Ritika Chaturvedi, an engineer at the RAND Corporation, has a diverse background in biomedical engineering, science and technology policy analysis, asset valuation, strategic consulting, and translational biomedical research. Her research focus at RAND involves understanding the implications of emerging disruptive technologies in health care (e.g., Precision Medicine, AI, CRISPR, wearable devices, genetically modified organisms, regenerative medicine technologies, hospital Internet of Things, etc.) on society (scientific and economic impact, health impact, implications on diversity and equity, implications on the labor market, security considerations, reimbursement considerations, transparency and quality control, and day-to-day workflows). Prior to joining RAND, she worked in the commercial life sciences sector, applying systems-engineering methods to strategize optimal market penetration of biotechnological assets. Chaturvedi earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the Tissue Microfabrication Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. There, her regenerative medicine based dissertation focused on understanding the structure-function relationship between vascular geometry in various organ systems by creating predefined vascular networks within engineered liver and heart tissue that were capable of sustaining function upon implantation. She also worked for several years as a health policy analyst at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) in Washington D.C., and worked closely with National Cancer Institute leadership on its Clinical Trials Working Group initiatives. At STPI, she also had a strong interest in innovation and competitiveness, and led the 5-year process evaluation of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award.
She is a 2018 grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Building Trust and Mutual Respect to Improve Health program, managed by AcademyHealth.