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Welcome to the Halevi Lab
Alexandra Halevi, MD
Research Interests
Research in the Halevi lab focuses on burn injury, shock, and pain. Dr. Halevi is also interested in tissue engineering applications in wound healing in burn injured patients.
Active Research Projects
Novel Image Processing Techniques for Determining Burn Injured Surface Area
This work is in collaboration with the MGH Institute of Health Professions. We are utilizing novel automated image processing techniques to 1) improve body surface area (BSA) estimates in specific patient populations such as obese patients where the standard of care has been shown to consistently underestimate BSA, and 2) to automatically estimate total body surface area (TBSA) of 2nd and 3rd degree burns prior to transfer to a dedicated burn center. The purpose of this will be to improve pre-transfer resuscitative outcomes in burn-injured patients.
Determining the Relationship Between Neurodivergence and Burn-Related Complications
Many of our burn-injured patients have concomitant psychiatric diagnoses, including substance use disorder, schizophrenia/bipolar disorder, as well as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ASD and ADHD have been shown to increase the risk for both accidental and non-accidental trauma, particularly in the pediatric population. We are evaluating the relationship between these diagnoses and long-term outcomes to identify patients that may benefit from increased post-discharge outreach.
Investigating Social Determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
A significant number of burn-injured patients are at risk for developing acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can have significant long-term effects on patient quality of life. It is not well understood which patients have a higher-than-average risk of developing long-term PTSD. We are studying the relationship between well recognized social determinants of health and the development of PTSD in this patient population.
Novel Targeted Small Molecule Drugs for Management of Acute Burn Pain
There are several novel targeted small molecule inhibitors that directly affect pain-related receptors located in the peripheral nervous system. Several of these have been found to be effective in acute postoperative pain, as well as chronic neuropathic pain. However, none have been studied in patients with acute burn pain, or acute post-operative burn-related pain. We are beginning to investigate if these drugs may be effective in the burn-injured population, and may act as a viable alternative to traditional opioid-based pain regimens.