Adela Grando

Dr. Grando's main research interest is the design and use of Information Technology for Patient Empowerment in Healthcare.

Research Projects

• SHARES: Substance use HeAlth REcord Sharing  (NIDA, 2023-2027) The focus is to elucidate substance use disorder (SUD) data sharing challenges and the feasibility of automated data segmentation to improve data interoperability and health care for those with SUD.
• Southwest Safety Net Embedded Scientist Training and Research (SSNE-STaR) Center (AHRQ, 2024-2028) Our goal is to help improve the health equity of Native American, Hispanic, homeless and refugees by strengthening the capacity of our partner safety net healthcare organizations. We aim to generate evidence that informs practice for better health outcomes.
• NIDA Southwest Clinical Trials Node: clinical research and practice to address substance use in diverse, rural and underserved populations (NIDA, 2025-2032) This award renews the Southwest Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN). The Southwest CTN will: i) facilitate implementation of clinical trials aimed at prevention and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD;) ii) initiate and lead new trials; and iii) disseminate evidence and best practices for prevention and care of SUD.
• The Evidence-Based User Interface for Effective Weight Management (A. J. and Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust, 2025-20226). The goal is to velop a patient-centered platform that uses the information of continuous ketone monitoring and a food/exercise tracking mobile app in patients to provide feedback on habits that promote effective adipose tissue loss.

Selected Previous Projects 

• Machine Learning Design to Predict and Manage Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes (Mayo and ASU, 2023-2024) In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Arizona, Department of Endocrinology, the goal was to use mobile and wearable data to predict type 1 diabetes outcomes
• Blockchain Applied Project Research Lab (AZ Blockchain applied Research Center, 2020-2023) The ASU Blockchain Research Lab's mission was to advance the research and development of blockchain-based technologies. The goal was to partner with industry leaders to solve real-world problems. Some of those are in the scope of healthcare.
• My Data Choices, Evaluation of Effective Consent Strategies for Patients with Behavioral Health Conditions (NIMH, 2016-2022) The project aimed to: (1) Elicit patient, surrogate and provider perspectives on granular data control, (2) . Design educational material to inform patients and providers about the consequences of sharing/not sharing data, (3) Deploy and pilot test an informed consent management tool that supports granular patient-driven data control, and (4) Understand the ethical, clinical, policy and regulatory implications of implementing granular data control choices
• ROOT- Registry of Operations and Tasks (Mayo Clinic, 2016-2019) Before and after the Mayo Clinic underwent an enterprise-wide conversion to a common EHR, the aims of this project was to capture and document high quality snapshots of EHR workflows, with a focus on surgical workflows at Arizona, Florida and Rochester locations.
• Data-driven behavioral-change education interventions to improve type 1 diabetes treatment adherence  (ASU-Mayo Accelerator grant, 2018) Read Mayo Clinic News, watch ABC15 News and PBS Arizona News. The project aimed to assess patient-specific barriers to optimal self-management control from data collected by patient's devices: iDECIDE self-management tracking mobile app, insulin pump and glucose monitor. The study conducted individualized education interventions that targeted patient's adherence barriers and evaluate their effectiveness in blood glucose control. 
• Patient-centered decision support based on device data (IDECIDE) (NLM, 2014-2016). The goal was designed and pilot test a smartphone app, called iDECIDE, to help individuals with type 2 diabetes to better control their glucose. This was a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, Arizona.