Dr. Sunil Belur Nagaraj, PhD is a Harvard medical school trained scientist and an accomplished professional with a diverse background in academia, research, and entrepreneurship. He holds a Master of Engineering (Biomedical) from the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Neonatal Neurology) from University College Cork, Ireland. His PhD research focused on developing AI-based real-time monitoring systems for early detection of seizures and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in neonates within NICU settings.

Dr. Nagaraj's career has spanned various prestigious institutions and roles. During his tenure as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital in the USA from 2015 to 2017, he spearheaded the development of cutting-edge AI- based technologies for patient monitoring within neuro ICUs. This endeavor involved fruitful collaborations with distinguished professors and clinicians worldwide (MIT; Sharp Mary Birch Hospital; Stanford  and Oxford Universities). Throughout this experience, he acquired extensive expertise in the fields of neonatology, neurology, anaesthesiology, and cardiology. Following his postdoctoral work, he embarked on a two-year journey as an assistant professor of medicine at University Medical Centre Groningen in The Netherlands from 2018-2020. During this period, his research was dedicated to the advancement of clinical decision-making tools and the creation of innovative patient monitoring solutions. Subsequently, he transitioned to a role as a scientist at Philips Research (from 2020-2023), where he specialized in the realm of sleep disorders.

Since 2023, he holds the position of Chief Scientific Officer at Cortical Dynamics Ltd, RPH research foundation, Perth where his primary emphasis is on the development of innovative brain monitoring technologies aimed at promoting optimal perioperative patient health outcomes. He is the founder & CEO of Healthigence (https://healthigence.com.au/), an innovative AI-healthcare company based in Perth, WA, Australia and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Computer Science & Software Engineering department, the University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Throughout his career, he has developed multiple AI-based patient healthcare monitoring applications, including depth of anesthesia monitoring, early detection of brain injury, prediction of fetal distress and preeclampsia, and early sepsis treatment. He has also secured several national and international grants, enabling him to lead cutting-edge research and deliver innovative solutions that have significantly advanced medical technology.

His research interests include clinical trials, artificial intelligence, and personalized medicine, with a focus on applications in healthcare. Dr. Nagaraj has a strong publication record, with numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers to his name. He has also been actively involved in academic supervision, mentoring PhD (6), and postdoctoral (3) students, and has received several grants and awards for his research contributions.

 Awards and Grants

Dr. Nagaraj has received several grants and awards for his research. One notable grant is from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, where he served as a co-investigator. The grant, totalling 3,000,000 euros, supports the MyDigiTwin project, which aims to predict the effects of lifestyle changes on individuals' health using digital twin technology. This project has the potential to help individuals understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and take proactive measures.

Another significant grant is from the Pioneers in Health Care Innovation Industrial Fund by Menzis healthcare, where Dr. Nagaraj was the principal investigator. This grant supports the development of the DEEPSLEEP automated sleep staging algorithm. This project aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of sleep research in hospitals.

In addition to these grants, Dr. Nagaraj has also received several scholarships and prizes for his work. These include the Innovator of the Year award at the World Medical Innovation Forum in 2016 for the work on heart-brain connectivity, and the Science Foundation Ireland Fellowship, for his outstanding graduate studies. He has also received awards for his graduate studies, including the Outstanding Graduate Student award at the University of Victoria, Canada, and The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Research Assistantship. These awards recognize his innovative approaches to healthcare and outstanding contributions to research.

Publications

More details about the publications can be found via following links:

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.nl/citations?user=pc1kFlIAAAAJ&hl=en