VCU Isosceles Undergraduate Research Lab in Healthcare Information Technology Development
The Isosceles Lab collaborates with healthcare researchers and clinicians to design and build healthcare information technology, with a focus on mobile applications. The research group is dedicated to developing design and software engineering skills within VCU’s diverse and inclusive community, where students of various socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, religions and genders come to learn and participate in undergraduate research.
Interested in the lab’s work or how to get involved? Click below to explore student opportunities and past research collaborations.
For researchers
Partner with the Isosceles Lab to build health technology that supports your research goals with proven, affordable results.
For students
Join the Isosceles Lab to build real-world technology, contribute to research projects and earn credit or funding.
Researcher Involvement
The Isosceles Lab is actively seeking opportunities to create health information technology for academic researchers across campus. We can deliver apps within nine months with only nominal charges to your research funding. Students working in the Isosceles Lab are funded through Federal Work-Study or earn academic credit, making it possible to complete research using high-quality health information technology without exceeding your budget.
To discuss potential collaboration, please contact Elizabeth White Baker, Ph.D., at bakerew@vcu.edu.
Below are screenshots of apps developed or currently in development by the Isosceles Lab.
Research Articles
Explore recent publications featuring the Isosceles Lab’s work in mobile health technology and clinical decision support.
- Baker, E.W. (in press). How do apps work? In Smartphone Apps for Health and Wellness. Elsevier.
- Baker, E.W., & Dodson, C.H. (2021). Prototype development and usability evaluation of a clinical decision support tool for pharmacogenomic pharmacy in practice. CIN: Computers, Informatics, and Nursing, 39(7), 362-366.
- Dodson, C.H., & Baker, E.W. (2021). Focus group testing of a mobile app for pharmacogenetic-guided dosing. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 33(3), 205-210.
- Choi, J., Baker, E., Nalawade, S., & Lee, H. (2020). Steps to develop a mobile app for pain assessment of cancer patients: A usability study. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 38(2), 80-87.
- Dodson, C.H., Baker, E., & Bost, K. (2019). Thematic analysis of nurse practitioners use of clinical decision support tools and clinical mobile apps for prescriptive purposes. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(9), 522-526.
- Choi, J., Baker, E., Nalawade, S., Peacock, A., Lee, H., & Choi, W. (2018). A framework facilitates development of a mobile app. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 250, 97-100.
Student Involvement
Getting involved with information systems research as an undergraduate student has never been easier. Only one semester of computer programming is required to join the lab.
If you’ve been awarded Federal Work-Study in your financial aid package, the lab offers positions each fall where you can earn your award through working hours in the lab on development. Juniors and seniors may also have the opportunity to earn course credit through a directed independent study with Dr. Baker as the advisor.
Please reach out to Dr. Baker at bakerew@vcu.edu for additional information on how you can become involved!
Student News
VCU News, April 2022
"Computer science major helps create app for underserved population"
The app will help caregivers of children with Down syndrome keep track of medical records, appointments and more.
Poster Presentations
Presented at the VCU Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 2022, as part of the UROP Fellowship
Duah, Jeffrey. “Development and Usability Testing of a PHR for Down’s Syndrome (DS) Care Coordination.”
This project began in January 2021 and continued through spring 2022. The final deliverable was a prototype of the 321Connect app developed for the Android platform.
Jeffrey presented his research during VCU Research Weeks as a recipient of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship (UROP) Fellowship.
Presented at the 2023 Southeast Decision Sciences Institute Conference (SEDSI), February 2023
Boston, Brianna, and Ladia, Edward. “Development and Usability Testing of a PHR for Down’s Syndrome (DS) Care Coordination.”
This project began in spring 2022 and proceeded through spring 2023. The deliverable is a prototype of the 321Connect app on the iOS platform.
Boston, Brianna, and Ladia, Edward. “Development and Usability Testing of the General Population (GP) and Down’s Syndrome Population (DSP) for Down’s Syndrome Care Coordination.”
Brianna and Edward were awarded second place in the Best Undergraduate Research Paper competition at the 2023 SEDSI Conference for their paper on usability testing across both general and Down syndrome populations.
UROP Fellowships
The Isosceles Lab has supported several students who were selected for the VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Fellowship. This competitive program provides funding for undergraduates to pursue faculty-mentored research and receive transcript recognition. View past fellows and their projects below.
Research Project: Development of a Mobile Application for Streamlining Care for Families for Patients of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE)
Student Advised: Vivek Vangala
Project Timeline: Spring 2023 – April 2024
Deliverable: Prototype of the EGID Tracker app for the iOS platform
Research Project: Development and Usability Testing of a Personal Health Record (PHR) for Down's Syndrome (DS) Care Coordination
Students Advised: Brianna Boston and Edward Ladia
Project Timeline: Spring 2022 – Spring 2023
Deliverable: Prototype of the 321Connect app for the iOS platform
Research Project: Development and Usability Testing of a Personal Health Record (PHR) for Down’s Syndrome (DS) Care Coordination
Student Advised: Jeffrey Duah
Project Timeline: January 2021 — Spring 2022
Deliverable: Prototype of the 321Connect app for the Android platform
The Lab in Action
The Isosceles Lab at the 2022 VCU Undergraduate Research Symposium
This photo was taken during VCU Research Weeks, where lab member Jeffrey Duah presented his UROP-funded project on a mobile app for Down syndrome care coordination.
From left: Jeffrey Duah, P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D. (VCU vice president for research and innovation), Elizabeth White Baker, Ph.D., Brianna Boston, Edward Ladia and Herb Hill (director of undergraduate research and creative inquiry).