Research Interests
Quality of life in solid organ transplant recipients; liver transplant recipients; physiological and psychosocial variables that influence quality of life (e.g., physical frailty and cognitive function); self-management; intervention development.
Overview
Dr. Dami Ko’s program of research is dedicated to advancing health outcomes among the solid organ transplant population. Informed by her extensive clinical experience with solid organ transplant recipients, her focus lies in optimizing post-transplant survivorship experience, particularly among liver transplant recipients.
She has investigated strategies to improve post-transplant care and identify factors associated with post-transplant quality of life, such as cognition, in solid organ transplant populations. Her expertise includes quantitative research and survey methodology which is complemented by her experience in qualitative and mixed-method research.
Her studies were funded by internal and external sources, including Northeastern University and the International Transplant Nurses Society, and published in esteemed transplant journals, including Liver Transplantation and Transplant International.
Publications
Ko, D., Dierker, J., Stouff, R., Senier, L. (2023) Telehealth Experience among Liver and Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Mixed Methods Study. Transplant International. 36, 11819. doi: 10.3389/ti.2023.11819.
Ko, D., Ridner, S., Gifford, K. (2023). Subjective Cognition Is Related to Patient-Reported Symptom Distress and Work Productivity among Liver Transplant Recipients. Transplant International. 36, 10863. doi: 10.3389/ti.2023.10863.
Ko, D., Dietrick M., Gifford, K., & Ridner, S. (2021). Subjective Cognition Reported by Caregivers Is Correlated with Objective Cognition in Liver Transplant Recipients. Liver Transplantation. 28(2), 269-79. doi: 10.1002/lt.26213.
Ko, D., & Bratzke, L. C. (2020). Cognitive Function in Liver Transplant Recipients Who Survived More Than 6 Months. Progress in Transplantation. 30(4),335-341. doi: 10.1177/1526924820958144.
Ko, D., Bratzke, L. C., Muehrer, R.J., & Brown, R. (2019). Self-management in liver transplant recipients. Applied Nursing Research, 45, 30-38. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2018.11.002.
Funding
Principal Investigator. Mentored Award: Physical Frailty Complicated with Cognitive Impairment in Liver Transplant Recipients. TIER 1: Seed Grant/Proof of Concept Program. Northeastern University. 2020-2021. Total award $45,650.
Principal Investigator. Telehealth Services to Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in Response to COVID-19. COVID-19 Crisis Seed Funding. Northeastern University. 2020-2021. Total award $15,000.
Principal Investigator. Socioeconomic Inequities in Health among Urban Liver Transplant Recipients. Advancing Health Equity Pilot Project Awards. Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research. Northeastern University. 2020-2021. Total award $4,960.
Principal Investigator. Associations of objective and subjective cognitive function with symptom experience, healthcare utilization, and work productivity in liver transplant recipients. Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Pilot Funding. Vanderbilt University. 2019. Total award: $2,000.
Principal Investigator. Self-management of Liver Transplant Recipients. 2016 Eckburg Fund Research Award. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2016-2017. Total award $2,800.
Principal Investigator. Self-management of Liver Transplant Recipients. 2016 Research Grant. International Transplant Nurses Society. 2016-2017. Total award $2,424.
Principal Investigator. Self-management of Liver Transplant Recipients. Beta Eta Scholarship Award. Sigma Theta Tau Beta Eta-at-Large Chapter. 2016-2017. Total award $1,000.
Affiliations
Faculty Scholar, Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, Northeastern University
Courses Taught
NRSG 7105 Translating Research Evidence into Practice
NRSG 5220 Introduction to Research Methods for the Healthcare Provider
