Research News

Amanda Ifft, a PhD candidate in clinical chemistry at Cleveland State University, first discovered the power of public policy as a lab technician in microbiology and transfusion medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working amid emergency lab-developed testing and rapidly shifting pathology lab guidelines, she was able to see how scientists can shape public policy and in turn, how policy can better research. 

Today, Ifft looks to affect this type of change in and outside of the lab. In the lab of Sarah Schumacher Bass, PhD, she investigates how high-fat diets affect heart failure, with an emphasis on sex-based differences. 

“Women and other groups have historically been excluded from cardiovascular studies,” Ifft explains. “I want to change that, to make sure those people are seen and treated equally.” 

Encouraged by Dr. Schumacher Bass, Ifft applied and was accepted to the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Washington Fellows Program in 2024. There, she learned how science moves through government, as well as how to communicate with policymakers and advocate for research funding. Through this program, Ifft had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Ohio and Michigan at Capitol Hill, advocating for continued National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding of $53 billion in October 2025. 

“The program taught me how to interact with everyone on the Hill, from staffers to senior members,” Ifft says. “It demystified the process and showed me where scientists can add value.” 

When she returned home, Ifft had a new vision. She wanted to start at the local level, build trust, collect better data and design policy informed by evidence. Ifft contacted Cleveland City Council and connected with research policy analyst Ibukun Ode-Martins. She proposed using community development block grants to fund health data collection and outreach. She hoped a small percentage of the funds could be used to gather demographic information and pilot mobile health clinics in neighborhoods most affected by heart failure. The plan would provide care and education for the community, while collecting de-identified data to inform research and guide public decisions.

“It’s about building trust and meeting people where they are,” Ifft says. “When communities see you show up, consistently and respectfully, they’re more willing to engage. That’s how better data starts.”

Ifft recently received the Dr. Sylvain Brunet Award for Outstanding Accomplishment by a Junior Graduate Student during the 2025 Cleveland Clinic Research Awards for Excellence. Since returning from ASPET, she has been asked to share her experience with fellow students and encourages them to see advocacy as part of their scientific toolkit. Ifft credits Cleveland Clinic’s collaborative ecosystem with making her path possible. She speaks highly of her mentor’s supportive approach and the unique advantages offered by working hand in hand with clinicians.

“Dr. Schumacher Bass comes to the lab every day to touch base and gives us the opportunity to ask questions,” Ifft explains. “Having that type of mentor and being in that kind of environment lets creativity flourish, which is essential for both research and public engagement.”