Principal Investigator
Jack Virostko, Ph.D., MSCI
Jack Virostko is an Associate Professor of Diagnostic Medicine in the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds courtesy appointments in the LiveStrong Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, and The Oden Institute for Computational Engineering & Sciences.
Dr. Virostko is a biomedical engineer and imaging scientist. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. Following completion of his doctorate, Dr. Virostko completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science and a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation from the Vanderbilt University Medical School.
Dr. Virostko mentors junior investigators across the translational spectrum, spanning engineering and computer science through medical students. He also serves as Director of Research for the Diagnostic Radiology Residency and Associate Chair of Research for the Diagnostic Medicine department.
Research Coordinators
Ingrid Harris
Ingrid graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2020 with a B.S. in Human Biology and completed an MPH in Epidemiology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2023. She is passionate about public health and is particularly interested in the ways that data can be applied to address infectious and chronic diseases as well as health disparities. She is an Austin native and enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling in her spare time.
Research Assistants
Katherine Huang
Katherine graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2023 with a B.S.A. in Neuroscience and a Bridging Disciplines Program certificate in Patients, Practitioners, and Cultures of Health. With a love for creativity and working with her hands, she finds joy in perfecting her skills, whether it’s suturing, sketching, or serving a floater in a volleyball game. She is passionate about advocating for individuals facing complex health challenges, particularly in reproductive justice. Driven by a desire to challenge traditional boundaries and inspire change through research and advocacy, she believes that while perfection may not always be unattainable, it serves as an asymptote to ceaselessly strive toward in the pursuit of progress.
Student Researchers
Callaghan Ray
Callaghan is a third year undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin and is pre-med earring a BBA in Finance with a minor in Healthcare Innovation and Reform. She is a Medical Assistant at Austin Contact Lens Institute and volunteers at Ascension Seton Medical Center. She is from The Woodlands, Texas and her hobbies include running, reading books and trying new restaurants around Austin.
Veda Chinapuvvula
Veda Chinapuvvula is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science on the pre-med track at the University of Texas at Austin. She is interested in exploring the intersection of technology and healthcare, specifically in the way that AI/ML can advance patient care and diagnoses. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, cafe hopping, and reading!
Umair Rehman
Umair is a second year undergraduate biology student at UT Austin. His passion is to learn about human anatomy which drives him to participate in research related to the human body. Umair is analyzing the shape of the pancreas and quantifying morphological changes that accompany the development of disease. In the future, Umair hopes to go to medical school and become a doctor to fulfill his passion. Outside the academic realm, Umair enjoys watching soccer and playing esports video games.
Madeline van Heukelum
Madeline van Heukelum is a 3rd year Neuroscience major with a Kinesiology and Health Education minor at the University of Texas at Austin. She has worked with Dr. Virostko since October 2021 on research which analyzes the volume of female pancreases throughout the course of pregnancy and after birth. Her role in this research project has been to use software to measure the volume of the pancreas in each MRI scan and measure the fat fraction of the liver and the pancreatic head, body, and tail. A few of her additional involvements include being a pre-health mentor in the Global Medical Training organization and volunteering for the Ronald McDonald Charity at Dell Children’s Hospital. Outside of these involvements, she enjoys running and exploring Austin in her free time!
Tony Zhu
Tony is a first year pre-med student majoring in biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. His interests include exploring how medical imaging can be improved through data science, as well as making diagnostic care and patient literacy resources more accessible. With Dr. Virostko, Tony is currently working to analyze diffusion MRI images of the pancreas in patients with type 1 diabetes. In his free time he enjoys rock climbing at the Austin Bouldering Project and is always searching for new places to eat around Austin!
Josephine Do
Josephine Do is a sophomore majoring in Finance and on the pre-med track at The University of Texas at Austin. She is passionate about combining her background in statistical analyses with a fervent dedication to advancing healthcare in innovative ways. In the future, she plans to go to medical school. Outside of school, Josephine enjoys watching movies and hiking to waterfalls!
Shreya Suratran
Shreya Suratran is a sophomore at UT Austin, majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Entrepreneurship. She’s passionate about leveraging AI/ML technologies to make meaningful impacts on people’s lives. In her free time, she loves solving crosswords, exploring local coffee shops, and exploring nature.
Srila Palanikumar
Srila is a fourth-year pre-med student majoring in computational biology at the University of Texas at Austin. She is passionate about applying math and computer science to problems in healthcare. In Dr. Virostko’s lab, she is analyzing MRI data to study changes in the shape of the human pancreas due to type 1 diabetes. Outside of academics, she enjoys hiking and reading.
Max Allen
Max is a second-year SDS student minoring in Business. He is interested in using statistical analysis and data science for research in the healthcare sector and for the better of society. He loves reading fantasy books, watching movies, and getting better at volleyball.
Chinonye Mgboji
Chinonye is a third-year Informatics & Behavioral and Social Data Science double major pursuing a certificate in Elements of Computing. She is passionate about the intersection between data science and psychology, with an interest in leveraging human-centered data science to address cognitive and behavioral problems. Outside of academics, she likes reading, going to concerts, and finding new spots in Austin!
Shubhranshu Mishra
Shubhranshu is a junior Neuroscience major at UT Austin, with minors in Sociology and Statistics and Data Science. He is interested in using ML techniques in imaging to guide clinical decision-making. Beyond academics, he is a dedicated Dallas Mavericks fan, an avid guitar player, and enjoys discovering new restaurants with friends.