O'Brien Lab
The O'Brien Lab, led by Sarah O'Brien, MD, MSc, focuses on the intersection between women’s health and hematology. It still takes on average over 10 years after the first bleeding event for a woman to be diagnosed with an inherited bleeding disorder. Our lab studies methods for earlier recognition and detection of reproductive bleeding in menstruating adolescents.
Current Research Studies
Bleeding Disorders in women are an under-recognized and under-treated condition, and von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder diagnosed in women. In this NIH R01-funded study, we will develop a screening algorithm for VWD that incorporates a brief bleeding history and point-of-care iron level. We will test the algorithm's validity, acceptability, and feasibility in primary care settings.
Establishing normative data for menstrual bleeding in adolescents by race and body mass index would facilitate earlier diagnosis of abnormal bleeding and earlier interventions to improve health and quality of life. In this NIH R21-funded study we developed and evaluated patient engagement with a menstrual tracking mobile application that allows for real-time collection of patient level data on menstrual blood flow, pain, and the effect of menses on quality of life. The proposed work will yield a new application of technology that can be used in future research studies to both establish normal ranges of menstrual cycle characteristics across the age spectrum and across populations, and measure patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials of interventions for abnormal uterine bleeding.
Meet Our Team
Sarah O'Brien, MD, MSc
Principal Investigator
Sarah.OBrien@NationwideChildrens.org
Sarah O’Brien, MD, MSc, is a classical hematologist and clinical researcher, with expertise in clinical trials, observational epidemiologic studies and health services research. She is principal investigator in the Center for Child Health Outcomes and Equity Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Her academic and clinical interests lie at the intersection of women’s health and hematology, with a focus on bleeding disorders, thrombosis and iron deficiency anemia. Expertise in the use of large administrative health care databases to answer research questions and have utilized this methodology to describe the epidemiology of a variety of blood diseases and identify important gaps in health care. She is an active research mentor at her institution as well as on a national level, and has mentored numerous junior faculty, fellows, residents, medical students and doctoral students.
Adebimpe Adelaja
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Adebimpe.Adelaja@NationwideChildrens.org
Adebimpe is the lead clinical research coordinator for the O'Brien Lab in the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she earned a bachelor of science and a bachelor of science in agriculture, quadruple majoring in neuroscience, biology, psychology, and entomology. She has four years of experience in clinical research, specializing in multi-site cancer clinical trials. Adebimpe is currently pursuing a master's in public health at The Ohio State University and as an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship recipient is completing a project focused on addressing disparities in organ transplant access. Her research interests encompass hemostasis/thrombosis, sickle cell disease, and a range of hematologic conditions. She is passionate about improving healthcare outcomes and reducing healthcare disparities.
Brooke Badgett
Clinical Research Coordinator
Brooke.Badgett@NationwideChildrens.org
Brooke is a clinical research coordinator for the O'Brien Lab in the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in April 2024 with a bachelor's of science in biology with a specialization in forensic investigations. Brooke spent this past year in an environmental toxicology lab studying toxins present in bird feathers through various lab techniques. She is passionate about all kinds of research in biology, specifically field and laboratory research and hopes to continue her career in the research field. In her current role, she is interested in teaching young girls to advocate for themselves and breaking the stigma around menstruation.
