Simon J. Ostrowski, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Project: "Feasibility of Assessing Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome with a Wearable Biosensor"

Alcohol use disorder is a highly prevalent medical condition requiring a large number of hospital admissions and health care dollars spent. Current standard of care for alcohol dependence and acute alcohol withdrawal often entails admission for frequent nursing reassessment. By demonstrating that a wearable biosensor technology is capable of identifying and evaluating the physiologic state of acute alcohol withdrawal, this project has the potential to transform the standard of care for treatment. This pilot study is meant to both assess feasibility and acceptability, while also generating pilot data that can be used to inform larger investigations of this novel technology.

Dr. Ostrowski is a first-year medical toxicology fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). He completed his emergency medicine residency at UPMC and medical school at University of Massachusetts Medical School. During medical school, he had the opportunity to work in Dr. Stephanie Carreiro’s lab using wearable biosensors in patients receiving opioid therapy and with opioid dependence, which ultimately served as inspiration for him to consider their use in other substance use disorders, namely alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Outside of medicine, Dr. Ostrowski enjoys spending time with his incredible wife, Estelle, his daughter, Edith, and his dog, Millie.

Mehruba Parris, MD, FACMT
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Project: "Efficacy and Incidence of Adverse Events of High Dose Buprenorphine for MOUD in the ED"

The goal of this study is to contribute safety and efficacy data regarding high-dose buprenorphine initiation within the ED, particularly in OUD patients in mild or no withdrawal (COWS<8). The use of high-dose buprenorphine as MOUD for patients within the ED appears to be safe, decrease length of stay, and make MOUD more accessible.

Dr. Parris is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) and a medical toxicology consultant with the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System. She is board-certified in emergency medicine and medical toxicology. Dr. Parris completed her residency in emergency medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and a medical toxicology fellowship at Emory University/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to her role at NJMS, Dr. Parris had been in emergency medicine education, administration, and consulting in Miami and Atlanta. Her areas of focus are acute and critical care in medical toxicology, public/global health, diversity, and women in medicine.

Kevin Baumgartner, MD
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Project: “Evaluation of the Human Immune Response to North American Crotalid Envenomation"

This project will be a prospective observational cohort study of the human immune response to the venom of native North American crotalids. Its objectives are to characterize the development of human anti-venom antibodies (hAVAB) in envenomated patients, and, to build a cohort of biosamples from these patients. Our research will further elucidate the pattern of development of hAVAB directed against crotalid venom, and provide a biosample cohort that will support further research into the human immune response to crotalid venom. It is anticipated that this research may lead to improved understanding of the mechanism of action of crotalid venom, and potentially to the development of novel therapeutics for crotalid evenomation.

Cynthia Santos, MD
MTF/SAEMF Toxicology Research Grant - $10,000
“Genotypes Associated with Dosing and Relapse in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder Receiving Buprenorphine.”

Patrick Ng, MD
MTF/SAEMF Toxicology Research Grant - $10,000
“Oral Sodium Thiosulfate for Severe Acute Oral Cyanide Exposure”

The efficacy of oral sodium thiosulfate alone has not been thoroughly evaluated. Understanding the efficacy of oral sodium thiosulfate, a more readily available xenobiotic that has been demonstrated to be safe for human use, will build upon the data from our prior experiments and be useful in the development of an oral antidote for oral cyanide poisoning.