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.