Dr. Lieberman develops analytical methods for use in low-resource settings, using paper millifluidic devices to carry out operations that are normally done in a laboratory setting.  She has many collaborators in Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Bangladesh, and other low- and middle-income countries, where the impact of simple analytical procedures on the quality of cancer care can be high. For example, a test card was created to rapidly screen the quality of chemotherapy products at the point of use; while testing this device at the main cancer clinic of the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, three batches of falsified cisplatin were uncovered. Dr. Lieberman is interested in collaborating with others who want to answer analytical questions without access to analytical lab instrumentation. She leads the Point-of-Use Platforms theme area for the Institute for Precision Health and her work was recognized in 2020 with the Reinhold Niebuhr award for social justice.

References:

• Substandard cisplatin found while screening the quality of anti-cancer drugs from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Madeline D. Smith Eberle,  Ayenew Ashenef,  Heran Gerba, Patrick Loehrer, and Marya Lieberman. Journal of Global Oncology, 2020, 6:407-413. doi: 10.1200/JGO.19.00365.
   
• Paper Analytical Device to Detect the Presence of Four Chemotherapy Drugs, Madeline Smith, Ayenew Ashenef, and Marya Lieberman, 2018, Journal of Global Oncology, 4:1-10, doe: https://doi.org/10.1200/JGO.18.00198