Bio

Cyan is an MD, MPH, interested in health innovation and sustainability. She completed her medical training in South Africa and her master's in public health through King's College London. Her research focuses on the intersection of health equity, innovation, and health outcomes. She is an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity. She is currently the health equity lead at Stanford Biodesign. She is responsible for creating content and updating the curriculum, events, and research on innovations that catalyze broader access and inclusivity.

Honors & Awards

  • Global Health Postdoctoral Affiliate, Centre for global health innovation (25 October 2022)

Stanford Advisors

Contact

  • Academic
    cyanb@stanford.edu
    University - Scholar Department: Bioengineering Position: Postdoctoral Scholar

Additional Info

2023-24 Courses

All Publications

  • Using the Stanford Biodesign framework to develop frugal surgical innovations. Tropical doctor Brown, C., Sharma, D., Cotton, M. 2024: 494755241271573

    View details for DOI 10.1177/00494755241271573

    View details for PubMedID 39113625

  • Development of an in vitro ventricular shunt material testing model and utility of PEG as antifouling coating. Journal of neurosurgery. Pediatrics Prindeze, N. J., Szeto, S. G., Glaser, N., Brown, C. B., Azagury, D. E., Maher, C. O. 2024: 1-5

    Abstract

    CSF shunts, most commonly the ventriculoperitoneal shunt, remain a first and last line of management for children and adults with hydrocephalus. However, the failure rates of these shunts are extremely high, leaving many patients with the need for revision surgical procedures. The objective of this study was to develop a model to assess the efficacy of a nonfouling ventricular catheter. A second objective was to test polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an antifouling coating.Microglial cells were grown on medical-grade catheter silicone with biofouling simulated by collagen incubation over a range of concentrations from 31 to 103 µg/ml and durations from 2 to 18 hours. After ideal fouling conditions were identified, catheter silicone was then coated with PEG as an antifouling surface, and cell growth on this surface was compared to that on uncoated standard catheter silicone.Collagen biofouling increased cell growth on silicone surfaces with an ideal concentration of 69 µg/ml and incubation of 6 hours. PEG coating of silicone catheter material yielded 70-fold lower cell growth (p < 0.0001), whereas collagen-fouled PEG-coated silicone yielded 157-fold lower cell growth (p < 0.0001).Catheter coating significantly reduced cell growth, particularly in the setting of biofouling. The application of antifouling surfaces to ventricular shunts shows considerable promise for improving efficacy.

    View details for DOI 10.3171/2024.2.PEDS23456

    View details for PubMedID 38669702

  • Environmental sustainability in healthcare systems: role of frugal innovation. BMJ (Clinical research ed.) Brown, C., Bhatti, Y., Harris, M. 2023; 383: e076381

    View details for DOI 10.1136/bmj-2023-076381

    View details for PubMedID 37783474

  • Systematic literature review of the barriers and facilitators of frugal innovation for surgical care in low-income and middle-income countries BMJ INNOVATIONS Brown, C., McDermott, L. 2023

    View details for DOI 10.1136/bmjinnov-2022-001066

    View details for Web of Science ID 001051979200001

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7162-7623