Development of a Mouse Pulse Oximeter for Laboratory Studies of Mice in Motion; A Common Condition, A Limited Understanding, Endometriosis and the Uneven Prioritization of Medical Research 10 views

Throughout this semester, I examined how research practices and institutional priorities influence the development of medical knowledge through both my technical capstone project and STS research paper. Although the two projects focused on very different areas of medicine, both examined how decisions made within research systems can ultimately shape healthcare outcomes, diagnostic capabilities, and scientific understanding. My technical capstone project, Development of a Mouse Pulse Oximeter for Laboratory Studies of Mice in Motion, focused on developing a wearable pulse oximeter system capable of monitoring heart rate and blood oxygen saturation in awake laboratory mice during neurological studies. Many existing monitoring systems for mice rely on anesthesia or physical restraint, both of which can alter physiological responses and affect the accuracy of experimental results. Our project focused on developing a collar-based optical sensing system that could collect physiological data while reducing some of these limitations. Throughout the project, we tested different collar designs, sensor placements, hardware configurations, and signal processing methods while also developing software capable of displaying physiological measurements in real time. The project highlighted how experimental design choices themselves can influence the quality and interpretation of biomedical research data. My STS research paper, A Common Condition, A Limited Understanding: Endometriosis and the Uneven Prioritization of Medical Research, examined how institutional priorities and historical biases within medicine have shaped scientific understanding of endometriosis. Despite affecting millions of people worldwide, endometriosis continues to experience long diagnostic delays, limited treatment options, and relatively low levels of research attention compared to many other chronic conditions. Using the co-production framework, I analyzed NIH funding trends, publication patterns, and diagnostic delay data to examine how research attention surrounding the disease has developed over time. My research argues that the limited understanding of endometriosis is influenced not only by scientific challenges, but also by institutional systems that shape which diseases receive sustained research attention and funding. Working on both projects at the same time reinforced how many factors influencing healthcare outcomes develop long before patients ever directly encounter them in clinical settings. Whether through methodological decisions made during laboratory research or institutional decisions shaping medical research priorities, both projects demonstrated how the systems behind scientific research can significantly influence future medical knowledge and patient care.

BS (Bachelor of Science)

Pulse Oximetry; Physiological Monitoring; Mouse Models; Endometriosis; Diagnostic Delay; Research Funding; Research Prioritization; Medical Research Disparities

English

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2026-05-11