Once a dataset is 100% verified by our catchers (that’s you guys!), the results go back to the laboratory to draw conclusions. In this case, they are trying to find out whether a FDA-approved drug could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. While we wait for those results,  Daniel Rivera, one of the researchers, took the time to explain to us more about what this particular research question is all about and how he captured the videos analyzed in Stall Catchers.
Daniel Rivera is currently a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University, where he joined the Schaffer-Nishimura lab in late 2016 under Dr. Chris Schaffer. His current work involves the use of laser speckle imaging to study blood flow changes in different disease models, most notably Alzheimer's, a disease that has impacted him personally.
In this interview, Daniel untangles the research question behind the PSGL-1 dataset: Could an arthritis drug be used to treat Alzheimer’s?
Watch the video to learn more about how Daniel himself captures what we see in the Stall Catchers virtual microscope using real life laser speckle imaging and photon microscopies🔬.