Biomarker Summer Institute

by Tara Crawford

This June, The Ohio State University College of Nursing Office of Research welcomed researchers from across the country for its inaugural Biomarker Summer Institute (BSI). This two-day workshop provided attendees with practical knowledge on incorporating biomarkers into their health-related research. 

Assistant Professor McKenzie Jancsura, PhD, RN, Associate Professor Shannon Gillespie, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Clinical Professor Amy Mackos, PhD, and Clinical Research Nurse Ana Wong, RN, facilitated the institute, offering participants guidance on topics ranging from biomarker selection to basic laboratory techniques, such as pipetting.

Biomarkers are measurable signs in the body – such as levels of proteins, lipids or other small molecules – that serve as indicators of normal or abnormal processes, conditions or diseases. Biomarkers can also show how the body responds to a treatment.

“As of now, the use and benefits of biomarkers are not typically taught in academic programs,” Wong said. “This workshop helps fill that gap by equipping those looking to integrate biomarkers into their work with the skills to use physiological data to make more informed healthcare and treatment decisions.”

Participants toured the College of Nursing’s Translational Biosciences Laboratory, attended didactic and application sessions and gained hands-on experience in small groups. Each rotation emphasized accuracy, safety and practical application in clinical and research settings.

Tamia Wade, MSN, RN, a PhD student at Wayne State University and nurse scientist, found the experience to be both educational and personally meaningful. 

“I am especially grateful for the insight gained at BSI regarding the value of a multimodal approach to stress assessment,” Wade said. 

“Learning how to integrate multiple biomarkers to enhance the accuracy and reliability of stress detection, particularly among postpartum mothers and those with infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit, was transformative,” Wade continued. “This approach not only validates the lived experiences of mothers navigating complex stressors but also adds scientific rigor to maternal health research.” 

Lauren R. Wengerd, PhD, OTR/L, an assistant professor of neurological surgery in The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a clinically trained occupational therapist, appreciated how the institute combined scientific content with hands-on learning. 

“The Biomarker Summer Institute was extremely helpful, especially in showing how different measurements can be used to study inflammation in the body,” Wengerd said. “After a spinal cord injury or stroke, inflammation can be abnormal and persistent. The session on collecting whole blood samples and pipetting taught me how to isolate plasma, a skill I can now apply directly in my work to better understand potential healing trajectories in neurorehabilitation.”