Hi, I’m Samarth.
I’m a junior (third-year) student studying Biological Sciences in Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences, with early acceptance to Drexel’s College of Medicine through the BA/BS+MD program in Philadelphia, PA.
I’m interested in how we make sense of complicated things—from clinical data to the way we spend our days. Lately, that’s meant research in medical AI, student government, and a lot of exploring Philadelphia.
Outside science, I’m into photography, videography, public speaking, and finding little ways to make everyday life work better.
More about me
Behind a camera. I’ve loved photography and videography since I was a kid. There’s something about noticing a moment, framing it, and deciding how to tell its story that’s always pulled me in. Making images gives me a different way to pay attention—one that doesn’t need a research question or a right answer.
Figuring out my days. I spend a lot of time exploring productivity: trying Pomodoro sessions, reading books, changing how I plan my work, and seeing what actually sticks. I’m just as interested in the environment around the work. A better desk layout or a more comfortable setup can make sitting down to do something feel a little easier. I like experimenting with those small changes and finding a rhythm I can actually live with. As a New Year’s resolution this year, I made a habit tracker where I journal and record my habits every day—a small way to reflect on how I’m actually spending my time.
Always listening. Music has been part of my life since I was five. I played piano and saxophone from elementary school through high school, performed at Carnegie Hall, and used to sing Carnatic music, too. These days, my listening goes everywhere—from rap to jazz to Indian music. I love moving between different sounds and styles; there’s always something new to get into.
Living in Philly. Being in Philadelphia is a big part of my college experience. I love getting out, exploring the city, and getting to know the place beyond campus. It’s a good excuse to step away from my desk and bring that curiosity into everyday life.
Thinking out loud. I love speaking. Speech and debate were a huge part of high school, especially extemporaneous speaking: making sense of an unfamiliar question, building an argument, and connecting with the people listening. I placed seventh nationally in extemp and first in Pennsylvania. That love of communication has stayed with me, whether I’m presenting research, advocating for students, or simply having a good conversation.
Research & clinical experience
Summer 2025
As a STAR Scholar and first-author researcher, I developed an on-premise MedGemma pipeline to turn head CT reports into structured traumatic brain injury findings, bleeding maps, and severity scores, with auditable evidence traces. I presented at the STAR Summer Showcase; the findings were submitted as a preprint.
Summer 2023
First-author research using exome sequencing to investigate disease-causing variants and prognosis in rare epileptic genes. My clinical work included supporting patient consent, sample collection, and pedigree construction.
2022–2023
Contouring anatomical structures in CT scans and refining segmentation data for disease analysis and radiation therapy. This work was published in Medical Physics and presented at a conference.
300+ hours of shadowing across cardiology, orthopedics, pediatric neurology, psychiatry, and virtual settings. I also volunteered 130+ hours with Drexel EMS, responding to campus incidents and helping with documentation and follow-up.
On campus & beyond
Student government. I chair Business & Properties in Drexel’s Undergraduate Student Government Association, working on campus infrastructure and quality-of-life initiatives. Previously, as Elections Chair, I administered campus-wide elections and oversaw candidate certification.
Student leadership. As president of the College of Arts & Sciences Student Leadership Council, I help connect students with university administration and support recruitment, communication, and fundraising efforts.
Jubilation for Youth. I founded this 501(c)(3) nonprofit to support children affected by epilepsy-related diseases, including STXBP1 and SCN1A. The work brings together fundraising, awareness, and hospital-based events.
Youth advocacy, in high school. Through GENYOUth and Fuel Up to Play 60, I spoke at the UN Food Systems Summit Dialogue and White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, led a GENYOUth Gala campaign, and appeared as a student speaker on the NFL Draft ↗. I was also featured on FOX 29 for my NFL Draft appearance ↗.
Say hello
Want to talk research, medicine, or something interesting?
contact@samarthmannikeri.com ↗