Seminar Series: Ritika Chaturvedi, PhD

Ritika Chaturvedi, PhD, an engineer at RAND, has a diverse background in engineering, science and technology policy, asset valuation, strategic consulting, and translational biomedical research. Chaturvedi is interested in S&T questions regarding the broad effects of emerging disruptive technologies in life sciences and healthcare (e.g., AI, CRISPR, regenerative medicine, large-scale data, Internet of Things, etc.) on society (e.g., scientific/economic impact, labor market implications, reimbursement considerations, hospital quality metrics and day-to-day workflows). Currently she is focusing her research on (i) the lifetime health, social, and public finance effects of precision medicine on various chronic diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease; (ii) the utility of large-scale, person-generated health data for precision public health; and (iii) the impact of telemedicine on health services. She has also worked on biodefense and biosecurity questions related to new biotechnologies.

Prior to joining RAND, she was a consultant in the commercial life sciences sector, applying systems-engineering methods to strategize optimal market penetration of pharmaceutical and biotechnological assets. Chaturvedi's dissertation work focused on studying how organizing endothelial cells into defined networks within engineered tissue leads to the formation of templated, functional blood vessels that are connected to the host vasculature upon implantation. She also worked at the Science and Technology Policy Institute with NCI leadership on the Clinical Trials Working Group initiatives. There, she had a strong interest in innovation and competitiveness, and led the 5-year process evaluation of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award.

Chaturvedi earned a PhD in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.