Kaylsta Makimoto, a doctoral candidate in Biomedical Physics at TMU, is one of the 10 Ontario Women's Health Scholars for her pioneering research on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Motivated by her grandmother's battle with the disease, Makimoto aims to improve diagnosis and health outcomes for women, who are often under-diagnosed despite being significantly affected by COPD. Her work focuses on developing machine learning models to enhance detection accuracy based on CT imaging, specifically addressing sex-specific differences in the disease's presentation. COPD is the sixth leading cause of death in Canada, affecting over 2 million Canadians, yet many remain undiagnosed, particularly women. Makimoto's research seeks to bridge this gap by identifying unique features of the disease in women and optimizing treatments accordingly. She emphasizes the importance of gender considerations in health research and encourages other women to pursue careers in STEM.
Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:52:53 GMT | Toronto Metropolitan University