Dr. Ny’Nika T. McFadden
Dr. Ny'Nika T. McFadden is an Assistant Professor of Public Health and a Translational Health Research Center Faculty Fellow whose research focuses on assisting patients living with diabetes, their caregivers, and providers with the transition of care process going from pediatric to adult care and care coordination procedures, such as hospital admission and discharge. She has partnered with Mr. Shahid Shah, CEO of Netspective Foundation to build a digital health platform that will monitor transition readiness and self-management behaviors, tailor educational content, and utilize artificial intelligence to predict the likelihood of hospital admission and readmission.
I am incredibly grateful to receive support from OICE, THRC, Beyond Type 1, MATTER and several colleagues and students with developing an innovative solution to address the barriers that impact diabetes care.
Innovation Partnerships
Dr. McFadden has received internal support from the Office of Innovation, Commercialization and Engagement (OICE) and the Translational Health Research Center (THRC). She participated in the BobCatalyst Innovation Accelerator Programs and was awarded a Proof of Concept Grant from OICE. External support and funding of $50,000 was provided by Beyond Type 1 and MATTER to develop the minimum viable product. The next steps include expanding my partnerships with organizations that support diabetes care and to build a healthcare startup company called Coordinate with Care.
Supporting the Research
Ms. Abigail Luna is an undergraduate research assistant, junior, majoring in Health Science assisting Dr. McFadden with diabetes research related to transition of care (i.e., pediatric to adult care) barriers and innovative solutions for individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Luna stated, “Assisting with this project has been a rewarding experience, knowing that the work we are doing can help move healthcare toward a more patient-centered approach and provide patients with support and tools during what can feel like an isolating time.”
Ms. Shreya Upreti, another undergraduate research assistant, senior, majoring in Nursing supports Dr. McFadden with care coordination research related to individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes' perception of their hospital admission and discharge experiences.
Upreti shared, "I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to serve as an Undergraduate Research Assistant on this care coordination project. It's given me a deeper appreciation for how communication and teamwork shape patient outcomes, and I'm thankful to be able to contribute to research with real potential to improve how care is delivered."
