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Virginia Hughes - University of Delaware. Newark, DE, US

Virginia Hughes

Associate Professor, Medical & Molecular Sciences | University of Delaware

Newark, DE, UNITED STATES

Prof. Hughes has a background in public policy and biomedical research.

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Biography

Virginia Hughes is an Associate Professor in the College of Health Sciences Department of Medical & Molecular Sciences.

Industry Expertise (1)

Advanced Medical Equipment

Areas of Expertise (7)

Transfusion Medicine

Hematology

Hemostasis

Public Policy

Statistics

Research Design

Medical Diagnostics

Media Appearances (2)

Influencing career trajectories | UDaily

University of Delaware  online

2023-03-15

This is exactly the kind of application Virginia Hughes, associate professor medical and molecular sciences, wants to see. “The classes they take serve as a foundation, and in education, we want students to apply that knowledge,” Hughes said. “Upon observing the lumbar puncture, Shannon was able to cherry pick out the significance of those results and align it to the patient’s diagnosis.”

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Gaining a global perspective | UDaily

University of Delaware  online

2022-10-12

Hughes, an associate professor in the MMS Department with a background in public policy and biomedical research, said MacKinnon is proof that MMS students can successfully take part in the World Scholars Program.

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Articles (5)

NAVIGATING COVID-19: IMPACT ON THE CLASS OF 2021

ASCLS Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference

2023 MLS students at the University of Delaware transitioned to remote learning in March of 2020 to adhere to healthcare regulations implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem addressed in this study is providing quality education to the Class of 2021 amid abrupt diversion from traditional delivery of education in the didactic part of the MLS curriculum. The research design was cross-sectional. Methods included exposing students to the interventions of remote learning, social distancing, increased PPE, decreased instruction time, and a lab boot camp (prior to returning to campus). Outcomes measured comprised graduation rate, employment rate, and BOC pass rate. Class of 2021 outcomes were compared with Class of 2020 outcomes who received traditional delivery of education in the didactic part of the MLS program. The BOC pass rate decreased by four percent from 2020 to 2021, the employment rate decreased by four percent, and the graduation rate exhibited no change. The COVID-19 pandemic presented tremendous challenges to educators across the globe.

Medical and Religious Factors affecting Physician-assisted Suicide (PAS) Policies in the United States: A Logistic Regression Study

American Journal of Public Health Research

2023 Persons diagnosed with a terminal illness are faced with a panoply of arduous challenges and decisions that intrinsically affect their quality of life. Terminal patients have the option to end their life under the auspices of Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in ten states and the District of Columbia. Physician-assisted suicide can be described as a physician facilitating a patient's death by providing the necessary means and/or information to enable the patient to perform the life ending act. States that allow PAS include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. A logistic regression study was conducted to investigate factors that may impact PAS laws including Catholicism, cancer mortality rate, pancreatic cancer rate, cervical cancer rate, colon cancer rate, brain cancer rate, leukemia, and liver cancer rate. The unit of analysis was state. Statistical significance was found with the liver cancer and cervical cancer rates (P

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The Impact of Cancer Cases, Marijuana possession Arrests, and Opioid Deaths on Cannabis Policies in the United States: A Logistic Regression Study

American Journal of Public Health Research

2022 Recreational cannabis is currently legal in nineteen states and the District of Columbia. The history of each states pathway for passing laws codifying fully legal status varies greatly across the United States. A study was conducted with the aim of identifying factors that significantly impact a states fully legal status on cannabis employing a logistic regression design. Independent factors analyzed included the marijuana possession arrest rate (MPAR), new cancer cases, and opioid overdose rate. All data were from 2010 to assess if these factors impacted passage of laws approving recreational cannabis, as all such laws were passed after 2010. The dependent variable was dichotomous toward fully legal status or not fully legal status in states. Results showed statistically significance with the MPAR variable (P

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The Impact of Cancer Cases, Marijuana possession Arrests, and Opioid Deaths on Cannabis Policies in the United States: A Logistic Regression Study

American Journal of Public Health Research

2022 Recreational cannabis is currently legal in nineteen states and the District of Columbia. The history of each states pathway for passing laws codifying fully legal status varies greatly across the United States. A study was conducted with the aim of identifying factors that significantly impact a states fully legal status on cannabis employing a logistic regression design. Independent factors analyzed included the marijuana possession arrest rate (MPAR), new cancer cases, and opioid overdose rate. All data were from 2010 to assess if these factors impacted passage of laws approving recreational cannabis, as all such laws were passed after 2010. The dependent variable was dichotomous toward fully legal status or not fully legal status in states. Results showed statistically significance with the MPAR variable (P

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Adaptation of ISTH Guidelines on Vaccine Induced Thrombocytopenic Thrombosis to Clinical Practice and Analysis of Patient Cases

Haematology International Journal

2022 The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) published guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment on Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) in April of 2021. Guidelines were inclusive of those persons at risk for VITT, screening, initial evaluation, and treatment. A study was conducted to evaluate case reports of patients with VITT in regard to diagnostic testing and treatment options as recommended by the ISTH. Ten case reports were identified employing the PubMed database where VITT was diagnosed in patients who received the Astra Zeneca vaccine. The average fibrinogen level was 166.9 mg/dL, the average platelet count was 47.2 x 10 9 /L, and the average D-Dimer level was 39.3 mg/L. All cases of VITT exhibited a positive anti-PF4 assay. Anticoagulants administered to patients varied across cases however all patients received IVIG to increase platelet counts in patients. A one sample t test was performed to ascertain if statistical significance was present comparing average fibrinogen, platelet count, and D-Dimer levels to normal values. Statistical significance was found with platelet count and D-Dimer parameters. Organizations like the ISTH has provided timely therapeutic information and guidance to clinicians in combating SARS-CoV2 related clinical manifestations. These findings serve to illuminate the nexus between ISTH VITT guidelines and clinical adaptation.

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Accomplishments (7)

Excellence in Advising Award, University of Delaware (professional)

2022

Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society, Neumann University (professional)

2016

Joint Legislative Commendation from State of New Jersey for Military Service in the US Army (professional)

2010

Pi Sigma Alpha National Honor Society, Auburn University at Montgomery (professional)

2009

Delta Epsilon Iota National Honor Society, Auburn University (professional)

2008

Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society, Auburn University at Montgomery (professional)

2007

Fenwal Research Award, NIH Clinical Center (professional)

2002

Education (3)

Auburn University: PhD, Public Policy Analysis 2010

University of Maryland Baltimore: MS, Biomedical Research 1998

University of Maryland Baltimore: BS, Medical and Research Technology 1993

Languages (1)

  • English

Event Appearances (5)

RBC Transfusions: Premature vs Full Term Neonates

(2016) Physiology  Dublin, Ireland

Broadening Horizons in MLS. Curricula for the 21st Century

(2014) National Determinants of Embryonic Stem Cell Policy in Fifty Countries, ISSCR Annual Meeting  St. Petersburg, FL and Vancouver, BC

The Effect of Biotechnology, Government, and Public Opinion on ESC Research Policy in Europe

(2013) World Stem Cell Summit  San Diego, CA

Mentoring MLS Students in Research, Writing, and Conference Presentations: Reap the Benefits

(2013) Curricula for the 21st Century  St. Petersburg, FL

Evaluating the Overall Process of Quality in the Clinical Laboratory

(2011) School of Nursing and Allied Health, Utah Tech University  St. George, Utah