Rishitha Chiguru, a biomedical sciences student minoring in children's behavioral healthcare, was awarded the Health Sciences Award at USF Health Research Day for her research on discourse performance and psychosocial links in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Mentored by Hana Kim, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Chiguru conducted her study in the Language in Aging and Stroke Rehabilitation (LASER) Lab.
Her research examined language abilities and their relationship with psychosocial outcomes in 56 adults with TBI, a condition caused by external forces such as falls, assaults, or motor vehicle accidents. The findings revealed that the type of language test significantly influences performance, shedding light on critical aspects of cognitive and communicative recovery in TBI patients.
Chiguru's goal is to attend medical school and pursue a career in pediatrics. Her research interests are dedicated to making contributions to the fields of medicine, public health, and behavioral sciences to build a resilient society.
USF Health celebrated its 35th annual Research Day on Feb. 28 at the Marshall Student Center, bringing together more than 500 students, residents, trainees, faculty, and leaders. The USF Health Research Day is the largest research-focused event at USF, and this year's event set a record for poster presentations.