dikha practiced public health dentistry and worked for a non-profit organization specializing in health promotion, cancer screening, awareness, and treatment. |
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(Clinical Study Coordinator III) |
Alongside working at the Seddon Lab, Kristina is enroute to a master’s degree in Clinical Counseling. She has experience working with individuals across the lifespan through work at the Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience, Yale Affective Youth Lab, and Riverside Community Care Outpatient Center. She has focused on projects pertaining to trauma, psychopathology, and neural mechanisms within various populations including children, Veterans, and individuals with varying mental health issues. She looks forward to, one day, continuing her education in a Clinical Psychology PhD program. Outside of the lab, she is an artist and self-taught musician who enjoys painting as well as playing music on the flute, guitar, piano, violin and (newly learned) bass guitar. |
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(Clinical Study Coordinator III) |
Liam graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Sciences in Biomedical Sciences in 2021. Alongside his studies, he worked in the emergency department as a medical scribe during the peak of COVID. He witnessed numerous emergent procedures and restructuring of the hospital system to adjust to the staggering pandemic. Side-by-side with EM residents, he assimilated extensive knowledge about medical decision making in the ED and a detailed tutorial to exceptional care in high patient volumes.
He accepted a position as a clinical research assistant in Florida in 2022 where he developed an immense passion for research. The idea of "advancing the future of medicine" motivated him to become a clinical research coordinator and coordinate over 15 clinical trials in dermatology, gastroenterology, cancer research, medical devices, and liquid biopsies within 2 years. He has worked with numerous Sponsors, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi.
With his eyes set on medical school, he wishes to learn the behind-the-scenes of medicine/research with various doctors and medical facilities to understand what it means to be a reputable physician.
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(Medical Intern) |
Payton is a second-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Neuroscience at Virginia Tech in December of 2021. During her two gap years before attending medical school, she worked as an ophthalmology technician at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston and Foxboro, MA, where her passion for ophthalmology began. While working for three years in the English Lab, a neurobehavioral lab at Virginia Tech, Payton's interest in research prompted her to pursue similar opportunities at UMass, and the Seddon Lab is a wonderful fit for both her interest in ophthalmology and desire to expand her research skills.
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(College Intern) |
Saahithi is a junior undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). She is studying Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Computer Science minor, and on the Pre-Med track. She has previously been involved in research at the Vidali Lab at WPI focusing on cell growth in plants. At WPI, she the secretary for the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Club, an active leader in Greek Life, a campus tour guide, and a peer learning assistant. She also works as a Patient Care Technician at UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital. She aspires to attend medical school and become a physician with a focus on research.
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Research Alumni |
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(Past Medical Intern) |
Joe Matte is a second-year medical student at UMass Medical School. He grew up in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and attended UMass Amherst, where he earned degrees in Biochemistry and Spanish. Joe hopes to become a pediatric ophthalmologist in the future. In his free time, Joe enjoys working out, playing classic rock on guitar and bass, and attempting to learn Japanese.
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