About me

Currently, I am a 2nd year Master’s student at UC Irvine. My research focuses on developing optical platforms to study mechanotransduction—how cells convert physical forces into chemical responses.

Research Experience

  • Sep 2022 - Present

    Graduate Student Researcher - Venugopalan Lab

    Using cavitation bubbles to study mechanotransduction, with applications in traumatic brain injury (TBI)

  • Apr 2019 - Jun 2022

    Undergraduate Student Researcher - Venugopalan Lab

    I developed a dual-balanced detector circuit for the lab’s interferometer system, implemented software for automated real-time data processing of oscilloscope traces, and streamlined the lab’s data analysis methods by using MATLAB to batch process cell signaling data

  • Oct 2021 - Mar 2022

    Undergraduate Student Researcher - King Lab

    I deployed virtual reality (VR) clinical environments for biomedical engineers and medical students to evaluate unmet clinical needs

  • Oct 2018 - Mar 2019

    Undergraduate Student Researcher - Microbiomechanics Lab

    I created a hydrogel-based synthetic model of the brain’s glymphatic system, mimicking its thermal and acoustic properties

Industry Experience

  • Aug 2022 - Nov 2022

    Quality Engineering Intern - Baxter Healthcare

    I validated Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) equipment and conducted a characterization study to investigate heat-related malformations

  • Jun 2019 - Sep 2019

    Engineering Intern - Boston Scientific

    I implemented an in-process inspection system and performed design of experiments (DOE) to reduce electropolishing time by 15%

Community Service

  • Sep 2019 - Present

    President - Rotaract Club

    I organize weekly community service projects for 20+ local volunteers, ranging from high school mentorship to house builds in Mexico

  • Jul 2022 - Jul 2023

    Medical Scribe - South Coast Global Medical Center

    I facilitated real-time accurate documentation of patient medical history and examinations in the emergency department

  • Jan 2019 - Jun 2022

    Vice President - Project RISHI

    I coordinated sustainable outreach events with National Government Organizations and 10+ local volunteers to help improve the lives of rural Indian villagers

Publications & Presentations

1. Sreedasyam, R., Wilson, B. G., Botvinick, E. L., & Venugopalan, V. (2023). An Optical System for Cellular Mechanostimulation in 3D Hydrogels [Poster]. 2023 City of Hope Graduate Research Symposium.

2. Sreedasyam, R. (2022). Interferometric Measurement of Cavitation Bubble Dynamics and Cavitation Induced Mechanostimulation in 3D Hydrogels [Undergraduate Honors Thesis].

3.     Salvo, D., Wang, J., Rao, S. S., Sreedasyam, R., Kulkarni, A. S., Braich, S., Sharma, I., & King, C. (2022). Work in Progress: Development of Virtual Reality Platform for Unmet Clinical Needs Finding in Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Design Programs [Conference Publication]. American Society for Engineering Education Conference.

4.     Wilson, B. G., Fan, Z., Sreedasyam, R., Botvinick, E. L., & Venugopalan, V. (2021). Single-shot interferometric measurement of cavitation bubble dynamics. Optics letters, 46(6), 1409–1412. https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.416923

5.     Sreedasyam, R., Wilson, B. G., Fan, Z., Botvinick, E. L., & Venugopalan, V. (2020). Interferometric Measurement of Cavitation Bubble Dynamics [Poster]. Biomedical Engineering Society Conference.

Awards & Honors

  1. 2023 City of Hope Graduate Research Symposium - 1st place

  2. 2021 VentureWell E-team Fellowship

  3. 2021 Beall Student Design Competition - 2nd place

  4. 2020 Biomedical Engineering Society-Medtronic Design Competition - 2nd place

  5. 2019 UC Irvine New Ventures Competition - 1st place

  6. UC Irvine Summer Undergraduate Research Program Fellow

  7. UC Irvine Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Fellow

  8. UC Irvine Dean’s List

  9. UC Irvine Campuswide Honors