ORBIT Lab: Overcoming Real-World Barriers In Type 2 Diabetes

PI: Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD MSHP

Current lab members:

Margaret Jankowski, BA

Clinical Research Assistant. Margaret graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024 with a major in Health & Societies with a concentration in Public Health, as well as a minor in Chemistry. She previously served as a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia while completing her undergraduate degree. She joined the ORBIT Lab in June 2024 and supports several ongoing projects.

Rawan Elrajabi, MD

Pediatric Endocrinology Fellow. Dr. Elrajabi is a 3rd year endocrinology fellow at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and will graduate in 2025. For her clinical research project with the ORBIT Lab, she is completing a retrospective cohort study to describe the clinical characteristics of youth with variants of uncertain significance in monogenic obesity-associated genes.

Rutha Chivate, BS

Medical student. Rutha is a third year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh. She is originally from Cranbury, NJ, and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Medicine and minors in Neuroscience and Chemistry in 2022. Outside of school, Rutha loves running and spending time outdoors, crafts like knitting and crocheting, reading mystery books, and exploring Pittsburgh with friends. For her 2023 summer research project with the ORBIT Lab, she investigated primary care pediatrician perspectives about use of weight loss pharmacotherapy in adolescents with obesity (now published in Pediatric Obesity). She is currently completing her longitudinal research experience with the ORBIT Lab, investigating the role of neighborhood-level social determinants of health in clinical outcomes for youth with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Vaishnavi Peyyety

Undergraduate pre-medical student. Vaishnavi is a senior at Washington and Jefferson College and a Temple Medical Scholar. She has worked with Dr. Vajravelu on several projects, including preparation of text messages for the BEAM Trial, a qualitative study investigating perspectives on use of CGM among youth with T2D, the association between social determinants of health and prediabetes risk in youth, and qualitative study evaluating perspectives of adolescents on the use of weight-loss medications. In her free time, Vaishnavi enjoys singing and listening to music, assistant teaching organic chemistry, planning cultural events, and trying new foods. She aspires to work in Pediatrics in the future.

Sarah Apte, BA

Summer Research Assistant. Sarah is a 2nd year medical student at Northeast Ohio Medical University. She is participating in several projects with the ORBIT Lab, including investigating the role of adverse childhood experiences in relation to diabetes risk, as well as evaluating perceptions of weight-loss medications by adolescents and young adults. For her ACES study, Sarah is working closely with her fellow NEOMED student Harvey Tucker to complete data analysis.

Ryan Ross

Undergraduate Research Assistant. Ryan is an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. He is assisting Dr. Elrajabi in a project characterizing youth with variants of uncertain significance in monogenic obesity-associated genes.

Former lab members:

BRIANNA HEWITT, MPH

Clinical Research Coordinator. Brianna attended Slippery Rock University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and a Master of Public Health. In her free time, Brianna enjoys cooking, traveling, attending Pitt football games, and spending time with friends and family. Brianna served as the primary study coordinator for the BEAM trial and the CGM for T2D Risk Study from 2021-2024.

Caleb Harrison, BS

Clinical Research Assistant. Caleb graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and minors in Chemistry and Exercise Science in 2022. Outside of research, Caleb enjoys playing golf, going to the gym, and exploring all the food and events that Pittsburgh offers. Caleb is now attending University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (class of 2028). He was an active contributor to the ORBIT Lab during his time as a research assistant from 2023-2024, supporting data analysis and manuscript preparation.

Adriana Rodriguez Gonzalez, MD

Pediatric endocrinology fellow. Dr. Rodriguez Gonzalez graduated from pediatric endocrinology fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in June 2024. She was awarded an Endocrine Fellows Foundation grant to support her work related to use of CGM for Type 2 Diabetes risk evaluation in youth. She enjoys quality time with friends, dancing, learning new cooking recipes and during the winter season continuing to improve her snowboarding skills. In the future she would like to continue working with her Latin population and bridging the gap between health inequities that the minority population have in the medical field.