Dr Dimitra Blana

Biography

I am the Interim Director of the Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science, and the Lead for the MSc Health Data Science. I am passionate about improving research culture and promoting open and reproducible research practices. I am also an advocate for diversity in health science and technology.

My research focus is dynamic modelling of complex health systems. I initially worked on biomechanical models of the human arm, to help design prosthetic hands, and assistive technologies for people with paralysis. Since joining the Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science, I have started applying my modelling methods to other healthcare problems. For example, I built an epidemiological model to help NHS Grampian with their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I now use dynamic modelling to address a range of health challenges, from the needs of the individual patient, to demand and capacity analysis of the healthcare system.

My background is in biomedical and computer engineering. I received my B.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece. I went on to earn my M.Sc. and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Research Overview

My focus is dynamic modelling of complex health systems. I am a member of a multidisciplinary group that includes health researchers, engineers, computer scientists, and clinicians. 

Here is a list of our human movement related projects, and our COVID-19 modelling work.

Knowledge Exchange

• Women in Data Science Ambassador
• Founder of the Aberdeen branch of One HealthTech
• 2019 Soapbox Science Stoke-on-Trent organiser
• 2017 Soapbox Science participant (Leeds Arts & Science event)
• 2017 demonstrator at the Cheltenham Science Festival
• 2017 & 2018 Judge for the Association of British Science Writers Awards
• Editor of ScienceSeeker, 2016-2017
• STEM Ambassador

Funding and Grants

• University of Aberdeen Funding to Pump-Prime Research and Research Networks: A creative engagement approach to improve the impact of healthcare modelling, 2024
• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative “Essential Open Source Software for Science”: OpenSim Creator: Empowering Biomedical Research with Biomechanical Models, 2022-2025
• Carnegie Trust For The Universities Of Scotland PhD studentship: Wearable sensors for clinical movement analysis of the upper limb: enhancing accuracy and improving access, 2022-2025
• NHS Grampian Endowment: Investigating socioeconomic disparities as a cause and consequence of deteriorating kidney health among people admitted to hospital with an acute illness, 2021-2022
• NHS Grampian Endowment: Using wearable technology to optimise timing of concomitant metformin and exercise prescription, 2021-2022
• SFC Upskilling Fund to develop two Master’s level Health Data Science courses, 2021
• NHS Grampian Endowment grant: Integrating real time surveillance and dynamic modelling of COVID-19 in Grampian to inform an adaptive healthcare response, 2020-2021
• Clinical movement analysis society (CMAS) small grant: A free online platform for sharing movement analysis code and resources, 2019
• EPSRC Healthcare Technologies grant: Personalised approach to restoration of arm function in people with high-level tetraplegia, 2018-2021 
• Innovation Fund from the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine: Intelligent FES for restoring arm movement in people with tetraplegia, 2018
• RCUK Public Engagement with Research Catalysts: Co-Production and Creativity: ethos, typologies and innovation in public engagement practice, 2017 - 2018
• Keele Innovation Fund: Using digitally enhanced creative methods to engage the community with biomedical engineering research, 2017
• Orthopaedic Institute / Keele ACORN PhD studentship: Biomechanical modelling of toe walking gait to inform the prescription of ankle foot orthoses in children with cerebral palsy, 2016 - 2019
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH): Intracortical control of FES-restored arm and hand function in people with spinal cord injury, subcontract with Case Western Reserve University, 2015 - 2017
• National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIH): Prosthesis Control by Forward Dynamic Simulation of the Intact Biomedical System, subcontract with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 2013 - 2015