🎓 Education
Pooja holds a Master’s degree from Stanford University in Health Research and Policy, where she explored associations between HLA genotypes and squamous cell carcinoma. She completed her medical training at Johns Hopkins, conducting research in plastic and reconstructive surgery, health services, and biomedical engineering. She also pursued early research at Rice University in metabolic engineering and at the Methodist Research Institute in nanomedicine. Her interdisciplinary education has enabled her to integrate bioengineering, clinical practice, and healthcare innovation.
💼 Experience
Pooja has extensive experience in regulatory affairs, clinical research, and med-tech innovation. She is a regulatory affairs consultant at Rare Moon Consulting, supporting orphan drug approvals. She co-founded Cerviscope, a startup integrating AI and mobile microscopy for cervical cancer screening. She has held leadership roles in multiple health-tech startups, including Corrie for STEMI patient management and Cubix for lung cancer screening. Her research experience spans Stanford and Johns Hopkins, focusing on outcomes research in lymphedema, craniofacial trauma, breast reconstruction, and cost-effectiveness in migraine and nipple reconstruction surgeries.
🏆 Awards and Honors
Pooja has received numerous accolades for her contributions to medical research and innovation, including the 2018 Stanford TreeHacks Illumina Prize, 2020 Johns Hopkins Engineering Design Competition (2nd Place), 2020 Johns Hopkins Bisciotti Prize (Finalist), and the 2020 VentureWell Grant. She has also received funding and recognition for her work in surgical research, healthcare innovation, and device development, demonstrating excellence in bridging engineering and medicine.
🔬 Research Focus
Pooja’s research spans plastic and reconstructive surgery, translational medicine, and health services research. Her key projects include clinical and preclinical trials of ViOptix Intra.Ox for surgical monitoring, investigating BIA-ALCL and silicone-induced fibrosis, and analyzing healthcare policy impacts on surgical procedures. She also explores cost-effectiveness in reconstructive surgery, patient-surgeon communication in oncology, and AI-driven diagnostics. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates bioengineering, surgery, and policy research to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
🔹 Conclusion
Pooja S. Yesantharao is a highly qualified candidate for the Best Researcher Award, given her strong research background, innovative contributions to medical technology, and leadership in plastic surgery and health services research. Strengthening her publication impact and grant leadership could further solidify her standing.