{"id":104288,"date":"2022-05-11T11:45:35","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T15:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/busm\/?p=104288"},"modified":"2022-05-11T11:45:35","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T15:45:35","slug":"rhoda-au-phd-receives-2022-seed-fund-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/2022\/05\/11\/rhoda-au-phd-receives-2022-seed-fund-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhoda Au, PhD, Receives 2022 Seed Fund Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HeadshotBoston University Global Programs\u00a0and\u00a0Boston University Foundation-India\u00a0announce the spring 2022 Seed Fund has been awarded to Rhoda Au, PhD, professor of anatomy & neurobiology, for her research proposal, \u201cCultural Adaptation and Validation of the DAC Digital Phenotyping Assessments in the MUDHRA Cohort in South India.\u201d<\/p>\n

Au\u2019s study aims to address the challenges around dementia research in India, including how cognitive assessments are often language and culturally biased due to their origin in North America and Europe. The work will conduct cognitive and genetic genotyping studies to enhance dementia research capacity in low-and-middle-income countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are pleased to award the 2022 Seed Fund to Dr. Au,\u201d said Willis G. Wang, vice president and associate provost for Global Programs. \u201cDr. Au\u2019s research and leadership in the fields of brain health, cognitive aging, dementia, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease help advance critical work with far-reaching effects. We look forward to learning about the progress that she and her Indian PI, Dr. Rajesh Raman, make in enhancing dementia research capacity in India.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research project encompasses three complementary objectives to address these challenges:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A systematic review related to psychometric properties, validation and utility (clinical and research) of digital cognitive assessments aimed at screening and or diagnosis of dementia among older adults in low-and middle-income countries.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Cultural adaptation, translations and validation of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative – digital battery of cognitive assessments in Hindi (national language) and Kannada (regional language in Mysore) in India.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. An evaluation of the feasibility of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative protocol for genetic tests\/genotyping, including adapting within the statutory framework and ethical guidelines of the Indian Council for Medical Research through focus group discussions and a review of relevant policies related to dementia research and collection\/storage of biological samples in India.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Au will work with the Indian PI Rajesh Raman of the JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research in India.<\/p>\n

        \u201cI am delighted to receive this award from BU Global Programs and BU Foundation-India,\u201d said Au. \u201cWorking with partners in India we look forward to identifying digital cognitive assessments aimed at screening or diagnosing dementia. This, among other key objectives, will help address the challenges around dementia and mental health systems research and determine potential solutions for addressing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

        About the Award<\/strong><\/p>\n

        The BU Global Programs and Boston University Foundation-India (BUFI) Seed Fund Program is designed to seed new or support existing collaborative research projects in India conducted by BU faculty and their peers in India. The research project may be in any discipline but must directly benefit India. Review criteria for the seed fund include:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Clearly articulated potential for measurable positive impact on India and leads to\u00a0improved quality of life for its people;<\/li>\n
        • Likelihood that the project will lead to subsequent external funding; and<\/li>\n
        • Well-defined and achievable project scope, activities, and goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Work aims to address the challenges of dementia research and mental health systems research in India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":903,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[89,146,91,90],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104288"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/903"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104288"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104291,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104288\/revisions\/104291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}