Donna Ohnmeiss does research to develop better spinal diagnostic and treatment modalities at the non-profit Institute for Spinal and Biomedical Research in Plano, Texas. The Institute, which employs about 15 people, obtains funding from hospitals, companies, and foundations. Donna joined the Institute in 1986 and enjoys doing research in an area she feels can "make a difference". There is some freedom to pick and choose projects to work on since there are many groups who want to work with them to test treatments and products. Some of the projects involve working with surgeons at nearby hospitals and with the Texas Back Institute, while other projects come from companies that need to have new products tested. The Institute has a strong education component, so members are encouraged to publish and present results.
She was recently a principal investigator on a project using electronic spinal cord stimulation in an effort to reduce chronic intractable leg pain. Electric leads were placed over the spinal cord to block signals in the nervous system and thus reduce pain. As principal investigator she helped design the clinical tests, collect data, analyze the findings, and write up the results, which will be published this summer.
Donna enjoys the combination of setting up a good clinical study and working with the patients. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Medical Science at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. This degree is a research training program that focuses on setting up research projects and publishing results. It is also an opportunity to observe the different attitude toward health care found in Sweden.
After obtaining a B.S. in both mathematics and business administration from Tarleton State University, Donna obtained a M.S. in mathematics from University of North Texas. She believes her mathematics background trained her well for the statistical work in her job and helps her in the organization needed to put together a project. She found the position at the Institute by responding to an announcement posted in the mathematics department. She talked to a Finnish Fellow at the Institute and was impressed. She felt it was a job that could have a lot of impact. Her advice to students is to not be afraid to venture off into something new. If there is an interest in something, look for places where people are doing something similar and go visit them to learn more about their work environment.
