Dr. Cidila is an international research consultant and data scientist with deep expertise in public health, AI driven analytics, and systematic evidence synthesis. Her work complements research and strategy, helping clients, from global development agencies to health startups, turn complex data into clear, actionable insights.
Her academic foundation includes a Master’s in Clinical Research and a PhD in Health Informatics and Computer Science. Her doctoral research, published in JMIR Diabetes, applied supervised aprendizaje automático with qualitative methods to model patterns of social support in online diabetes communities. It earned the Best Poster Award at ISHIMR 2020 and showcased how technology and behavioral science can come together to inform chronic disease care. Prior to that, her master’s research on improving salud engagement among young adults with Type 1 diabetes led to NHS service changes and funding for non-invasive glucose monitors in the local community.
Professionally, she has collaborated with major institutions such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Bank Group, and the Leicester Diabetes Center, Europe’s largest diabetes research hub. Through her freelance practice, she has supported a wide range of clients with statistical modeling, machine learning integration, mixed-methods evaluations, and publication research consulting.
What drew her to this field is the power of data to tell a story that reveals patterns, highlights needs, guides informed decisions, and influences systems. Most importantly, how good research can directly lead to better health systems, policies, and even business strategy. Today, she remains driven by a commitment to transform complex data into clear, actionable information that empower organizations to make evidence-based decisions, whether in public health, international development, or AI innovation.
Interesting projects or research work:
One of the most rewarding projects Dr. Cidila led involved advising an embassy on applying design thinking to solve complex investment challenges. She conducted qualitative analysis of high level stakeholder interviews and workshops, extracting strategic insights that directly informed international development planning. Using NVivo, she developed a bespoke codebook and synthesized themes into clear, action-oriented recommendations tailored to both diplomatic and policy audiences.
What made the project exciting was the need to connect abstract thinking with real-world solutions. It demonstrated her strength in aligning research with strategic contexts, navigating cross-cultural priorities, and communicating findings at both technical and executive levels.
Key global trends in Research Consulting and Ciencia de los datos (and Freelancing):
One of the most significant trends shaping her field is the increased demand for research that directly informs strategy. Whether in public health, AI, or development, clients increasingly seek evidence that not only explains but guides action and measurable outcomes. This shift has fueled demand for researchers who can work across methods—quantitative and qualitative—and tailor information for multidisciplinary impact.
In public health, there is also a surge in digital transformation. AI tools, natural language processing, and real-time platforms are reshaping how interventions are evaluated, health behaviors are understood, and communities are engaged. She has adapted by integrating machine learning and data science into her research workflows, particularly in chronic disease and digital health.
On the freelancing side, the pandemic accelerated a lasting shift. Clients now seek flexible, remote experts with domain knowledge and cross-functional skills. The boundaries between research, policy, and strategic consulting are blurring, and clients want partners who can collaborate quickly, deliver independently, and communicate effectively across disciplines and time zones. This aligns perfectly with her freelance consulting style, which is agile, data-driven, and impact-oriented.
The freelancing landscape has evolved too. Post-pandemic, there is a strong preference for agile consultants who can operate independently, deliver high-quality outputs remotely, and translate findings across sectors. Her practice has grown along with these shifts, which include blending domain expertise with strategic thinking and delivering insights that travel well between contexts.
Recent Publication: Social Support in a Diabetes Online Community: Mixed Methods Content Analysis
Link
This peer-reviewed study presents the first phase of her PhD research, combining qualitative and statistical analysis to classify types of social support in online diabetes communities. It revealed how support needs vary by disease stage and laid the foundation for supervised machine learning applications in digital health. The study was recognized with the Best Poster Award at ISHIMR 2020 and exemplifies her hybrid expertise in health informatics and patient-centered analytics.
Projects on Kolabtree
Kolabtree Project: Identification of the Most Impactful Theories of Expertise: Systematic Review
This project involved the conduction of a literature search to help identify and rank the most impactful and widely accepted theories of expertise between disciplines such as psychology, education, healthcare, and inteligencia artificial. Dr. Cidila developed and applied an evaluation framework that combined bibliometric analysis with weighted scoring across different criteria. This work demonstrates her expertise in systematic research synthesis, quantitative analysis, and interdisciplinary thinking, and contributes a replicable methodology for evaluating the real-world influence and academic relevance of theoretical frameworks. The outcome supports researchers, educators, and decision-makers in prioritizing the most enduring and widely applied models of expertise.
Kolabtree Project: Clinical Research Strategist for Early Stage Biotech Marketplace Startup
As a Clinical Research Strategist for an early-stage biotech marketplace startup, she supported the strategic development of a platform designed to facilitate collaborative research across institutions. She conducted market research to identify main trends and pain points in clinical research collaboration and advised on matching algorithms to connect researchers based on expertise and project needs. She also helped shape the platform’s go-to-market strategy to ensure its features complemented the practical demands of both the biotech industry and academic stakeholders. This project demonstrated her ability to combine public health research expertise with strategic consulting in tech innovation contexts. It highlighted her strength in working between disciplines—including clinical research, AI, and startup development—and contributed to positioning the startup for potential investor engagement and future platform launch.
Kolabtree Project: Clínica Análisis de datos in Critical Care Research
She conducted the statistical analysis for a clinical research project examining infection risk and patient outcomes in a high-risk intensive care population. Her role involved cleaning and analyzing retrospective cohort data, applying advanced statistical techniques, and integrating clinical severity scoring systems to uncover meaningful patterns. She supported the research team by delivering publication-ready outputs and clear interpretations to guide evidence-based decision-making.
This project highlights her ability to complement clinical insight with statistical modeling in complex healthcare settings. It demonstrates her expertise in working with real-world patient data, translating analytical findings into actionable insights, and contributing to impactful medical research through a data-driven lens.
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