Overcoming Real-World Barriers In Type 2 Diabetes (PI: Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD MSHP)
Brianna Hewitt, MPH
Clinical Research Coordinator. Brianna joined the team in 2021 and is the primary study coordinator for the BEAM trial and the CGM for T2D Risk Study. She helps with the screening and recruiting process, as well as with study procedures. She attended Slippery Rock University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and a Master of Public Health. In her free time, Brianna enjoys cooking, traveling, attending Pitt football games, and spending time with friends and family.
Caleb Harrison, BS
Clinical Research Assistant. Caleb graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and minors in Chemistry and Exercise Science in 2022. He contributes to a variety of research tasks, including data analysis of actigraphy and continuous glucose monitor data, dietary recall and nutrition data processing, recruitment, and clinical trial study visits. Outside the lab, Caleb enjoys playing golf, going to the gym, and exploring all the food and events that Pittsburgh offers. Caleb plans to attend medical school in the future and hopes to pursue his passion for lifestyle medicine.
Adriana Rodriguez Gonzalez, MD
Pediatric endocrinology fellow. Dr. Rodriguez Gonzalez is a pediatric endocrinology fellow at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and will graduate in June 2024. She was awarded an Endocrine Fellows Foundation grant to support her work related to use of CGM for type 2 diabetes risk evaluation in youth. She enjoys quality time with friends, dancing, learning new cooking recipes and during the winter season continuing to improve her snowboarding skills. In the future she would like to continue working with her Latin population and bridging the gap between health inequities that the minority population have in the medical field.
Rutha Chivate, BS
Medical student. Rutha is a second year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh. She is originally from Cranbury, NJ, and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Medicine and minors in Neuroscience and Chemistry in 2022. For her summer research project, she is investigating primary care pediatrician perspectives about use of weight loss pharmacotherapy in adolescents with obesity. Outside of school, Rutha loves running and spending time outdoors, crafts like knitting and crocheting, reading mystery books, and exploring Pittsburgh with friends.
Vaishnavi Peyyety
Undergraduate pre-medical student. Vaishnavi is a junior at Washington and Jefferson College and a Temple Medical Scholar. She has worked with Dr. Vajravelu on several projects, including preparation of text messages for the BEAM Trial, a qualitative study investigating perspectives on use of CGM among youth with T2D, and the association between social determinants of health and prediabetes risk in youth. In her free time, Vaishnavi enjoys singing and listening to music, assistant teaching organic chemistry, planning cultural events, and trying new foods. She aspires to work in Pediatrics in the future.