diff --git a/src/Utils.hpp b/src/Utils.hpp
index 28482c45..5e401d3c 100644
--- a/src/Utils.hpp
+++ b/src/Utils.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+#pragma once
+
 #include <chrono>
 #include <ctime>
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <boost/date_time.hpp>
 #include <boost/uuid/uuid.hpp>
@@ -12,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "io/BaseIO.hpp"
 #include "io/hdf5/HDF5IO.hpp"
 
+
 namespace AQNWB
 {
 /**
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ inline std::shared_ptr<IO::BaseIO> createIO(const std::string& type,
                                             const std::string& filename)
 {
   if (type == "HDF5") {
-    return std::make_shared<IO::HDF5::HDF5IO>(filename);
+    return std::make_shared<AQNWB::IO::HDF5::HDF5IO>(filename);
   } else {
     throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid IO type");
   }
@@ -92,4 +96,5 @@ inline std::unique_ptr<int16_t[]> transformToInt16(SizeType numSamples,
 
   return intData;
 }
+
 }  // namespace AQNWB
diff --git a/src/io/ReadIO.hpp b/src/io/ReadIO.hpp
index 5ecac8bb..15ea8312 100644
--- a/src/io/ReadIO.hpp
+++ b/src/io/ReadIO.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "Types.hpp"
 
+
 using StorageObjectType = AQNWB::Types::StorageObjectType;
 using SizeType = AQNWB::Types::SizeType;
 
@@ -52,6 +53,19 @@ class DataBlockGeneric
    * correct type.
    */
   std::type_index typeIndex = typeid(void);
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Default constructor
+   */
+  DataBlockGeneric() = default;
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Parameterized constructor
+   */
+  DataBlockGeneric(const std::any& data, const std::vector<SizeType>& shape, const std::type_index& typeIndex)
+      : data(data), shape(shape), typeIndex(typeIndex)
+  {
+  }
 };
 
 /**
@@ -78,7 +92,9 @@ class DataBlock
    */
   const std::type_index typeIndex = typeid(DTYPE);
 
-  /// Constructor
+  /**
+   * Constructor
+   */
   DataBlock(const std::vector<DTYPE>& data, const std::vector<SizeType>& shape)
       : data(data)
       , shape(shape)
@@ -146,7 +162,7 @@ class DataBlock
  * AQNWB::Types::StorageObjectType
  * @tparam VTYPE The data type of the values stored in the data object
  */
-template<StorageObjectType OTYPE, typename VTYPE>
+template<StorageObjectType OTYPE, typename VTYPE = std::any>
 class ReadDataWrapper
 {
   // Embedded traits for compile time checking of allowed OTYPE for the class
@@ -199,8 +215,12 @@ class ReadDataWrapper
 public:
   /**
    * @brief Default constructor.
+   *
+   * @param io The IO object to use for reading
+   * @param dataPath The path to the attribute or dataset to read
    */
-  ReadDataWrapper(const std::shared_ptr<IO::BaseIO> io, std::string dataPath)
+  ReadDataWrapper(const std::shared_ptr<IO::BaseIO> io,
+                  const std::string& dataPath)
       : io(io)
       , dataPath(dataPath)
   {