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.
Publications:
Seddon, Johanna M et al. “Family History of Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Genetics Predict Progression to Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration Adjusting for Macular Status, Demographic, and Lifestyle Factors.” American journal of ophthalmology, vol. 255 74-86. 10 Jul. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2023.06.017
Seddon JM, Rosner B, De D, Huan T, Java A, Atkinson J. Rare Dysfunctional Complement Factor I Genetic Variants and Progression to Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Ophthalmol Sci. 2022 Dec 30;3(2):100265. doi: 10.1016/j.xops.2022.100265. PMID: 36909148; PMCID: PMC9993025.
Lee JS, Albrechta H, Goodman GR, De D, Takabatake K, O'Cleirigh C, Mayer KH, Fisher C, Carnes CT, Chai PR. Diversity in Digital Pill Systems: Differences in Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Use of a Digital Pill System for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex with Men with Diverse Racial and Ethnic Identities. Proc Annu Hawaii Int Conf Syst Sci. 2023;2023:2933-2942. Epub 2023 Jan 3. PMID: 36654663; PMCID: PMC9843706
Chai P, De D, Albrechta H, Goodman GR, Takabatake K, Ben-Arieh A, Lee JS, Glynn TR, Mayer K, O'Cleirigh C, Fisher C. Attitudes towards participating in research involving digital pill systems to measure oral HIV pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis: a cross-sectional study among men who have sex with men with substance use in the USA. BMJ Open. 2023 Jan 30;13(1):e067549. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067549. PMID: 36717151; PMCID: PMC9887701.