Dhanalakshmi Thiyagarajan, MD, MPH

Dr. Dhanalakshmi (Dhanu) Thiyagarajan (Thiyag) is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Affiliate Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan. She specializes in general obstetrics and gynecology including preventative medicine, prenatal and postpartum care, labor and delivery management, medical and surgical management of gynecology conditions, and contraception. Dr. Thiyag is passionate about ensuring her patients understand their medical care and providing them with the tools to advocate for themselves. Her research focus is on designing and clinically evaluating medical devices and simulation-based programming specifically for the goal of global women's health equity.

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Dr. Thiyag's research combines her backgrounds of biomedical engineering, clinical obstetrics and gynecology, public health, and global health together. She designs and clinically evaluates medical devices and simulation-based programming specifically for the goal of global women's health equity. Examples of her device work include a device for urine-based human papillomavirus screening for cervical cancer screening, a mechanical rate-controlled intravenous infusion pump to use without electricity, a device for vaginal insertion to accurately quantify uterine blood loss for diagnosis of postpartum hemorrhage and heavy menstrual bleeding, and a device adapting existing Doppler to monitor continuous fetal heart rate through a smartphone. Examples of her simulation work include a training program for pudendal nerve blocks for pain control during vaginal deliveries, external cephalic versions to prevent cesarean deliveries for malpresentation, hysteroscopy and gynecology laparoscopy to expand minimally invasive surgery. All these devices and simulation models are specifically designed for the low-resource setting context of use. She does work in Ghana, Rwanda, and India.

She also focuses efforts on capacity building for women in engineering and clinical research. Her experience mentoring ranges from undergraduate students to clinical residents in Ghana, Rwanda, and the USA. She is the clinical director for the Global Health Design Initiative in the School of Engineering where she helps guide students through a needs finding or deep dive assessment in Ghana as well as helping teach their subsequent Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Course and/or Independent Studies. She is also the faculty advisor for MHEAL - Team PACT and Hands on Health student organizations. She has several mentees who work with her through research experiences, internships, and as research assistants.