Anna was diagnosed with scoliosis in the 5th grade and was treated with bracing at Nemours Children’s Hospital under the care of Dr. Suken Shah, where she later underwent spinal fusion at age 13. Following a successful surgery, Anna later played basketball at Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. During her undergraduate studies, Anna returned to Nemours as a research volunteer, assisting with a study investigating the effects of spinal fusion on quality of life in patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
Anna’s interest in improving long-term outcomes in patients with scoliosis has led her to a passion for scoliosis research. She is now a PhD Student at Carnegie Mellon University, where she studies orthopedic biomechanics under the mentorship of Dr. Axel Moore. Her research focuses on the effects of scoliosis and its treatment strategies on the structure and function of the intervertebral disc. By investigating the impacts of scoliosis and its surgical interventions on the enduring health of the disc, Anna hopes that her research contributes to our understanding of how novel treatment strategies may improve patients’ quality of life.
Anna joined the SSS Patient Research Advisory Committee as she is excited by the ability to use her own experiences and insights as a scoliosis patient to contribute to new research, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for patients with scoliosis.
