RUMANA (RU) RASHID
MD/PhD Candidate
Oncology AI Researcher
Biotech Investor
Healthcare Innovator
Leveraging clinical medicine, AI research, and venture capital to drive innovations that transform healthcare.
12+ Specialties
h-index: 10
15+ Publications
From the bedside to the bench to the boardroom,
I bridge three worlds to transform healthcare.
As a clinician
I see patients' unmet needs.
As a scientist
I develop AI solutions.
As an investor
I identify innovations that scale.
As a clinician
I see patients' unmet needs.
As a scientist
I develop AI solutions.
As an investor
I identify innovations that scale.
This unique vantage point allows me to evaluate
not just what's scientifically possible,
but what's clinically necessary
and commercially viable.
Impact by the Numbers
Clinical Impact
Patients
Specialties
Years Training
Research Impact
Publications
Citations
h-index
Investment Impact
Allocated
Companies Evaluated
Investments
Innovation Impact
AI Model AUC
Funding
Tumors
Skills & Expertise
Clinical Medicine
1,000+ patients across 12+ specialties • UPMC clinical rotations
Research & Technology
Computational skills, laboratory expertise, and AI/ML proficiency
Computational Skills
Programming Languages
ML/AI
Infrastructure
Laboratory Skills
Imaging Modalities
Molecular Biology
Platforms
Biological Focus Areas
Business & Investment
Venture capital experience and strategic analysis capabilities
Due Diligence
Financial Analysis
Strategy
My Journey
A decade of innovation across medicine, research, and venture capital
Education
Research
Venture Capital
BS, University of Virginia
Biomedical Engineering
Completed senior research thesis on designing antibody drug conjugates for oncology. Gained foundational expertise in biomolecular engineering, cancer therapeutics, and drug delivery systems. Developed strong analytical and laboratory skills that would later inform AI-driven biomarker discovery work.
Craniopharyngioma Tumor Profiling
Harvard Medical School - Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
Led CyCIF-based profiling of the tumor-immune microenvironment in craniopharyngioma, a rare pediatric brain tumor. Mapped spatial distribution of immune cell populations and their interactions with tumor cells, directly informing the design of an IND-enabling PD-1 clinical trial. Research provided critical biomarker data supporting immunotherapy approach for this challenging pediatric malignancy.
MS, Harvard University
Biomedical Informatics - Department of Biomedical Informatics
Graduated with highest honors from Harvard Medical School's Master of Science program in Biomedical Informatics. Thesis focused on computational methods for analyzing high-dimensional tissue imaging data. Recognized with the Outstanding Master's Student Award for academic excellence and research contributions.
Minerva Viewer Platform
Harvard Medical School - Open Source Software Development
Led development of Minerva, an interactive web-based viewer for exploring large-scale tissue imaging datasets. Adopted as the official visualization tool for the National Cancer Institute's Human Tumor Atlas Network, enabling researchers worldwide to interactively explore multi-scale tissue images.
MD/PhD Program Start
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Matriculated into the highly selective Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), one of 13 students at Pitt to receive the prestigious NIH T32 training grant. Dual program combining clinical training in medicine with doctoral research in computational biology and artificial intelligence applications in oncology.
Harvard iLabs Incubator
Startup Founder - Clinical Trial Innovation
Founded a startup venture focused on innovating clinical trial design through the Harvard iLabs Venture Incubation Program. Developed novel approaches to improve patient recruitment, trial efficiency, and data collection methodologies. Participated in intensive entrepreneurship training, pitch competitions, and investor networking within Harvard's innovation ecosystem.
National Mesothelioma Virtual Biobank
Precision Oncology Infrastructure Development
Designed national biobank and patient registries for rare tumors, advancing precision oncology infrastructure for underserved cancer populations. Developed data management systems, standard operating procedures, and collaborative frameworks enabling researchers nationwide to access high-quality biospecimens and clinical data. Initiative positioned to accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic development for mesothelioma and other rare malignancies.
Nextech Invest Fellowship
Healthcare Venture Capital - Investment Analysis
Selected for competitive VC fellowship focused on healthcare technology investments. Conducted comprehensive due diligence on 30+ early-stage startups across diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health sectors. Contributed to investment decisions allocating $129M in capital across portfolio companies.
REPAIR AI Framework Development
University of Pittsburgh & Harvard Medical School
Developed REPAIR, a novel AI framework integrating spatial proteomics, DNA damage biomarkers, and machine learning to predict glioblastoma treatment response. Designed 29-marker multiplexed imaging panel capturing DNA damage repair pathway activation across tumor microenvironments.
Ariel Precision Medicine
Fundraising Strategy - Clinical Stage Oncology Startup
Supported company-side fundraising at Ariel Precision Medicine, a clinical stage oncology drug startup developing novel therapeutic candidates. Built comprehensive investor pitch decks, refined value propositions, and defined VC outreach strategy to position the company for Series A funding. Reported directly to CEO on fundraising initiatives and investor relations.
MDM2i Clinical Trial Analysis
Translational Biomarker Research - Phase 0 Trial
Led pharmacodynamic biomarker analysis in a first-in-human Phase 0 clinical trial of an MDM2 inhibitor in glioblastoma. Developed tissue-based assays to measure target engagement and pathway modulation in patient tumor samples. Analysis provided critical proof-of-mechanism data supporting advancement to efficacy trials, demonstrating on-target pharmacologic effects in human brain tumors.
MD+ Director of Venture Capital
Board Leadership - Nonprofit Empowering Physician Innovators
Served as Director of Venture Capital on the Board of MD+, a nonprofit empowering physician innovators to translate clinical insights into impactful ventures. Built VC partnerships, organized panels with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), and supervised teams developing investment theses in diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health. Mentored physician-entrepreneurs in startup evaluation and fundraising strategies.
PhD Completed
Biomedical Informatics - University of Pittsburgh
Successfully defended doctoral dissertation on "Characterizing Replication Stress in Glioblastoma." Nominated for AMIA Shortliffe Doctoral Dissertation Award. Published multiple first author papers.
REPAIR Multi-Cohort Validation
Clinical Translation Studies
Completed rigorous validation of REPAIR AI model across 350+ glioblastoma patient samples from multiple independent cohorts. Achieved exceptional performance with AUC of 0.94 for predicting treatment response, demonstrating robust generalizability across diverse patient populations and clinical settings. Results positioned REPAIR for clinical translation.
MD Completed
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Completed core clerkships and electives across 12+ specialties including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, neurology, psychiatry, OB/GYN, urology, emergency medicine, ENT, ophthalmology, and oncology at UPMC hospitals. Performed interviews, physical exams, procedures, and EHR documentation; contributed to diagnosis and management of 1000+ patients across diverse clinical contexts. Completed foundational science training and 4–8-week clinical rotations.
Companion Diagnostic Development
Clinical Translation & Commercialization
Advanced REPAIR framework toward companion diagnostic for glioblastoma therapy selection. Collaborating with industry partners to establish clinical-grade assay protocols, regulatory pathways, and commercialization strategies to bring AI-driven precision medicine tools to neurosurgical oncology practice.
BS, University of Virginia
Biomedical Engineering
Completed senior research thesis on designing antibody drug conjugates for oncology. Gained foundational expertise in biomolecular engineering, cancer therapeutics, and drug delivery systems. Developed strong analytical and laboratory skills that would later inform AI-driven biomarker discovery work.
Craniopharyngioma Tumor Profiling
Harvard Medical School - Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
Led CyCIF-based profiling of the tumor-immune microenvironment in craniopharyngioma, a rare pediatric brain tumor. Mapped spatial distribution of immune cell populations and their interactions with tumor cells, directly informing the design of an IND-enabling PD-1 clinical trial. Research provided critical biomarker data supporting immunotherapy approach for this challenging pediatric malignancy.
CyCIF Technology
Harvard Medical School - Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology
Co-developed the Cyclic Immunofluorescence (CyCIF) platform, a breakthrough high-plex imaging technology enabling simultaneous visualization of 60+ protein markers in tissue samples. Pioneered methods for spatial tissue analysis that became foundational for the Human Tumor Atlas Network.
MS, Harvard University
Biomedical Informatics - Department of Biomedical Informatics
Graduated with highest honors from Harvard Medical School's Master of Science program in Biomedical Informatics. Thesis focused on computational methods for analyzing high-dimensional tissue imaging data. Recognized with the Outstanding Master's Student Award for academic excellence and research contributions.
Minerva Viewer Platform
Harvard Medical School - Open Source Software Development
Led development of Minerva, an interactive web-based viewer for exploring large-scale tissue imaging datasets. Adopted as the official visualization tool for the National Cancer Institute's Human Tumor Atlas Network, enabling researchers worldwide to interactively explore multi-scale tissue images.
MD/PhD Program Start
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Matriculated into the highly selective Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), one of 13 students at Pitt to receive the prestigious NIH T32 training grant. Dual program combining clinical training in medicine with doctoral research in computational biology and artificial intelligence applications in oncology.
Harvard iLabs Incubator
Startup Founder - Clinical Trial Innovation
Founded a startup venture focused on innovating clinical trial design through the Harvard iLabs Venture Incubation Program. Developed novel approaches to improve patient recruitment, trial efficiency, and data collection methodologies. Participated in intensive entrepreneurship training, pitch competitions, and investor networking within Harvard's innovation ecosystem.
Nextech Invest Fellowship
Healthcare Venture Capital - Investment Analysis
Selected for competitive VC fellowship focused on healthcare technology investments. Conducted comprehensive due diligence on 30+ early-stage startups across diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health sectors. Contributed to investment decisions allocating $129M in capital across portfolio companies.
MD+ Director of Venture Capital
Board Member - Student Investment Organization
Appointed to leadership position overseeing venture capital initiatives for University of Pittsburgh's premier student investment organization. Established partnerships with regional VC firms, developed healthcare investment theses, and mentored students in startup evaluation and deal sourcing strategies.
National Mesothelioma Virtual Biobank
Precision Oncology Infrastructure Development
Designed national biobank and patient registries for rare tumors, advancing precision oncology infrastructure for underserved cancer populations. Developed data management systems, standard operating procedures, and collaborative frameworks enabling researchers nationwide to access high-quality biospecimens and clinical data. Initiative positioned to accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic development for mesothelioma and other rare malignancies.
Ariel Precision Medicine
Fundraising Strategy - Clinical Stage Oncology Startup
Supported company-side fundraising at Ariel Precision Medicine, a clinical stage oncology drug startup developing novel therapeutic candidates. Built comprehensive investor pitch decks, refined value propositions, and defined VC outreach strategy to position the company for Series A funding. Reported directly to CEO on fundraising initiatives and investor relations.
REPAIR AI Framework Development
University of Pittsburgh & Harvard Medical School
Developed REPAIR, a novel AI framework integrating spatial proteomics, DNA damage biomarkers, and machine learning to predict glioblastoma treatment response. Designed 29-marker multiplexed imaging panel capturing DNA damage repair pathway activation across tumor microenvironments.
MD+ Director of Venture Capital
Board Leadership - Nonprofit Empowering Physician Innovators
Served as Director of Venture Capital on the Board of MD+, a nonprofit empowering physician innovators to translate clinical insights into impactful ventures. Built VC partnerships, organized panels with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), and supervised teams developing investment theses in diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health. Mentored physician-entrepreneurs in startup evaluation and fundraising strategies.
Dubai Future District Fund
Healthcare Investment Strategy - MENA Region
Consulted for Dubai Future District Fund to develop comprehensive healthcare investment strategy targeting innovation across the Middle East and North Africa region. Analyzed regional market dynamics, regulatory landscapes, and emerging opportunities in precision medicine, digital health, and healthcare infrastructure.
MDM2i Clinical Trial Analysis
Translational Biomarker Research - Phase 0 Trial
Led pharmacodynamic biomarker analysis in a first-in-human Phase 0 clinical trial of an MDM2 inhibitor in glioblastoma. Developed tissue-based assays to measure target engagement and pathway modulation in patient tumor samples. Analysis provided critical proof-of-mechanism data supporting advancement to efficacy trials, demonstrating on-target pharmacologic effects in human brain tumors.
PhD Completed
Biomedical Informatics - University of Pittsburgh
Successfully defended doctoral dissertation on "Characterizing Replication Stress in Glioblastoma." Nominated for AMIA Shortliffe Doctoral Dissertation Award. Published multiple first author papers.
REPAIR Multi-Cohort Validation
Clinical Translation Studies
Completed rigorous validation of REPAIR AI model across 350+ glioblastoma patient samples from multiple independent cohorts. Achieved exceptional performance with AUC of 0.94 for predicting treatment response, demonstrating robust generalizability across diverse patient populations and clinical settings. Results positioned REPAIR for clinical translation.
MD Completed
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Completed core clerkships and electives across 12+ specialties including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, neurology, psychiatry, OB/GYN, urology, emergency medicine, ENT, ophthalmology, and oncology at UPMC hospitals. Performed interviews, physical exams, procedures, and EHR documentation; contributed to diagnosis and management of 1000+ patients across diverse clinical contexts. Completed foundational science training and 4–8-week clinical rotations.
Companion Diagnostic Development
Clinical Translation & Commercialization
Advanced REPAIR framework toward companion diagnostic for glioblastoma therapy selection. Collaborating with industry partners to establish clinical-grade assay protocols, regulatory pathways, and commercialization strategies to bring AI-driven precision medicine tools to neurosurgical oncology practice.